DE FINIBUS Virtutis Christianae.  
The Ends of Christian Religion, WHICH ARE To 

Avoid  
Enjoy   eternal 

Wrath  
Happiness   from God, Justified in several Discourses.  
By R. S. LL. D.  
Wisdom is justified of her children.  
OXFORD.  
Printed by HEN: HALL. Printer to the University, for RIC: DAVIS. Anno Domini. 1673.   

Imprimatur  
PETER MEWS Vicecan. March 18. 1672.   

FAcit Lucius noster prudentèr, qui audire de Summo Bono potissimùm velit. Hoc enim constituto in Philosophiâ, constituta sunt omnia; caeteris in rebus sive praetermissum, five ignoratum est quippiam, non plus incommodi est, quam quanti quaeque earum rerum est, in quibus neglectum est aliquid; summum autem Bonum si ignoretur, Vivendi quoque Rationem ignorari necesse est. Ex quo tantus Error consequitur, ut quem in portum se recipiant scire non possint: Cognitis autem rerum Finibus, cum intelligitur quid sit Bonorum extremum & Malorum, inventa vitae via est, conformatioque omnium Officiorum.  Ita Piso apud Ciceronem lib. 5. De Finibus.  

TO THE RIGHT Reverend Father in God, GEORGE, By divine Providence Lord Bishop of Winchester, etc.  
My ever Honoured Lord,  
IT is one of the Happinesses of us pretenders to learning, that we are commonly the subjects of great men's favours. But in this we are not so singular as we are in there, that sometimes we are thought to pay our Debts to them by growing in New ones; Of which this my present Dedication may be some instance to your Lordship. For I must ever own with all humble and thankful Resentments, that what Dignity and Place I have in the Church of England I received from your Noble Bounty, and hold under your sole Patronage. And now I further take confidence, considering your Lordship's great ability in Learning and Judgement, for that purpose to invoke your Lordship, as a most proper Arbiter, Judge and Patron of the Discourses that I have now committed to the Press. And, in truth, I could do no otherwise. For seeing the Receiving this Countenance and Favour is by the kind interpretation of the World a fashionable Way of Thankfulness, I, who have so much Reason to make use of all means of Gratitude, should be highly Culpable, if I should not gratify myself by laying hold of this, which is most expedient also for me in my present Occasion, and much for the Reputation and Ornament of what I publish.  
And, my Lord, as your Protection is very necessary for me, so I conceive it now very honourable for your Lordship, in that great and eminent Office which you bear in God's Church. For what can be more suitable for a Bishop, than to countenance the defence of those Truths, which are the fundamental Basis of all Relion and Virtue.  
What I present now extends but to the Title de Finibus: Which, if we handle Divinity in the Analytique Way (the Way that expedites our learning and accommodates it to practice) is first in Order. But your Lordship hath seen my whole Method, and if they shall be judged useful may command my Endeavours upon the other Titles also. And though here (as in the holy Waters described Ezech. XLVII.) the further we go, the deeper we shall wade into the Body of Divinity, yet I think we may avoid all those depths, that are unfathomable or Dangerous, if we contain ourselves within the Compass of what is Practical. In the mean time I could not forbear to contribute my Mite towards the fixing in the first Place of these Initial Rudiments, that are naturally first in Order, now first openly called in Question and always, as I before intimated, of prime influence to ground us in Morality and Religion.  
It is the Observation of Plato in his tenth Book de Legibus, that whosoever beleiveth that there is a God, and a Providence and that God will not be corrupted to Partiality or Injustice by any Compliment in Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He will neither willingly do an Ungodly Act, nor speak an unruly Word: I need not to your Lordship expatiate in commending the judgement of that Philosopher who determineth it necessary for the well Government of a Common weal, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. apud Poit. x. de leg. ad Finen.  that it be thus ruled in the fundamental Laws of it. That in case Atheism of any kind should appear in any Man, every one should be obliged to oppose it as a public Pest, and to defend Religion, and to delate to the Magistrate such, who by dissettling the common Principles, which affirm a Providence, would corrupt the manners of the Unlearned: and that then the Magistrates should punish all Atheists so delated most severely, as being persons of very pernicious influence to the state. For it is not only to the contempy of the Sovereign Deity, but to the Ruin of any Temporal Kingdom, that Atheists, or at least that Professors of Atheism, and teachers of profaneness, should be suffered to go Unpunished. These Hecloring against Heaven being justly reckoned among those things that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the very Banes of Empire and Government, as taking away that which is the great and common Awe of Men of all degrees, the Reverence I mean of that supreme and Dernier Resort in the highest and unavoidable judgement of the great Creator. It is much to be wished and prayed for, that we, as we all worship the same same God, so we might once be so Happy as to agree in the same worship of Him. Such an Union would certainly render us more dear to Him and more considerable to Men. But if some Difference in Worship, for the darkness of men's Understandings and the hardness and untowardness of their Hearts, must be tolerated; yet methinks we should have so much Zeal for Religion, and Loyalty to the supreme Creator and Governor of the World, as to discommon those from all our Societies, who lay foundations to eradicate all manner of worship, who laugh at all the Reverential Hopes and Fears in Religion and behave themselves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Men who desire to live in the World that God hath made; and yet despise to worship Him that made it.  
That God would pardon our past provocations and continue to bresse us, and his immediate Vicegerent our King, and make Him glorious in the Extirpation of Atheism and Profaneness and in the punishment of those who have been or shall be hereafter Ministers of Evil, in scattering the poisonous seeds of Irreligion and Wickedness among us: And that He would give your Lordships the Bishops, and all other inferior Magistrates, Honour in your contributing severally to this great and necessary Effect, is, and by his Grace, ever shall be, the Prayer of  
My most honoured Lord, Your Lordship's most obliged and ever observant Chaplain ROBERT SHARROCK.   

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.  
Friendly Reader.  
IN the ensuing Discourse, that I might commend unto you the Gift of Fear, and the Christian Virtue Hope, I have given you a just Character of the objects that we have Reason to fear and hope. Which if we apprehend as they are, we cannot naturally but fear and avoid the One, and hope and desire the other: It is like to be an ill world, when the Existence of God and his Providence, the eternal punishment of the wicked in Hell, the Immortality of the Soul, and the Resurrection of the Body are called in Question. I remember that Dr Arrowsmith speaking of the Existence of the three divine persons compared them to the three Wells mentioned Gen. 26. The Divinity of God the Son to the Well Ezech, signifying contention, because the Orthodox have been long forced to contend for it against the Arians of several Ages, the Deity of the Spirit to the Well Sitnah that signifieth Hatred, because the holy Ghosts Divinity hath been the Object of the Socinians Contradiction and Hatred. But he compared the Existence and Divinity of God the Father to the well Rehoboth, about which there was no strife, However his Comparison agreed then with the Times, yet as lately as he died; had he lived until now, I am sure it had been out of doors, For such is our Unhappiness that it concerns us to contend even for the Existence of God the Creator, and for his Providence and Government of the World; such is our Calamity that we have some now, as ready to deny the God that made them, as there were any in the last Age to deny the Lord that bought them. This is their Absurdity, they are more willing to suppose those infinite, or at least innumerable lesser, Being's, of which the World is made to be infinite in Duration, than to comply with the common Faith in believing One infinite Creator of them all. And in every other particular that Opinion is proposed as probable by the new Modes in Philosophy that complieth most with the lose way of living now designed. Sometimes it is a part of their War with Heaven to endeavour to extinguish Hell, sometimes to dispute against the Immateriality and Immortality of the Soul, sometimes against the Resurrection of the Body, by these stratagems they cut off those hopes that are the Encouragements to Virtue, and those, fears that are, or in Reason should be, the Bars of all Profaneness.  
Aetes' posterior, pejor Avis tulit  
Nos nequiores— I will not add  
Mox daturos  
Progeniem vitiosiorem.  
For I wish there were not Opinions and Practices so bad, that we are out of danger of having worse, or of being worse otherwise than by the further spreading of that Poison that is already cast among us.  
My design now is, (upon the Title de Finibus; which is now no unseasonable Argument,) to lay down and explain, even where I find no Opposition, the doctrine of Christianity in that Method which I think most easy and natural, and to confirm it, as it ought to be confirmed especially, from the Word of God, though generally where the matter is agreeable I have taken in the Reason of the best of the old Philosophers also. In controverted points, besides my Explication of the common doctrine, I present you with such of the old Arguments from Divines or Philosophers, as after my survey of our modern Hypotheses, I think stand yet unanswered, and which will, si secuta fuerit as old Brutus spoke in another case quae debet fortuna, eternally triumph in the power of their own Truth.  
Great part of these Discourses were, as you see, Sermons, and what was not preached as being not accommodable to my present Auditories, yet I have put in the same Method and joined them in their Stations, that my discourses might be complete and adequate to their Title. And though these extend but to the first Title in Christian Morality yet I hope through God's assistance to add the rest in due time, or to suppress what remains as I shall be commanded or advised by those who are to judge of their Expediency and Usefulnesse.  
In the mean time, let us pray together that God would give us Sobriety of Mind in this distempered Age, and establish us all in such a Fear and love of Him, whose fruit may be to holiness and Peace and Charity in this world, and whose End may be everlasting life in the world to come.   

THE CONTENTS  

SECT: 1.  

SERM: I. Of the Fear of God.  

Atheism increased in England. pag 1, 2  
Vnbeleif of the principles of Religion is the cause of exorbitant Lives. p. 2, 3  
The contrary designs of Happiness in Religious and Atheistical persons. p. 3, 4  
Modern Atheists either Epicureans or Aristoteleans. p. 4, 5  
The Vanity of the Epicurean Atheist. p. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10  
The Vanity of the Aristotelean Atheist. p. 11, 12, 13  
The Vanity of Atheists in general. p. 13, 14  
Psalm 14 paraphrased. p. 14  
The Fears and self-contradictions of Atheists. p. 14, 15  
No argument against the Existence of a Deity. p. 16  
The common faith of Mankind asserts a Deity. ib.  
The Christian Faith assureth us of a Deity and the Creation. p. 16, 17  
Pride of Curious learning the Cause of Error in Aristotle and Epicurus and other Grecians Wits. p. 17, 18  
Acts 17, 21. explained. p. 17  
Cautions against practical Atheism. p. 18, 19  
Moral Obedience the best part of God's Service. p. 20    

SERM: II. Of the fear of God.  

By this Phrase, the Fear of the Lord, various habits of the mind are signified. p. 21, 22  
St Basil explains the Text: Psal: 34.11. of servile fear p. 22, 23  
Servile Fear commended. p. 23  
The judgement of God and Hell Torments were received by ancient Tradition as the great Objects of human Fear. p. 24  
That Tradition corrupted by Poets. ib.  
Hell Torments Confirmed by Scripture. p. 25  
Hell Torments perpetual and continued. p. 26  
The Infidelity of the present Age. p. 27  
Modern followers of Plato and Origen extenuate Hell Torments. p. 27, 28  
Hobbists and Socinians do the same. p. 28, 29  
Torments of Individuals in Hell proved to be eternal. p. 29  
Objections answered. How eternal Torments curative. p. 30  
Equality of Pleasure in sin and Torment in punishment not necessary. p. 31.  
No Argument can be drawn against the Eternity of Hell-torments from the Mercy of God. p. 32  
Epicurus false in his Rule, si gravis, brevis. ib.  
The manner how the Damned shall be enabled to endure Hell-torments unconceivable. p. 32, 33  
Eternal Torments called a Second Death. p. 34.  
The firing of Sodom how a Type of Hell fire. ib.  
The use of these terrible truths. p. 35.    

SERM: III. Of the Fear of God.  

Severe Truths generally displease. p. 36  
The Primitive fathers in this case the best Interpreters of dubious Scriptures. p. 37  
St Augustine's arguments for the Eternity of Hell Torments. p. 38, 39  
St Basils' arguments and Advice. p. 40  
St Ambrose concerning their Extension and Perpetuity. p. 41, 42  
rabbinical conceits of the pains of the damned. p. 41, 42  
Lactantius how the greatness of those Torments hinder not their eternity. p. 42, 43  
Tertullian Vindicated. p. 43, 44  
Justin Martyr vindicated. p. 45  
St Gregory, Photius, Cyprian, Prudentius, Athanasius and St Hierom considered. p. 45, 46, 47  
Justinians letters to Archbishop Menna and the decree of the sixth council of Constantinople referred to. p. 47, 48  
Whether Hell Torments formally such as described? if not such, greater: St Greg. Nyssenes' Opinion. p. 49  
Hell Torments not now understood. p. 49, 50  
God himself is in Hell a consuming fire. p. 50, 51  
Fear of God and his judgement commended. p. 51, 52  
This fear a principal Bar against Vice. p. 52, 53  
Vicious men not to be Envied. p. 54  
There is a Reward in the End for the Religious.     

SECT. II.  

SERM: I. Of the Rewards of Religion.  

Man Naturally desireth Happiness. p. 5  
The Greater Happiness is more  than the less. p. 58  
Heathens were sensible of a Reward for Virtue and a punishment impendent upon Vice. p. 59  
The fears and suspicions of an ill Conscience . p. 60  
The joy and content of the Heathens in the practice of Virtue and how this joy was reasonable. p. 60, 61  
The Laws of Nature and sense of God a Rewarder in all Men. p. 61, 62  
Christians have greater Reasons of their satisfaction and content in the excercise of Christian Virtue. p. 62, 63  
The contemplation of the joys of Heaven necessary for our encouragement to Virtue. p. 63  
Psal. 16. v. ult. commended. p. 64  
Happiness in Heaven the greatest possible. ib.  
The parts of the greatest Happiness explained. p. 65  
Security from Grief a necessary prerequisite to Happiness. p. 66  
Heavenly Happiness free from pain and Grief. p. 67  
Man's condition considered in respect of pain. p. 68  
The use of Cares and Pains in this World. p. 69  
No Use of Pains or Cares in Heaven. p. 70  
The particular Occasions and Causes of our Bodily pains and cares inconsistent with the state of Glory. p. 71, 72  
Of Pains purely Mental. p. 73  
The state of Glory free from mental Pains. p. 74  
Of Hell Torment. p. 75  
The state of Glory free from these Torments. p. 75, 76  
The vision of Heavenly joy shall increase the Torment of the damned. p. 76  
The vision of Hell Torments shall increase the blessedness of the blessed. p. 77  
Recapitulation and Conclusion. p. 78    

SERM: II. Of the Rewards of Religion.  

His Apology may be pardoned who is put to describe Heaven. p. 79  
It is God's mercy that Heaven is described by Metaphors. p. 80  
Voluptas in Motu, active joys in Heaven. p. 81  
And in the highest degrees and greatest quantities. ib.  
Scenes of Spiritual joys in corporal shapes and figures given us in compassion to our Infirmities. p. 82  
Heavenly joys compared to the pleasures of feasting. ib.  
To the joys of marriage. p. 83  
To the joys of Honor. p. 84  
To the Glories of a Victor in games of Honor. ib.  
To the Glories of a King. p. 85  
The stateliness of the Court of Heaven descibed. p. 85, 86  
The Eternal duration of these joys and Glories in Heaven. p. 86, 87, 88  
Metaphors express the Grandeur not the Nature of that Joy. p. 88  
Glorified Bodies Spiritual like Christ's Body. p. 89  
Ben Maimons' discourse of the Reasonableness of Gods proposing Heaaven to us under such Metaphors. p. 89, 90  
The Doctrine of Socrates and Plato de Finibus compared with that of Christianity. p. 91, 92  
Material senses continued in Heaven for Ornament rather than for Use. p. 93  
The Conclusion. p. 94    

SERM: III. Of the Rewards of Religion.  

Why men prefer Worldly Enjoyments before those of Heaven. p. 96  
The same Attributes given to God and Heaven. ib.  
The happiness of Both described by Negatives. p. 96, 97  
The Enjoyment in Nature great, the Enjoyments in conceit and fancy greater than those in Nature. p. 98, 99  
The Enjoyments in Heaven greater than both. p. 99  
1 Cor. 2.9. and Isaiah 64. w. 1, 2, 3, 4. compared and explained. p. 100, 101  
The Conflagration of this world in order to the purgation of its Matter for the New Heavens and New Earth and New Jerusalem incomprehensibly glorious. ib.  
Rabbins affirm that from the state of the Messiah we must take the image of our future Glory. p. 101, 102  
The Resurrection of Christ the Image of ours. p. 102  
How the Glories of Heaven are revealed to Christians by the Spirit. p. 103  
Advice. Stand no more gazing in Heaven. p. 104  
Christian Faith and Hope commended.  
Christian Practice commended.    

SERM: IU. Of the Rewards of Religion.  

The Hope of the Resurrection of the Body and life everlasting the greatest Encouragements to Virtue. p. 109  
The Existence of the Law of Nature argues Rewards and punishments in another life because they are not equally Distributed in this. p. 110  
The immortality of the Soul anciently believed. p. 111  
Mr Hobbes' his Opinion considered. ib.  
The Doctrine of the Souls Immortality sprang not from the Daemonology of the Greeks. p. 112  
The ancient arguments for the Immortality of the Soul from Cicero and other Philosophers. p. 113, 115, 116  
The Explication of those who make Souls corporeal imperfect. p. 114  
Mr Hobbes misinterprets Scripture which determines the Soul to be independent from the Body. p. 117, 118  
Reasons why Christians first believed the Gospel of Christ concerning the Resurrection of the Body. p. 118, 119  
Christ's other pred ctions already miraculously fulfilled were received as Arguments that his Doctrine concerning the Resurrection shall be fulfiled also. p. 119, 120  
Miraculous instances of his power in raising the Dead. p. 120, 121  
Jairus his daughter and the Widows son raised. p. 121, 122  
Lazarus raised and the Resurrection preached. p. 122, 123  
Christ's own Resurrection a powerful argument of ours. p. p. 123, 124  
Objections Obviated. p. 125, 126  
How the Doctrine of the Resurrection was received among the Jews. p. 127  
Our Saviors Argument against the Sadduces explained. p. 127, 128  
How farve the Doctrine of the Philosophers was consistent with the Christian Doctrine of the Resurrection. p. 129, 130  
Application. Hope of this Resurrection to be cherished. p. 131  
This Virtue Hope commended from its Vsefullnesse. p. 132  
The Antinomians Error who rejects this Virtue deduced from its Originals described and confuted. p. 〈…〉, 134  
The Exercise of Hope commended from the 〈…〉 to it. p. 134  
The Exercise of Thanksgiving and Worship commended. p. 135     

SECT: III.  

SERM: I. Of the chiefest good.  

Christian Doctrine opposed by Epicureans and Stoics. p. 146 141, 142  
St Paul's Triumph over his learned opponents. p. 143  
Philosophers very good and very bad. p. 144, 145, 146  
Errors about summum Bonum. p. 147, 148  
No sect could obtain Happiness in this life. p. 149, 150, 151  
Their happiness designed in this life inconsiderable. p. 152, 153  
Some philosophers prized virtuous actions to be summum bonum. p. 154  
Others esteemed pleasure to be it. p. 155  
And aimed at that only in this life. p. 156  
Christians aim at everlasting pleasures. p. 157    

SERM: II. Of the chiefest Good.  

St Augustine under temptation of pleasure. p. 160  
Difference of lusts. p. 161  
Religion opposeth the reign of lusts. p. 162  
No true happiness in the enjoyment of honour. p. 163  
No true happiness in the enjoyment of pleasures. p. 164  
Proved by the example of King Solomon. p. 165  
No true happiness in the enjoyment of riches. p. 166  
Pleasures of Intemperance mischievous to the mind. p. 167  
Pleasures of Intemperance hurtful to the Body. p. 168  
Ruinous to the estate. p. 169  
They are sins against society. p. 170, 171  
Dishounourable to Man as Man. p. 172  
Inconsistent with religion. p. 173  
Most dishonourable to a Christian. p. 174  
The Christians Body consecrated to holiness. p. 175  
The modern triumph of Vice over Christianity deplorable. p. 176  
The application. p. 177, 178    

SERM: III. Of the chiefest Good.  

All men desire the chiefest good. p. 182  
Most seek It where 'tis not to be found. p. 183, 184  
Gods righteousness the way. p. 185, 186  
Christ's yoke is easy. p. 187  
Reveiw of heaven. p. 188  
Infidelity of those that seek it not. p. 189  
Inconsideration of those that seek it not. p. 190, 191  
Our future state more Considerable than our present. p. 192, 193  
The belief and life of the Atheist exposed. p. 194, 195, 196, 197  
Their different Ends. p. 198      

ERRATA.  
Page ●. ●o. 24 〈…〉 with God p. 13. l. 24. 〈◊〉 p. 14. l. 27. dares not trust p. 24. l 10. that great 〈…〉 the L●ve p. 2 〈◊〉. 13 shall after s●●e periods of ●im ib. l. n●●. prepared for temporal punishment 〈…〉 and the 〈◊〉 ● 3 l. 2. ●t John saith p. 38. l. 6. Matter of l. 10 Ancients l 11. dele●●● p. 39 l. 3 〈…〉 p. 40. l. 31. shall suffer p. 47. l. 10. qui dix●●unt in cord Non est Deu● p. 52. l. 19 of true and proper p. 62 l. ●l● as the Gentiles p. 63. l. 1. so their Virtue ib. l. 23. raiseth a Christians p. 70. l. 16. admonish u● p. 74 l. 1. C●yes p. 82. l. 22 fatness of p. 83. l. 9 fountain of light p. 89. l. 16. Behemenisme p. 94 l. 9 pious reverence. p. 98. l. 5. and with learned and good Natured p. 106. l. 20. not only with the Righteousness of Christ imputed but also with the Righteousness, ib. l. 25. without the assistance p. 114. l. 4. con●ects notions l. 28 which we have not yet p. 125. l 19 or it may p. 132. l. 13. cardinal Christian p. 134. l. ●. as to set a difference between God's Glory and our Happiness, why should we not have an Eye to both or why should we sever p. 135. l. 12. to bless God p. 145. l. 5. and agrees ib. l. penust the vanity of p. 148. l. 25 deal and p 152. l. 4. confess i● reasonable p. 171. l. 7. son of her Vomes p. 177. l. 23. smiteth and wrongeth l. 24. the day of p. 1●2. l. 3. Hence is all p 186. l. 31. Whosoever have p. 188. l. 17. Councillor's p. 196. l. 8 But yond.  

IN MARGIN.  
Pag 5 l. 26 lege ●●●●itate l. 42. architectum p. 7. l. 4 cum tota p. ●0. l. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 18. Augustine's p. 15. l. on●ium mortalium p. 22 l. 12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 29. l. 6. Salutem l. 7. hoc est p. 40 l. 7. ad Meanam p. 49 l. penult inter proleg●mena● p. 55. l. 12. ordinata p. 87. l. 15 sola ergo lb. l. 25 fieri co●um p. 9●. l. 22 non est dubitandum p 1●9. l. 17. hac carn● p. 152. l. 14. quae istorum ib. l. 16. inger●nt mortem l. 17, 18. gaudendum: ubi Virtutes ips●e quibus l. 19 peric●lorum, laborum, dolorum ta●●o fideliora lestimon●a miseriarum p. 153. l. 13. quid esset ib. S●e l. 14. quaesiverunt p. 168. l. 7. coena delectavatur.    

SECTION I.  
THE FEAR OF GOD, in Opposition TO The Atheism of this present Age commended, AND The Pains of Hell represented as the Greatest Evil.  
In three Sermons preached in the Cathedral Church at Winchester.  
By R. S. Prebendary there: Pietas timore inchoatur, Caritate perficitur.   

PSAL. 34.11. 
Come ye children, and hearken unto me, and I will teach You the fear of the Lord.  
I will make no apology, my Christian Auditors, for calling You children: No man is too good for this compellation, but he that is too good to go to Heaven. For our Saviour hath affirmed with an Oath, that Whosoever doth not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, 
Mar. 10.15.  he shall in no wise enter therein. And therefore I shall not alter the Exhortation of the Psalmist, either as to the matter, or as to the phrase. The Matter is profitable, and the phrase pathetic, Come Ye children, and hearken unto me, and I will teach You the fear of the Lord.  
A good confident Demagogue saith, the Atheist: What! must we be children? and must we hearken so diligently? and must we be taught? and must we be taught by Him? And lastly, which is worst of all, must we be taught to fear, and to fear Spirits, things that we never saw? Must this fear be the fear of a God?  
I observe, that in sermons made to our Ancestors, the Preachers seldom proposed any argument to prove the existence of God, or the need we have to worship and fear him, without some such apology as this, that though no man was so unreasonable, or Ungodly, as to deny the Being of a God; yet that such discourses were sometimes useful to Countermine secret and privy suggestions to Atheism, and Irreligion; which by our Natural Corruption, and the Devil's malice we may receive some damnage by. But now the scene is altered; we need no such Apology. The Devil hath improved his Empire. Instead of denying Ungodliness, we are ready to profess Atheism, and instead of subduing our lusts, we are ready to pamper and cherish them. The Enemy hath made his inroad, and shall not the Watchman give Notice, that every man's blood, that prepares him not to his own defence, may be upon his own head.  
It is noted by a Judicious divine, 
Presto● in his Serm. of the sensible Demonsiration of a Deity.  that all that Unevenesse, and all those exorbitances, that are found in the lives of Men, do generally proceed from the weakness of the spring, because the principles of Religion are not throughly and firmly believed. Men for the generality (I speak not now of professed Atheists) will not neglect Religion altogether, nor will they make their hearts perfect which God in allthings. The Reason is; because the principles of Religion are in part believed, in part not believed, They say in their hearts, It may be there is a God, a Creator, a Rewarder, a Judgement to come; and yet they have so much of David's fool in them, that sometimes they are ready to say in their hearts, It may be there is no God. Now here is a defect in the root and principle. A Watch may as well go without a spring, as Man live well in any degree, that doth not believe that there is a God, and that he is a Rewarder.  
It is time now for Us to sound an Alarm, and to set up our Standard, When the poison of Atheism is not like the Pestilence that walketh in darkness, but when it appears, and challenges Religion, and sets up its Standard also for a Token, and is like the destruction that wasteth at noon day.  
The Heralds or messengers of God from Heaven have not been wanting to acquaint the world with these most important Truths. That the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom, That there is no beginning to be wise without it; So Solomon Prov. 1.7. That the fear of the Lord is Wisdom, and that to departed from Evil is understanding, So Job 28. ult. That they are all fools that say in their hearts, There is no God. That the workers of Iniquity have no knowledge, that oppress and eat up God's people, as if they would eat bread, and call not upon the Lord, So my Psalmist, Psalm 14 1, 4. But the Heralds of Hell have opened their poisonous lips also, They call that folly that we think our chiefest Wisdom; They profess to soar high far above all our Aims. For they design themselves a happiness that they will not depend upon, nor thank God for. And the security of that happiness of theirs consists chief in this, That God shall not be in all their thoughts: and their greatest accomplishment is this, that they have in a good measure untaught themselves the fear of the Lord. They endeavour not to avoid the Judgement of God, but the fear of his judgement; like the silly fish mentioned by Aelian, that hides his head in the bank, and, because he sees not the fisher, thinks himself secure, and that the fisher sees not him.  
If you would know why they endeavour thus to hid themselves from the fear of God, they tell you that the great hindrance to men's comfort in this life is, 
Lucret. lib. 1.  Eternas quoniam paenas in morte timendum: because they are apt to be troubled with suspicions and fears of an Eternal punishment after Death. They would be happy, but the fear of a God and a judgement spoils their Mirth. However their resolve is not to lose any present pleasure. S. Paul tells you their word, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die. while we live (say they) let us live voluptuously, and that we may no more be troubled for the future, let us contrive some way how our Enemy may not find us, that is (to use their own language) how we may Relligionibus atque minis obsistere diuôm—  
let us be rid of this Religious timorousness at any rate, and let us throw off this fear of God, that is ready continually to afflict us. And seeing this Fear arises from a consideration, that the world cannot be made or preserved without a God: Let not us (say they) be carried along with that common Opinion; and thus they persuade themselves to be guilty of the folly, noted by the Psalmist, of saying in their hearts, There is no God. This is the Genealogy of their wicked thoughts. This the Aim of their Philosophy and study, as you may see it delineated by themselves in the first book of Lucretius.  
Pardon me, My children, while I show you the Vanity of these pretended wisemen, and the foolishness of their Wisdom, when it exalts itself against the wisdom, and would destroy the fear of the Lord. Seneca thought he had no hard task upon him, when he was to defend the cause of God, and I hope by his assistance it will be easy for me to show openly the folly of these Men; who, to deliver themselves from the fear of God's judgement, have ventured to deny his being and existence. These men have ranged themselves into two sorts. 1. The first are the Epicurean Atheists who, to rid themselves of the fear of God, have been forced to maintain this Hypothesis, That the World was made by chance, and is governed by chance; and so by Consequence, that God is not to be feared as the creator and Governor of the world.  
2. The second sort are the Aristotelean Atheists, who, to be rid of the same fear of God from their Master Aristotle (if indeed it was his Opinion) assert the world never to have been made at all, but to have been perpetuated, as it is, 

For it is not altogether out of question, Whether Aristotle did indeed deny the Creation of the world. For some there are, as the learned Scaliger, who reckon Aristotle among those Philosophers, who though they asserted the Eternity of the World; yet have owned the Creation also, supposing God the Eternal Cause of an Eternal World, and so from God the Eternal Creator an Eternal succession of Generations and corruptions; and consequently that God was before the world in Nature, but not in Time or Duration of any Kind; but as the sun was before its own light. But against this Opinion are the Writings of Aristotle lib. 8. Phys. lib. 1. De caelo; and in the later part. lib. 2. de gen. & corrupt. & lib. 12. Meta●h. Vid. & Pereri. lib. 15. de Mo●u & Eternitate mundi. However it is supposed, that before his death he altered his Opinion, and writ in Contradicton to his former arguments V Gassend. de Phys. §. 1. l. 4 c. 5. & loca apud eum citata; quibus add. l. 2. de Gen. & cor. §. 3.10. De Anima, etc.  
Manilius concerning the order and exact motion of the Stars. l. 1. Astron.  
Nec quicquam in tantâ magis est Mirabile Mole,  
Quam ratio & certis quod l●gibus omnia parent.  
Nusquam turba nocet, Nihil ullis partibus errat,  
Laxius aut levius mutatóve ordine fertur.  
Quid tam confusum sp●cie ●quid tam vice certum?  
Ac mihi tam praesens ratio non ulla videtur,  
Quâ pateat Mundum divino Numine verti,  
Atque ipsum esse Deum, nec sorte coïsse Magistrâ,  
Ut voluit credi, qui primus maenia Mundi  
Seminibus struxit minimis inque illa resolvit.  
And a little after—  
Nunquam transversus solem decurrere ad Arctos,  
Nec mutare vi as, & in Ortum vertere Cursus,  
Auro●amque novis nasc●nte oftendere terris.  
Nec lunam certos excedere luminiais Orbs;  
Sed servare modum, quo cresc at quove recedat.  
Nec cadere in terram pendentia sidera Caelo:  
Sed dimensa suis consumere tempora signis,  
Non casûs opus est, Magni sed Numinis Ordo.  
See Cicero lib. 2. de. nat. Deorum n. 88, 89, 90. & sequentib. Philosophi, si fo●te eos primus respectus Mu● di conturbaverat, ●ostea cum vidissent motus ejus finitos & aequabiles, omniaque tantis ordinibus moderata, immutab●lique constantiâ intelligere debuerunt inesse aliquem non solum habitatorem in hac. coelesti & divind d●mo. sed etiam rectorem & moderato●●m, & tanquam architect●um ta●ti Operis, etc. ib. Principio terra Universa cernatur locata in medio mundi, sede solidâ, & undique ipsa in sese nutibus suis congloba. ta, vestita floribus, arboribus, srugibus, quorum omnium incredibilis multitudo insatiabili varietate distinguitur. Add huc fontium gelidas perennitates, etc. ib. n. 98.   from all Eternity by infinite successions of Generations and corruptions, and that without the Creation or Providence of God.  
To make way therefore for the establishing the worship and fear of God in your hearts, We will consider the Vanity of these our greatest modern opposers (first of our Epicurean, then of our Aristotelean, Atheists) who for want of Invention in themselves, have raked their Atheism out of the errors of the old Philosophers.  
He than that adopts the Epicurean Hypothesis, and believes, that the whole world and all the parts of it come together by chance, and is so preserved without the work or providence of God, Let him but cast his Eyes up to Heaven, and there take a just view of the compass of those vast Bodies. Let him see the Glory of the Sun, the light and beauty of the Moon, the number, order and the exact Motion of the Stars, continued now for near six thousand years without Error or Interruption.  
Then let him look down upon the Earth, and wonder to see how it is fastened without prop or pillar, and made to stand  in the mid of the Air, how it is compassed and interveined with waters, how it is covered with Grass and herbs, beautified with flowers, and enriched with all manner of fruits (all which are conveniences most necessary for the use of Man) Will he then think that all these came by chance? Will he not rather (with old Hermes the Trismegist) call God Father, and own him to be the Wise and powerful Creator and preserver of all these things. The Heavens, saith David, Psal. 19 declare the Glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth Speech, and Night unto Night showeth Knowledge. There is no Speech nor Language where their Voice is not heard.  
Nay, this Hypothesis of the Epicureans is abundantly confuted even by Cicero, and other considering Men among the Heathen. If a man (say they) should come into a fair house well built both for state and convenience, provided with all useful, and adorned with all Curious, furniture, could he think the house had no founder that built, no Master that owned and furnished it. So he that beholds the goodly frame and structure of the World, and the variety of all those Curious and useful parts contained in it, may justly be censured for wanting the common Reason of Mankind, if he doth not conclude, that it had an author and a former, and hath a Lord and an Owner, Which is no other but that God; the fear of whose power and providence these Epicures desire to lay aside.  
If there be no providence, how came that admirable correspondence in parts so different, as those are, whereof the world is made? Is it by Chance that things in their Nature's most contrary, as hot and cold, moist and dry, fluid and firm, all conspire to the advantage of the Creature, as to their common End? Is it by Chance that the Springs do feed the Rivers, and the Rivers the Sea, and the Sea the Clouds, and the Clouds the Earth, and the Earth Beasts, and Beasts Men? No surely, God hath done all this for Man, and he expects from Man this return only, Namely, that he will give him the honour of his own Work.  
If there be no providence, how came it, that throughout the whole Universe, there are for particular and extraordinary cases such particular and extraordinary provisions. Egypt and some other Countries have no Rain: But then, instead of Rain, 
Magnae etiam Opportunitates ad cultum hominum alque abundantiam aliam al●s i● locis reperiuntur, Aegyptum Nilus irrigat, & totâ aestate obrutam oppletamque tenucrit, tum recedit, mollitosque & oblinatos agros ad se● rendum relinquit. Mesopotamiam fertilem efficit Euphrates, in quam quotannis quasi notos agros invehit. Jndus v●rò, qui omnium est Fluminum maximus, non aqua solum agros laetisicat & mitigat, sed eos etiam conserit. Magnam enim Vim frumenti sea cum & similium dicitur deportare, etc. lib. 2. de Nat. Deor. n, 1 ● 1.  they have great Rivers, such as Nilus and Niger in the otherwise barren parts of Africa, which at certain times of the year overflow their banks, and at other periods sink and draw themselves in again, which make these countries as fruitful as if they had all the seasonable showers of the former and the latter Rain. Great and unsufferable were the beat under the torrid Zone by the necessary reflection of the Sun, unless otherwise qualified. And think You, that it comes by chance, that in those places they abound with fresh Winds, Springs and Showers constantly to mitigate the extremity of that Heat? Near the Poles the cold is so excessive, that without great assistances for warmth, Men could not live. There therefore groweth abundance of Wood, and there are the beasts with all the deep furs proper for the use of those inhabitants. We in these Countries have hot stomaches, and we have plenty of flesh and other solid meat at hand. In hot countries, where there can be little provision of flesh; there they have lesser stomaches, and find fruit and herbs with a little bread and wine to be food convenient for them.  
All these things, my Brethren, came not by Chance. Let Atheists blaspheme as they please, There is the hand of providence in it. For as in a family where all are under one Lord, and all are served by one Steward, every one hath his portion and allowance according to the Office he bears, and the work he is approved to do: So did God the Father in his first Creation appoint for all the Nations of the world a fit Diett according to the Temperature of their Bodies, and the condition of the Climate they live under. Neither hath he made this provision for Men only, but also for beasts, and for the fouls of the Air, and for every creeping thing; according to that of the Psalmist The Eyes of all things, look unto thee, O Lord, and thou givest them their Meat in due season.  
The Epicurean Atheists undertook indeed to show, how the world and all its parts were made without a God. But what have they performed in that great Essay? Of those ten thousand Myriads of appearances in the world, can they perform it in any one? Can they make one hair white or black? Let them make the Leaf of a tree, or the wing of a fly; how else shall we think them able to answer their great Undertake, and to show what they promise— 
Unde queat res quaeque creari,  
Et quo quaeque modo fiant Operâ sine diuôm?   
that is, how allthings in the world may be created and made without the work of God.  
For, that Chance, the blindest thing in the world, should perfect all the parts of this stately fabric, and place them in this excellent Order, is the most incredible supposition that could be made. It is well observed by Cicero, that by the casual shuffling of many thousand single leters the Annals of Ennius' might more possibly be composed, than that a Chaos of undigested Atoms should form so excellent a world consisting of so many and so useful and beautiful parts without the least contrivance. 
Hic ergo non mirer esse quenquam, qui sibi persuadeat, corpora quaedam solida atque individua vi & gravitate serri, mundumque effici ornatissimum, & pulcherrimum ex eorum corporum concursione fortuita? Hoc qui existimat fieri potuisse; non intelligo cur non idem putet, si innum●rabiles unius & viginti li●erarum sormae vel aureae vel quales libet, aliquo conjiciantur, posse ex his in terram excussis annal Ennii, ut deinceps legi possint, effici? etc. Quod si mundum efficere potest concursus Atomorum, cur porticum, cur templum, cur domum, cur U●bem non potest? De nat. lib. 2.   
But before I leave the Epicurean Atheist, let me form one argument against him out of his own Philosophy. It is this, That which is received by the common Prolepsis or Notion of Mankind, that is Certainly true. 
Vidit Epicurus esse Deos, quod in omnium animis eorum Notionem impressisset Natura. Quae enim Gens est, aut quod geaus hominum, quod non habeat sine doctrina anticipationem quandam Deorum, quam appellat Prolepsin Epicurus? So Velleius in Cicero 1. De Nat. Deorum. A little after, Cum non instituto aliquo, aut more, aut lege, sit Opinio constituta, maneatque ad Unum firma omnium Consensio, intelligi Necesse est esse Deos; quoniam insitas corum, vel potiùs innatas cognitiones habemus. De quo autem omnium Natura consentit, id. verum esse necesse est. ib. ex sententia Epicuri.  This major proposition is Epicurus' own, and stongly contended for, as you may see in the first book of Cicero de Nat. Deorum. The Minor out of his own Philosophy also shall be this: But the Being of a God is received by the common Prolepsis or Notion of Mankind. Whence the Conclusion follows, That it is certainly true, there is a God. The Epicureans, not being able to deny any part of the Premises, admit the Conclusion also: but then affirm, that this God did not create, nor doth Govern, the World. To which the Reply is easy; It being granted by them, that what is received by the common Notion of mankind is true, and that the Being of God was so received: Let any Epicurean unravel what was generally meant by the word God, and he will find, That men in their common Notions, when they asserted the being of a God, had no other conceit of Him, than of the great Creator and provident disposer of all things. And therefore from the Commun Notion Eupicurus ought to have concluded, if the Existence of God, than his existence also according to that Notion. Now it neither is, nor ever was, the Notion of Mankind, That God is an Idle Fairy or Spirit, as he imagined, but that he was, 

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. So Sophocles.  
There is in Truth, there is one God, and he made Heaven, the large Earth and Azute sea. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Epictet. Aelianus dicit. Barbarorum neminem delapsum ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sed ab omnibus affirmari & esse numen, & nostri curam gerere. lib. 11. c. 31. Plutarchi est illud, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plut. lib. de come. Notitiis. Populares Deos multos naturalem unum esse summae Totius Artificem. Artisthenus' ut ciratur à Lactantio lib. 1. c. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Varro, Deum Animam esse Motu ac Ratione mundum gubernantem. v. August. de Civ. Dei lib. 4. c. 31.   〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Father and Maker, Principle and Cause of all things, as I could prove unto you out of almost infinite Testimonies. It is well however that we have the Testimony even of those Opposers of God's providence upon Record, that in the Time of Epicurus, the being of a God was by them and others generally received as the common Notion of all Mankind. And so much against those, who out of the Epicurean principles have endeavoured to cast off all Religion, and the fear of a God. Only for an Epiphomena before we make our Transition, let us join in Chorus with the Prophet Jeremy c. 10.6, 7. and say, Forasmuch as there is none like thee, O Lord, thou art great, and thy Name great in might, Who would not fear before the O King of Nations, for to thee doth it appertain? or else with the 24 Elders Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory and honour and power. For thou haft created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and they were created. And now I have done with Epicurus and his Company: methinks I may take a pebble and a sling, and like little David against Goliath venture one stroke with the great Aristotle also. First sling a smooth stone at Him, and then kill him with his own sword.  
And what stone shall I take, shall I oppose him with the common Tradition, Notion or belief of Mankind? It is confesst that before the rise of Philosophy, all did universally believe the Being of a God. Nay Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, and all the most ancient of the Philosophers owned this Truth, That the world was created. Aristotle himself acknowledgeth this Notion and belief, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
Aristot. 1. de Caelo c. 10.  All men, saith he, affirm the world to have been created. The Cartesians, who have tried as many tricks with themselves as other Men, have endeavoured (and confess it) to cast off all superinduced Principles and received Notions; and among those this also of a God. But with all their endeavours they confess they could never do it, but that the Notion of a God and a Creator will still abide in their Minds, as a Testimony of his Existence. I will not therefore say with Tertullian, 
Tertull. praescri●. adv. Haereticos.  Quod apud multos unum invenitur, non est erratum, sed traditum, That which in many persons is found one and the same, is not an Error, but a Tradition. But thus, That, which in all Men is found one and the same, is neither Error nor Tradition, but a Notion given us by God together with our Natures. And though some men have endeavoured to stifle this Notion: Yet I shall show, that it riseth upon them, and casts them even into that very fear of God, which they would avoid, in spite of all their endeavours. This Notion therefore and belief of a Deity, that is so Universal and so , must have a fixed Principle in our Natures. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hesiod.  Hesiod says, that There is always somewhat of Truth in a common Fame. But this being not only Commun, but Universal, must have a stronger ground. For what saith Aristotle himself, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That which appears to all, that we affirm to be true. 
Ethie. ad Nicomach. l. 10. c. 11.  And he that goeth about to make null such a general belief, shall not have any way of argument more credible.  
Besides, the supposition, that those Aristotelean Atheists have raised, is satisfactory to no Man's understanding. No man living can apprehend how it is possible, that there should be infinite successions of generations and corruptions, without a first Cause. Nay this Hypothesis (as the Masters of the Mathematics observe) contradicts the certain Principles of Reason. For it makes such a duration whereof a part shall be equal to the Whole. For the part of the supposed Duration of the world, that is past, must be infinite, because supposed to have no beginning, and the part to come must be infinite, because supposed to have no End, and both parts together could be but infinite, for nothing can be larger than infinite; so that each part will be equal to the whole. Now to admit any part equal to the whole is contrary to every Man's Reason, that is able to consider. Secondly, this Hypothesis makes one infinite longer than another. For the part of this supposed duration of the world, that was past as yesterday, must be infinite, and the part of the same duration, that reacheth till to day, must needs be a day longer than that which ended yesterday; and so one of these Infinites must be longer than the other. Which is reckoned absurd also among the Learned, who account it demonstrable, that all infinites are equal. But I shall remit to the learned Mathematic Demonstrators these arguments and many others of the like kind, that are fit for the Schools than Pulpit. And lastly, as I promised, shall deal one blow with Aristotle at his own weapon.  
1. First, if he believed his arguments were demonstrative, that he used to prove the Eternity of the world, Why doth he (in the first book of his Topics and ninth chapter) reckon the question concerning the Eternity of the world amongst his dialectical problems, such as he accounts not capable of any demonstration? But alas! when he considered the case, he would not think his own arguments so much as probable. For he confesseth, that there could be no satisfactory Hypothesis made, that did not allow of a first Cause. In one place he telleth us, That it is of Necessity, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. lib. 8. Physic. c 5.  that there be a first mover, that was not moved of any other. In another, that this first mover must be supposed to be eternal. And in a third that if there be no first Cause, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ib. c. 6.  there cannot be any other cause nor any Causation at all. Nay he concludeth in terms directly against that which is said to be his own Hypothesis, and telleth us, That it is impossible to proceed in infinitum, or that the whole series of Being's, should depend one upon another infinitely without a first cause. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Metaph. lib. 2. c. 6.  Which first cause can be no other than that great God, whom to fear and honour we propose in opposition to all Atheists, as the only way to full content here, and perfect happiness hereafter. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Physic l. 8. c. 12.   
You see here how if Aristotle held in other places a supposition, that maintained an infinite succession of causes, without God or first cause, how great his Vanity appears. For than he is not only contradicted by the common Principles of Reason; but unanswerably confuted by himself also. And thus, if he will be a Philistine, this great champion like another Goliath, must fall by his own sword.  
And it is most certain Truth, and worth our observing, That the notion of a Deity hath still risen up in the hearts of all its opposers, and made them guilty of like contradictions. 
Vide Acostam l. 7. Hist. ●nd. c. 2. & 3.  I speak not this of such beasts as the Chichimesans, mentioned by Acosta, or some other barbarous people, that seem to be somewhat worse than men, 
Thomam Herbert Angl. de Souldaniae Incolis.  but of all pretended Atheists, that are able to consider. And though some of them are more cautious than Aristotle, and will not contradict their own errors in categorical propositions; yet there are some sudden passions, some strange fears of death or somewhat else peeps out of them against their wills, that showeth that they are not able utterly to stifle the Notion of a God. 
Sueton in Caligula.  Sueton reports of Caesar Caligula, that he was a professed Atheist, At qui tantopere Deos contempsit, ad minima tonitrua caput obvolvere, ad verò majora proripere se è strato sub lectumque condere solebat, He that shamelessly despised a Deity, would hid himself as shamelessly under his bed at the noise of a great thunder.  
Methinks the 14th Psalm contains a lively character of those men. They are fools, vers. 1. That say in their heart, there is no God; or at least that wish it, if they dare not say it openly. Secondly, they are corrupt and abominable in their do; that is, vile, lewd and filthy in their ways of living. For that is the very Epithet the Psalmist gives them. Thirdly, they are oppressors, eaters and devourers of the people; the phrase is considerable, They eat them up as they would eat bread, they eat and devour them, as if they were made to eat; and the people were made to be their bread, to be eaten and devoured by them. Then fourthly, they slight all acts of Religion and worship, even prayer itself, which is a principal part of worship and most universally received. For so the the text saith, They call not upon the Lord. But in the fift verse is the distinction between the Atheists, and the men that are Religious most excellently set down, They fear a fear, So it is in the Hebrew, and in the Margin of your English Bibles. But God is in the generation of the Righteous. The Righteous or Religious man, he fears God, owns him, and hopes to be directed, pardoned and saved by him, and is so happy that fearing God always, he need fear nothing else. But the foolish Atheist, he is so wise that he will not allow himself to fear God, because he does not trust Him. But the Text saith that he fears notwithstanding. He fears a fear, he is uncertain of the Event, and so is continually terrified with an uncertain fear of that God and that Judgement, that his heart is not willing to admit, and yet as it follows in the sixth verse, he doth what he can to outvapor the poor godly man, and to shame the council and design of his life, because he taketh God to be his Refuge.  
And truly, my Brethren, I think this day is this Scripture fulfiled in your Ears. It is to be lamented, that there are men among us that profess Atheism, and for want of Wit, as I said before, to invent new ones, are willing to broach again those old Hypotheses against Religion; and in their Cabals do slight the common faith concerning the Being of a God, and his being a Rewarder in the world to Come, and do gallant it over the Religious man, and accuse his life of folly and superstition. Yet see the power of Conscience and the just hand of God upon them: They fear a fear. None are so incredibly fearful of death, and the consequences of Death, as they. Mr Hobbes is the modern Reviver of that Hypothesis of Aristotle, that I but now opposed; 
Sic ab eo dicta, sic acta passim testantur. v. praefationem ad Dialogum Physicum de Nat. Aeris. in Epist. ad Sam. Sorberium quod idem de Epicuro notat Cicero, cum, scil. quas res gloriabatur se contemnere Numen & Mortem, eat animum mortalium maxime formidatum.  proud and insolent in his assertions. And yet he feareth; nay he professeth Fear, as much as he professeth Atheism; even the fear of Death. Which fear can be reasonable on no other account, than that of a God and a judgement to come. For if there be no punishment of their evil deeds afterwards, Death can be no worse estate than that of a perpetual sleep: And so to sleep without fear of Vengeance or judgement to come is certainly a more  estate than life, when accompanied with pain or grief or with the terrors of Death only. This is the condition of these Men, while in their idle and foolish speeches they vainly deny God, in their spontaneous actions they show such tokens of Suspicions and fears, as do more strongly assert, that they are yet afflicted with the Notion of his Existence. While, in the mean time, God is in the generation of the righteous, they are professed worshippers of God, and fearing him all ways they fear not death at all, nor the consequences of it at all; but can sing out Triumphantly over that dreadful Nothing, O Death where is thy Sting! O Grave where is thy Victory?  
I have one Observation more concerning the Atheists of our Time who broach again those old Hypotheses against Religion That they are ready enough to call to us for demonstrations; yet they themselves could never (though they have been challenged to show their skill in that particular) I say't, and I say't again, they could never yet form one tolerable argument to assert the certainty of their own Hypotheses, or to destroy our Faith concerning the Being of a God. And therefore if they will yet Continue to blaspheme, let them after all our demands either give us one argument to prove There is no God, or that the world is eternal, or that it was made by Chance, without the work of God; or let them confess that they have taken up their strange suppositions without Reason, and maintain them against Reason, and all that with Reluctancy of Mind and with fears and suspicions that the common judgement is the more true.  
I conclude therefore with Job and Solomon, That the fear of the Lord is Wisdom, and that to departed from evil is understanding: and with my Psalmist, That the Wisdom of these Atheists is folly, and their strength weakness, not able to dissettle the Universal anticipation and catholic Faith of the whole world. Which Catholic Faith of the whole world is this, as it is mentioned by the author to the Hebrews, c. 11. v. 6. That there is a God, and that he is the Rewarder of all those that diligently seek Him.  
But besides this catholic common Notion, we have a special Faith settled by Miraculous testimonies from Heaven. We have the books of Moses, and the Prophets; Yea, and of the Apostles also, and so as the author to the Hebrews observes, By Faith we know that the world was framed of old by the word of God, Heb. 11.12. and therefore We, at least that know it by Faith, are sure that we have reason to fear and worship God. And as for others, it is a saying of St Paul, that in this time of Unbelief cannot be unseasonable, If the Gospel be hid, it is hid to those that are lost. And so I say, if the Notion of a Deity (which is the first Article of the Christian, as well as of the common Faith) be hid, It is hid to those that are lost. But I hope safer and better things of you (my Christian Auditors) and have only used this Discourse to arm you against the Spirit of Atheism, that is now gone abroad in the world.  
And now, My Brethren, give me leave to draw some advices for You from the consideration of the premises. And the first is, to those that are learned and best educated among Us, 
Dicit Cicero, Epicurum non Graeciam modo, sed & Asiam; in●ò totum terrarum orbem novitate doctrinae concussisse. De Fin.  That we avoid pride and the ambition of broaching New and Curious learning. It was this pride surely that betrayed both Aristotle and Epicurus to their Errors. 

Et Lucretius, hinc Epicurum celebrat, quod primus exticit Religioms Oppugnator. lib. 1.  
Humana ante oculos faede cum vita jaceret  
In terris oppressa gravi sub Relligione,  
Quae caput à cocli regionibus ostendebat:  
Horribili super aspectu mortalibus instans.  
Primum Grajus homo mortales tollere contra  
Est ausus, etc. ib.   For it was in their time looked upon as an excellence of wit, and a great piece of Mastery to be able to maintain a contradiction in any science against the common and vulgarly received Opinions. It is recorded by St Luke, 
Omnis enim Numinis Religio colentibus vitio vertebatur, presertim ab Epicureis, ceu inutilis & superstitiosa nimis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc.  that the Athenians and strangers that lived at Athens spent their time in Nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some New thing. Act. 17. v. 21. By which New thing he meaneth not that which we call News; not the Relation of any New Occurrences in affairs of State, but some New curiosity in point of learning, some New Invention, or New argument, or method of Reasoning in matters Philosophical. And the desire of some such applause was surely the cause of their broaching these dangerous Hypotheses against God. It was then, as it is now. He who holds the newest and strangest Opinions in Philosophy or Divinity hath always most disciples, and is most looked after. Nonconforming Schoolmasters and Tutors are generally preferred by the Unwise, who are many times the major part, before those that are lawful and orthodox. For it is true as Seneca observes, Nemo admiratur lunam nisi laborantem, The Moon is more admired, when she is in an Eclipse, than when she shines out fully and perfectly. But, my Brethren, We must endeavour to correct this Vicious disposition of our Minds, For truth is not the worse either for being commun, or for having Age on its head. And seeing these Truth's concerning the Creation and Providence of God, and the Reason we have to fear and worship Him, are strongly confirmed to Us, let it not be any prejudice against them, which ought to be their commendation, that they are ancient all, and all intimate to our Natures.  
Lastly, let me advise you, if you think yourselves not in danger of speculative, to beware of practical Atheism: For we may be guilty of this Sin, not only by Wishing or saying There is no God, but also by living without his fear, For that is to live, as if there was not God. For he denies God, that doth not always fear the effects of his power, his Justice and his Truth. He denieth God, that denies to honour him in all his Attributes. And surely he hath no conceit of the Truth and justice of God, or no conceit of his Power, who doth not fear to dissobey Him. For what saith God by the Prophet Jeremy, Will you Steal, and Kill, and commit Adultery, and Swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and yet profess to fear and Worship me. Jer. 7.9.  
You had as good profess to deny Me, as to Worship me, and not to Obey me. So in the fiftieth Psalm, God telleth the wicked Man that it is a part of great profaneness to pretend to God's covenant and yet to hate to be reform, v. 16, 17. to venture to dissobey God and break his commandments, and yet to profess to worship Him, to be guilty of Theivery and Adultery and Calumny, and to hope that God will connive at all this. It were as honourable to God, for us to think there was no such Being, as to think him such a God, as would take upon him to judge the world, and yet suffer himself to be flattered so with hypocritical Worship, as to be wrought upon to pass by the breach of his own Laws and to be made inconstant to the observance of those Moral Rules, by which he governs the world: as good deny Him, as to suppose him a blind-Guide or an unjust and partial Judge. Take therefore the advice of the Psalmist in the 22d verse of that 50th Psalm, and Consider this, Ye that forget God (that is, ye that have owned Him, and yet now fear Him not) lest he tear you in pieces. Those who have professed Religion, if they forget their Duty to God, which they have professed, and live profanely, They shall most certainly undergo the punishment of their profaneness. The sentence is, God shall tear them: that is, God shall distract and cross such persons in this life, and punish them eternally in the life to come. One will make haste to be Rich, and it may be, not having the fear of God before his Eyes, will design to attain his End by manifest theivery. So the Psalmist, when thou sawest a thief thou consentedst with Him. another man, or the same Man another Time, for want of the same fear, will be companion to an Adulterer, v. 18. Some give their Mouth to Evil, v. 19 and their Tongue frameth deceit, it may be, to circumvent their Neighbours in buying or selling or matters of Trade. Some abuse their tongue another way, they sit and speak evil against their Brother, and slander their Mother's Son, v. 20. Now because God refers the punishment of these Offences to future judgement, and doth not take them off immediately in the very Act, they harden themselves yet more against God and fear him less and less, So vers. 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence, and thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself, (that is) apt to be flattered and corrupted as thou art, and therefore thou addest worship to thy Wickedness. But I will reprove thee and set them in Order before thine Eyes. I will make thee know the Order and difference of Duties, and so I shall set before thine Eyes, the many disorders of thy practice. For in Vain in words you profess to defy Atheism, and in Vain you own and worship God with your lips, When in the mean time you rob Him of his better and nobler Services. When you do not give him real Fear and Honour in your hearts, and when you deny him Obedience in your lives. And he fears not God, that dares to dissobey Him. For Worshipping and offering of Praise is good, but living Obediently is better, and more accepted with Him. So the Psalmist Concludes, and so do I, He that Offereth praise Honoureth God, but to him that ordereth his conversation aright shall be showed the Salvation of our God.  
Gloria Trinuni Deo.   

SERM. II.  PSAL. 34.11. 
Come ye children, and hearken unto me, and I will teach You the fear of the Lord.  
IT is observed that this phrase, The fear of the Lord, denotes in Scripture several distinct habits or dispositions of the Mind. Sometimes it signifies Religion, or the worship of God in general, So Job. 1.9. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Job. 1.9.  Where Satan asketh, Doth Job fear God for nought? the LXX render it, doth Job worship God for nought? and so that which in the phrase of Moses is, 
V apud LXX. Prov. 1.7. Esaiae 33.6. Gen. 20.11. Job. 28.28. & in voce complexâ Job 1.15 8. & 2.3. Vid. &. Deut. 10.12. & Jonae 1.9.  Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God (Deut. 10.20.) is rendered by the interpretation of our Saviour (Math. 4.10.) Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. And it is ordinary to render the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifieth to fear, by the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that signifies to worship. And in all language's Religion and the fear of the Lord sometimes pass under the same significations. And in this sense I understood this phrase the last time, when in Opposition to our Aristotelean and Epicurean Atheists, I affirmed the existence of the Eternal God, and advised you to fear and worship Him.  
Sometimes the fear of the Lord is taken in a stricter sense, for the Dread of God, as the author of all punishments; and especially of eternal punishment in Hell. And there are other sorts of affections that have this Name also. There is the fear of a Slave and the fear of a Son, There is the fear of an Atheist and the fear of an Hypocrite, the fear of a doubting Christian and the fear of a Christian that doubts not, but is carried on with a full assurance of Faith. For he dreads God as a child reverenceth his Father, that is, He fears to offend Him. There is great variety in these fears, They take several Men several Ways. The lowest kind is communly the beginning of Wisdom, That frights from Sin for fear of punishment. But the highest kind, namely filial fear, is the End and perfection of it. It is the Disposition of an adeptus of one that hath already attained to the greatest Wisdom.  
St Basil in his exposition of this 34th Psalm undertaketh to tell us, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Basil. in Psal. 33. al. 34.  which of all these fears it is that the Psalmist desired to teach his children: and he declareth in plain terms that the spiritual Schoolmaster meant it of the fear of God's wrath and punishment in Hell. He meant it even of that which the Schoolmen call Slavish fear, He would have his Scholars, when they were tempted to any Sin, to have recourse to this fear as to an Antidote. He would have them fear the last and terrible judgement. He would have them fear the tormenting Devils, executioners of the Wrath of the Almighty Judge. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He would have them fear that lowermost Hell, that labyrinth of Darkness, out of which there was no passage, that burning always but never shining fire. And he proposeth that not only young beginners and Novices in Christianity, but that grown and well instructed Christians should use this fear to restrain their sinful lusts. Their Great proficient David would by no means be without his part of this Religious Discipline. The same Father tells us, that this was his prayer, Psal. 119.120. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, Nail down Lord and crucify my flesh through thy fear. We read that Text otherwise, but suppose that St Basil, St Augustin, St Ambrose, Theodotion, and the LXX. had some reason for it, else they had not rendered it so.  
The Schools and their great Master Aquinas, 
Aquin. 22. q. 19 art. 4. & Art 6, 7. & Doctores in S. Tho. ibid.  though they have nicely distinguished the fear of God, into servile and filial, initial and perfect; yet give very good Characters of that fear, which they call initial and slavish, concluding, that it is good, that it is consistent which the love of God, that it is a principle disposing us to Wisdom, that it is a gift of the holy Ghost and a Remedy against Sin. Parisiensis observes, 

Cum diligentiorem considerationem de timore seceris, in●enies eum evidenter supra omnia alia dona deprimintem cor humanum, & subiicientem ei quem timet. Parisiensis. 1. Part de Universo p. 3. c. 4.  
Magna est vis Conscientiae, quòd poenas semper ante oculos versari putent qui peccaverint. Cicero Orat. pro Milone.  
Qui opibus hominum sibi contra conscientiam septi & muniti esse videntur, Deos tamen horrent, etc. apud Cic. de Fin. 1.   that this fear doth soften and humble the heart of man and subjects him to the Obedience of God, more than any other gift. It is this fear that in Natural Conscience is powerful to restrain Men from sinning. Great (saith Cicero) is the power of Conscience, because they that Sin have the Idea of Punishment always before their Eyes. And though (as he saith in another place) some men by their power and popularity may seem to have a fence against their Consciences; Yet no wicked Man was ever so mighty, 
Luke. 12.5.  as to be able to deliver himself from the dread of the Wrath of God. And therefore it was not without Reason that our Saviour himself adviseth to this fear also, even to fear God, who, after he hath killed, hath power to cast both Soul and Body into Hellfire.  
And truly the last Judgement of God, and that eternal punishment, which he hath prepared for Wicked men, deservedly entertains the apprehensions and fears of the wisest and soberest Man that lives. This was an ancient fear among both Jews and Gentiles; though there were some, to use St Paul's phrase, both of the Circumcision and of the Uncircumcision, that were of the Sadducean principles. Epicurus, it seems, and his followers were grieved at the communesse of this fear, 
Lucret. lib.  and therefore complain by their Poet Lucretius, that Nothing could prevail against Religion, Aeternas quoniam poenas in morte timendum. Because Men were so apt to be carried away, 
V S. Paulinum pag. 5●0.  with the fear of eternal punishment after Death. The thing that ruined the power of that Tradition of Hell among the Gentiles was the fabulous interposition of the Poets, and their corrupting the Truth of God, by adding stories of Styx and Acheron, Cerberus and the Furies, which looked indeed but like Poetical Bugbears: of these it is that Cicero speaks, Quis tam excors, ut ista moveant? Who so void of reason as to be moved by them? But I shall show you that our Religion doth not advise us to fear that, which is only an empty Shadow. For as in my last discourse I declared unto you against the Atheists, that there is a God; So now (against our Socinians and Atheists in divines clothing) I shall make it as evident that there is a Hell or a state of great and of eternal punishment, prepared for the Devils and wicked Men.  
First this was an old Testament Truth. For the proof of it, I shall now produce but what I find in the single Prophet Esay. He affirms c. 30. 33. That there is a Tophet prepared of old, for the King, I add and for the Subjects too, For the Priests and for the people a place of howling and torment is prepared. God hath made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the Spirit or breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it. A dreadful fire, and horrid shall be the punishment by it, when the Revenging breath or Spirit of God kindles and continues that fire. Then for the eternal continuation of that torment he testifieth in the End of his Prophecy, That such as obey not God shall be an abhorring to all flesh, and shall be tormented with that worm that dyeth not, and with the fire that never shall be quenched, Isaiah. 66. ult. For the Testimonies of the New Testament we shall produce but what we find in St Matthew, He, in his 13th chapter v. 41. and sequ. reports it from our Saviors own mouth, that in the End of the word the Son of Man shall send forth his Angels, and shall gather all them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire where there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth. These expressions signify the greatness of their punishment. And for their Eternity, he reports in another place from our Saviour, 
Math. 25. v. ult.  that the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life everlasting. Which the Fathers thus expound, that the life of Glory in Heaven shall not be more everlasting than the punishment of the wicked in Hell shall be. Nay Grotius, who of all Interpreters is most narrow and scanty in the Exposition of those phrases wherein the torments of Hell are thought to be signified, yet alloweth that these Texts are truly meant of the pains of Hell, and that our Saviour finding no proper Ressemblance for those pains, among the punishments used in the Jewish common wealth (for to be stoned or crucified, which I think were the severest Judgements among them, were no way fit to represent the pains of Hell) he therefore sought abroad for a comparison, and so likeneth the Torments of Hell, to the Cruelties practised in the valley of Gehenna or Gehinnom; where the Phaenicians burning their children alive unto Devils, the horror was such, that the beating of Drums and the sounding of all other the loudest Music was applied in vain to drown the noise, and hideous outcry of their howl. Whence the valley of Hinnom got another Name and was called also Tophet, that is, the place of Drumming.  
But this its Type, Gehenna or Tophet, giveth us not so lively a description of the miserable condition of that place, as the Master of the Apocalypse doth, Rev. 14.10, 11. where he declares it was revealed to Him, that those who worship the beast shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God, that is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his Indignation, and shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And which are considerable Circumstances, the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever, and they shall have no rest day nor night. First, the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever, that is, there shall be no end of their torment. It shall not be a single vivicomburium, like the punishment of fire and faggot in this world. The flames for all their fierceness shall not waste themselves nor consume the Subjects they burn. But as the Activity of the fire, so the passive faculties of the Devils and wicked Men shall be infinitely enlarged in their torment. Then secondly, the other circumstance is, they shall have no rest day nor night. Which intimateth that as the torments shall be eternal, so they shall be without intermission. So it was said before, They shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God without mixture, that is, they shall feel nothing but wrath, no Interpolations, none of Zeno's intervals of delight or pleasure, Nulla refrigeria, nothing of refreshment either day or night. Dives, as it is in the Parable, during all the vast duration of Eternity, shall not be able to procure one drop of Water to cool his tongue.  
Where are the fears, my Brethren, where are the apprehensions that ought to be of so dreadful a place, of so dreadful a condition, as this? This is an Age when men will not submit to their own Remedies, when they fly from the consideration of Hell and everlasting torments, and can only abide the Impressions wherewith their vile natures are more delighted of unlawful lusts and pleasures. Nay some are come to that Impudence as to boast their profaneness, and to glory in their shame and Ruin, as that they have fixed their sails for Hell, and are not afraid to encourage one another with such discourses as these, that they will rifle and ravish every thing that is delightful, and fill themselves with pleasure in their way thither, and when they come to their End, whatsoever the condition of the place be, they shall be sure to find such company there as will best suit with their Inclinations. This, my Brethren, is the language of those whom God hath judicially given up to a reprobated sense: of whom I may say, that if they continue in their Impenitence, neque ipsa salus eos servare poterit, The very Gospel itself of our Lord Jesus can never save them. And yet they have a great party ready to Hector it on their sides. The Atheists whom we met with in our last discourse have now taken the habit of divines. For as the Spirits of darkness can imitate the angels of light, so these professors of Atheism can appear to be divines, with an intent to corrupt Divinity and destroy Religion. We find Gebal and Ammon and Amalek come up among us. The conceited Platonist, the Atheistical Hobbist, the Heretical Socinian, are now turned Chaplains, Guides and Confessors, and they have made the Way of Vice so easy, that the voluptuous Brave goes smooth to Hell. He hath neither Wit within, nor fear from without powerful enough to keep him back.  
The Platonist tells his Virtuoso out of Origen, that Divines are mistaken in their Notion of Hell, for that indeed there shall be no other Hell, but only at last (when the world is grown old and languid) the Earth and all things thereon shall perish by a general conflagration, That the Elements shall then Melt with a fervent heat, that then the Place of the Atmosphere or Air must needs be filled with a suffocating smoke, which the Earth shall send up from her inflamed entrails. This is all the Hell he admits, and into this he is willing to allow that the Devils and obstinately wicked men shall be thrown: asserting further that this conflagration shall end in time, and that by it the Earth in all its parts shall be much purified, and that those poor Souls that were suffocated in the conflagration shall awake again to activity and life, and inhabit the Earth again, and again be extinguished and revive again, and all this by infinite vicissitudes of like changes. Mr Hobbes and the Socinians allow this to be a pretty conceit; and a probable Opinion it should pass for, if all their suffrages and perverted Reason could make it so, or bow down the sense of the holy Scripture to it. But to make it more teneble, they think fit first in the place of an old one that had been battered too much by the Fathers, when Origen defended it, to raise and fortify a new Sconce or two. Origen placed a conflagration that should endure only for a time. This they slight, and as if zealous for true Divinity, they come nearer to the Text, and yet they give it but a Judas Kiss, when they place instead of that conflagration an Eternal fire. For be not afraid, my Brave, saith the new conductor, our Eternal fire shall do you no more harm than origen's temporal Conflagration did. To tell you in short, they are the words of Crellius concerning the damned, Cruciabuntur igne aterno, saith he, atque ita delebuntur, The Devils and worst of Men, shall be destroyed in that Eternal fire wherein they are tormented.  
And if it seems a Paradox that there should be an eternal fire produced for a temporal Punishment, 
Leviathan p. 4. c. 44.  Mr Hobbes tells you, and the Socinians tell you, that the Reason of this is, because the wicked are not at once but successively to be cast into this eternal fire, absurdly enough: as if many finite times would make up an infinite Eternity.  
But to pass by such mistakes; The same power of Scripture that battered origen's, shall break down these new fortifications also. Doth not our Saviour tell us, that not only the fire, but every Man's punishment in Hell, shall be everlasting punishment, even equally everlasting with the life of Glory? Mat. 25.46. And it is not only said by our Saviour, Mark. 9.48. that in Hell the worm dyeth not, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, their worm, the vulture at their liver, the pain in relation to the patients shall have no End. If the Scripture had thus expressed it, That the worm of Conscience and fire of Hell should abide for ever, the subtlety of the same serpent might have suggested to them, as anciently it did to the followers of Origen, that the word for ever did sometimes signify a limited Duration, but the Text in St Mark is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Mark. 9.48.  Their worm shall not shall never die, their fire shall not be quenched. How will they answer these Negatives? will they determine the time when that shall cease, that our Saviour saith shall not at all, shall never cease? Or will they, can they engage to suffer the Remainder of that Torment, which they, whom they thus beguile, must abide even after this their fancied and appointed period?  
Nor is this subtlety that the fire, but not the burning of particular sinners, shall be eternal a newly devised subtlety; but ancient enough to be opposed by St Augustine, who asserteth, 
Neque illud hic dici poterit, in quo nonnulli seipsos seducunt, ignem aeternum dicentes non ipsam combustionem aeternam, per ignem quip, qui eternus erit, transituros arbitrantur eos quibus propter fidem mortuam per ignem promittunt salute, ut videlicet ipse Ignis aeternus fit, combustio verò eorum, hos est, Operatio ignis in eos non sit aeterna, etc. lib. de Fide & Operibus. c. 15.  that those deceive themselves who affirm the fire to be eternal, but not the burning of the several individual persons cast thereinto. This Opinion and the confutation of it those who desire to see may read in the 15th chapter of his excellent Treatise De Fide & Operibus.  
Give me leave to speak a few words in answer to their Arguments, and I shall Conclude.  
One great argument, that they allege for their Opinion, is this. All well appointed punishments, say they, are Curative in their design, that is, they intent some reformation. But no eternal punishment can be Curative. Therefore the punishment appointed by God cannot be eternal.  
Now whatsoever fault besides there may be in this argument; it is certain the Minor is false. For even the eternal punishments of Hell have a Curative design. Not to the damned themselves. But a Curative design and a Curative effect also to all us that believe this damnation to come. How many sinful wretches, being first awakened and affrighted with the thoughts of an eternal punishment hereafter, have been straightway converted to the service of that God, who is as well able to save, as he is to cast Body and Soul into Hell fire?  
But might not these torments, say they, be more Curative, if they were not eternal, but so that after a while Men might be released from those chains and sent up into the world above to declare the horridness of those Hellish torments.  
To this our Saviour gives them an answer by the mouth of Abraham, in that Parable Luke 16. wherein when Dives proposed thus, Nay father Abraham, but if one went to them from the Dead they will repent. Abraham said unto Him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be converted though one risen from the Dead.  
Another argument of theirs against the Eternity of Hell torments is, That there should always be an Equality between the Sin and the Punishment, And that the pain or smart ought not to be eternally great and long, when the pleasure reaped by the transgression hath been but short and transitory. But here the very argument is to be denied, I am sure the Fathers anciently denied it. 
Joannes Episc. Constantinop. in Epistolâ ad Theodorum Monachum.  We find John Bishop of Constantinople, affirming just the contrary, Namely, that it was Reason the obstinately wicked should suffer eternal pains, though the Pleasure of their wickedness had been but as dreams and shadows, and that the punishment of sins should never End, though the Pleasure of those sins ended before the sinful Acts themselves were perfectly completed.  
Nay they confute this argument themselves by what is laid down in their former. For if all punishment must be curative, then must the pain of it be not only equal to, but greater than there is pleasure in the Offence. For if there be present pleasure in Sin, who would lose that present pleasure, for fear of the future pains of Hell, if those pains were not to be greater than this pleasure? And it may be questioned, Whether less than an eternal pain would prove at all curative to the world. For if even eternal punishment doth now scarce suffice for this effect, then less than an eternal punishment would prove too little. There is no proportion or Equality in the value between a Man's life, and a man's goods. Yet by our Law, the Man that robs you of your goods forfeits his own life, And there was a necessity of this Law, because some men are so addicted to Robbery and stealing, that a less punishment would be no terror to them. And so we may reply, that it is reasonable upon that account as well as divers others, that the punishment of Hell should be eternal; because a less punishment would Scarce suffice to affright wicked men from their sinful course of life.  
Another Argument they draw from the goodness of God and his fatherly affections to his creatures. But this argument is like that of Cotta in Cicero, 
Cicero 3. de Nat. Deorum. ad finem.  who urgeth, that because God can do all things and that without labour, he out of his Majesty and mercy should not have suffered the two Eyes of the sea, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Basii. tract de vera Fide, Tom. 2. pag. 588.  Carthage and Corinth, to be put out. But God's Actions are to be regulated by his own pleasure, not by our Fancies. St Basil telleth us, that even by asscribing all fatherly affections to God, we may be guilty of great Ungodliness. We are to attribute to him infinite Amplitude and liberty, as well as infinite Mercy. And at last he can say to that infinite Mercy, as he doth to the sea, Hitherto shalt thou go, and no further. What saith Zophar to Job: If God cut off, or shut up, or conclude together, who shall hinder him. Besides so Zophar proceeds, and I do not find any Body can answer him. God knows vain Man, and hath seen Wickedness in Him, should he not consider it? should he not animadvert and punish for it? 
Job. 11.7. 2 Esdras. 4.  Surely his Justice and severity ought as well to be magnified in his Animadversions upon obstinate Offenders, as his Mercy in showing kindness to the humble penitent.  
Another objection they flourish from that Axiom of Epicu●us, Si gravis, brevis, If, say they, the punishment be very great, it cannot be very durable. Because it is inconceivable how the Soul should suffer great pains and not be disunited from the Body by reason of them.  
But, my Brethren, we must be so modest as to allow many things to be true, which yet are not conceivable by us. I speak a bold word, All the Philosophy in the world, old and new, can never declare the manner how our Souls, that are immaterial, can be pained by the diseases of our Material Bodies. But yet we find they are so. How then should it be thought, that we should be able to explain the manner how the Souls of wicked men shall be enabled to endure the great and eternal pains of Hell, when we cannot explain the manner how we become sensible of any thing we now feel. We believe also that the Constitutions both of the damned and of the blessed shall be altered. For as St Paul saith, we know not what we shall be, and we dare affirm as little concerning the Nature of the damned as of the blessed. Secondly, neither do we know the Nature of the Infernal fire. I am sure it was anciently believed to be so far from destroying the Body of the tormented, as to give a kind of Incorruptibility unto it, and if you will be contented with the doctrine of the primitive Church, I may, God willing, show you hereafter that it was the Opinion of the Fathers in General, that such shall be the fire of Hell, and such the constitutions of the damned, that they shall be capable of pains eternal, and yet very great; some difference in their greatness there may be (some beaten with more and some with fewer stripes) but none in their duration.  
The Soul shall suffer pain itself by the immediate hand of God, and shall be tortured also by the harsh and discordant Motions of the tormented Body, whereunto it shall be most firmly, and therefore in that time and place most unhappily, united. It shall feel its tenement uneasy, noisome, tempestuous, but shall find no divorce, no way of separation. Nor shall those pains be slight that shall immediately be inflicted on it by an Almighty power, Zealous in the pursuance of his just Revenge. It is true those pains would quickly extinguish the life of the tormented were their constitutions then not to differ from ours now. But the ancient catholic Faith is otherwise, Namely that the passive faculties of the Devils and Wicked Men shall be sustained eternally or eternally repaired, to make these patients eternally miserable.  
Mr Hobbes indeed supplies them with an argument against this Doctrine from that text in the Revelation, 
Leviathan, part 4. Cap. 44.  where the punishment of the Wicked in Hell is called a second Death; Whence he argueth, that the Wicked shall die or be annihilated under that punishment. But I hope Mr Hobbes will allow St John to be a fit interpreter of his own words. Surely he calls the eternal torment of the wicked in Hell by the name of the second Death. For if you compare Rev. 14.10. and Rev. 21.8. you will find, that there is a Lake of Fire and Brimstone prepared, that the Unbelieving and abominable shall be cast into it, that the smoke of their torment shall ascend up for ever and ever, and in conclusion that this is the second Death.  
We affirm further to conclude the Objections, that whereas the firing of Sodom and Gomorrha is made by St Judas a Type of the fire of Hell, that there is no necessity, that the Type should agree in every particular with the thing typified, but that St Judas is so to be understood, that what the Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha suffered for their lusts in one day, that in Hell they, and such as follow their lewd Ways, must undoubtedly suffer to all Eternity.  
I must conclude: and the conclusion of my present Discourse shall be this, That we must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ, 
2 Cor. 5.11.  and there accordingly as our works have been in the flesh, be sentenced either to everlasting blessedness or to this everlasting Misery. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord as St Paul speaks, we persuade Men that they would live as men and not as beasts: that they would deny Ungodliness and worldly lusts. Knowing the terror of the Lord, we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's steed, be ye reconciled unto God. Knowing the terrors of the Lord, we entreat Men, that they would not live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them and risen again. What, saith St Paul, 
1 Cor. 16.11.  shall we provoke the Lord to Jealousy? are we stronger than He? The Judge of Heaven and Earth is a mighty and terrible Judge. He spared not his own Son when he found him under the sins of others, and will he spare those rebels of his whom he shall surprise, Glorying in their sin and shame? Are our Muscles Iron, or our Membranes brass? Can we break the rod of God, or conquer him by suffering all his wrath? Can we fly from it? or have we, my Brethren, any Fence against it? Whether shall we go from his Spirit? or whether shall we flee from his presence? If we climb up to Heaven, He is there, and if we make our Bed in Hell, he is there also: He is even in Hell to be a consuming fire to the wicked. If we say the darkness shall cover us, the darkness hideth not from him: Psalm 139.7, 8. What then? Can we, as the three children did, walk in the fiery furnace and be untouched? Can we dwell with devouring fire, or lie everlastingly in beds of flaming Sulphur, and be contented with that condition? If we Can neither endure the Wrath of God, nor have any defence against it, nor can fly from the effects of it, there remains only that We use such Caution, and live so in these few days of our try all here, that we may escape that place of torment, whereas our Saviour hath declared, the Worm shall Never die and the fire Never shall be quenched. Oh that there were such a heart in Us, that we might fear God and keep his commandments always, for than it should be well with us for ever!  
I should now have showed you that what I have spoken concerning the greatness and Eternity of hell torments was the Constant sense of the ancient Catholic Church, and comes not from my private interpretation of the holy Scripture. But I must leave that argument and the conclusion of this whole discourse until some other Opportunity.  
Gloria Trinuni Deo.   

SERM. III.  PSAL. 34.11. 
Come ye children, and hearken unto me, and I will teach You the fear of the Lord.  
IN my last discourse from this Text, I affirmed two things of the pains of Hell, that they shall be great, and that they shall be eternal (a good argument I thought to move us to fear Him, who hath power to cast us thither, and an immutable will or decree to give every man reward or punishment according to the merit of his life) I then also gave an answer to the Objections of our modern Platonists, to Mr Hobbes also, and the Socinians who deny the pains of Hell to be eternal.  
Wicked Ahab confessed, 
1 Kings c. ult ● v. 8.  that he hated Micaiah, because He did not prophecy good concerning Him, 
John 8.40.  but evil; and our Saviour found that he procured himself a mortal hatred among the Jews, because he told them the truth. Some truths are so ingrateful to the Ear, that they cannot be insinuated without great danger of procuring an aversation to the relator. Felix did not love to hear of Judgement to come, 
Acts. 24, 25.  more unhappy He, more unlike to justify his name. And I fear that some do so ill like the severe and necessary Truths concerning that last judgement and the consequences of it, that I as your spiritual Schoolmaster have proposed from this text, that they will be censured by them as the dictates of a tetrical Orbilius, of a sharp and cruel Master. 
Memini quae plagosus mihi parvo Orbilius dictaret. Horat.  I affirm therefore to countenance them yet further, and to plant them upon their right foundation, that they are not mine, but the resolutions of the ancient Catholic Church. It is true this Doctrine hath its considerable opposers: and so have all other doctrines of the Christian Faith: But since this text looks upon you, my Auditors, and all true professors of Religion, as children, the phrase is, come Ye children and hearken unto me. Be so humble as to own the Discipline you are under; Submit yourselves to the paedagogick Rules of your School. For he cannot be Christ's Scholar, that is too proud to admit them. One good Rule for the resolving all such difficulties and sopiting all such differences is this, That if there be a controversy concerning the sense of a Scripture, and the Fathers of the primitive Church, that lived next after Christ, and his Apostles, have unanimously determined the sense of that Scripture, and have made that determination professedly and not by the by, Every one of Christ's Scholars must have humility enough to submit unto it: For they, being nearer the fountain, were more like to have the truth brought incorruptly to them than we, that are so far removed, to us.  
And having told you this for a Rule so equitable that I think it will merit not to be contradicted, I shall tell you further, that the primitive Fathers did maturely debate and consider this controversy, and the Texts alleged on both sides concerning it; both in their public councils and in their private studies; and have declared for the greatness and Eternity of Hell torments, against that which was anciently origen's Opinion, and is now renewed by some modern Socinians and Atheists.  
Seeing therefore the Eternity of these Torments hath been anciently matters of contradiction, and continues so to be unto this day, I think it reasonable for me to give you a further confirmation of their Eternity from the Testimonies, arguments and reasons of these Reverend ancients and Primitive Fathers in our Religion.  
As St Augustine (whom for the reputation of his authority I first produce) in his exposition on those words of our Saviour, 
August. ad Oros. contra Priscill. & Origen. cap. 6.  Math. 25.46. The wicked shall go into everlasting punishment, and the righteous into life everlasting, observes, that the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there put to express the duration of the punishment of the wicked in Hell, and the eternal life of the glorified in Heaven. And having laid that for a ground, he argueth thus, if the consideration of the mercy of God provoketh us to believe that the punishment of the wicked in Hell shall have an end, what must we consequently believe concerning the reward of the righteous, when on both sides in the same text, and with the same word they are alike pronounced to be eternal. This argument is frequently used by other Fathers, 
August. De Civit. Dei. c. 23.  and by St Augustine himself in other places. So, in his book de Civitate Dei, he telleth those who oppose the Eternity of Hell Torments, that if they will have a temporary punishment in Hell, they must likewise have a temporary reward in Heaven; our Saviors epithet being the same to both. The Translators of the Bible were surely guilty of a little oversight, when they varied the Epithet in that Text: which is the same without variation in the Original. There are texts wherein the variation of a word or phrase may be useful by Way of Paraphrase to let in light to the sense, but here in respect to this Controversy,  
— Verbum verbo curâsset reddere fi●●us  
Interpres—  
The Interpreter should have been strict and have rendered the Text word for word. For it is the Identity of the Epithet, applied equally to both, that maketh St Augustine's argument unanswerable. And St Augustine building upon that Identity of Duration mentioned there urgeth the absurdity. Can you (saith he) think such exposition true in the later part? Can you think it credible that the Righteous may relapse from that excellent and glorious purity, they enjoy in Heaven, and fall thence into the filth of sin again, and into its wages, Death? and than he asserts, that if it be absurd and false to affirm an End of glory and purity in Heaven, it must be equally absurd and false to affirm an End of pains in Hell: because the same Adjective in the same verse is applied to both.  
Another argument He draweth out of the prophecy of Esay, What, saith he, 
August. ad Oros. contra Priscill. & Origen, c. 6.  shall we answer to the words of that Prophet, Their Worm shall not die and their fire shall not be quenched? Whatsoever kind of punishment is understood, by their worm and their fire, if it shall neither die, nor be extinguished, it is declared to be eternal: and I told you in my last discourse that he opposeth also that subtle and slender defence, 
August. de Fide & Operib.  that some did then and do now make, who allow the Fire to be eternal, but not the burning of the Individual persons cast into it.  
This, my Brethren, is St Augustine's doctrine; and I am sure his advice is as safe as his doctrine is true, namely, 
Augustin de Civit. Dei lib. 21. c. 23.  that those who would be free from this eternal punishment, should rather spend their time in doing Gods will, than in framing arguments and distinctions against his word. Next I produce St Basil, as a principal Authority among the Greek Fathers. 
Basil. ad Virgin. lapsam, tom. 3. pag. 18.  He telleth us, that the Torments of Hell are infinite and intolerable, that the fire is unquenchable, and the worm punisheth immortally, that the place is dark and horrible, 
V Basil. citat in Epistolâ Justiniani Imper. ad Menciam Archiep. Constantinop. apud Binium council. Tom. 4. council. Constantinop. 60.  the wail bitter and unpleasant, and that these complicated miseries shall have no end. In another place in answer to that Text where it is said, that some shall be beaten with few stripes. He telleth us that those who suffer fewest, must suffer at least an eternal punishment, they must endure the everlasting bitings of the worm that dyeth not, and the everlasting burn of the fire that never shall be quenched. [Elsewhere he telleth us, that it is the craft of the Devil that persuadeth men the contrary, when our Saviors speech is plain, That the wicked shall go into everlasting punishment, 
Basil. in libro Regularum.  and the Righteous into life everlasting: and that men may as well say, that everlasting life in Heaven shall have an End, as that there shall be an end to the punishment in Hell, seeing they are both by our Saviour equally said to be everlasting.] This is St Basils' Doctrine and his advice is as safe and good, That while we have Opportunity we would secure our future condition and fly from that eternal punishment whereinto if we are once plunged by God's dreadful sentence, we shall never afterwards be able to escape. To day therefore if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts: Strive to enter in at the straight Gate, for wide is the Gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and as Solomon spoke in another case: None that go in thither return again nor take they hold of the paths of life.  
St Ambrose declares as well the greatness and extension, as the perpetuity of the pains of Hell, 
Ambros. De fide resurrectionis.  that as both body and Soul sinned; So Body and Soul should suffer, what the Soul imagined and contrived, the Body put into Act, the law of the flesh wrought upon the law of the mind; and therefore it was reason that no part should have any rest, but that as all parts and faculties sinned, so all should suffer together. This is answerable to what is spoken by our modern Divines, and by some Jewish Rabbins also; That the Wages of sin in Hell should be commensurable to the Body of sin on Earth. We know it is the nature of Evil to spread like Venom over every part and faculty of Man, when once it hath gotten an Empire or Dominion in him, And so it is the will of God that Punishment in the time of its Reign, that is in Hell, should spread also, and that every faculty that hath been the seat of sin should be made the seat of torment. Did Lust enter at the Eye from corporeal Beauties? In Hell Horror shall more abundantly enter there from Ghastly sights. Did the Ear delight in Vanity and let in laughter, when Religion was abused or the holy Scriptures jested upon, and turned into Burlesque? Now let the same profane ear take its farewell of its ancient pleasures, and content itself if it can with the variety of Noises that shall be found in the howl and drumming of Tophet. Was Dives his tongue curious in tasting its delicate meats, now it shall be parched with a continued infernal Fever and be denied the cheap refreshment of a drop of Water from Lazarus his finger. And that gross sense of touching, which is the bed of the foulest Sin, shall be laid not to repose, but to be eternally disquieted in a Bed of flame. After a like manner shall all the internal senses that have been the servants of sin be entertained in punishment. And the faculties of the soul that have been debauched to wickedness shall be distracted with greater torments than all these. Some Jewish Doctors are of Opinion, that the Souls of the damned shall be violently rap't upwards and downwards by most painful and contrariant Motions, that they shall endeavour upwards in order to associate themselves to the purer Spirits, 
Vide Pocockii notas Miscell. in Portam Mosis Maim. c. 6.  but having no principles nor skill to attain that purity, nor use in it shall by the power of their old use and custom with ineffable torments be hurried downwards. They shall be continually tossed from one desire to another, and yet shall have no ways or means to attain either the new spiritual delights, or the old earthy pleasures. And these they affirm are greater than any torments of fire or Ice, of Knives or Swords, of Serpents or Scorpions, and that their Minds shall be so distracted by these Opposite desires, that their pain shall be thence as great, as if two Angels stood one on the north Pole, and another of the South, and did thence continually from several slings, 
Vide Pocock. & autores ib. p. 170.  sling these miserably tormented Souls from one End of the world unto the other, without giving them any intermediate Quiet.  
And for the continuance of this Torment St Ambrose affirmeth also, 
Ambros. lib. De Fide Resurrect.  that the sinner in Hell shall be preserved for punishment, as the just is perpetuated for Glory, and that there shall be no more decay in the worm of the wicked, than in the glorified Bodies of the Just, 
Ambros. in 1. Cor. c. 3. tom. 5.  and he expresseth the perpetuity of that Torment in another place to the full, when he telleth us that the wicked and perfidious or Apostate Christians igne aeterno in perpetuum torquebuntur, they shall be tormented for ever in an eternal fire. So that it is not the fire only, as our Patrons of Vice would have it, but the torment in that fire that shall be eternal also  
Lactantius asserts the extension of the pains of Hell not only over the Soul but over their Bodies also; 
Lactantius de divino praemio. lib. 7. c. 21.  which saith he, shall be indissoluble and eternally permanent that they may hold out against the torments of everlasting fire. That the Fire shall be pure and fluid, rather like that of melted metals and minerals, and consistent with that blackness of darkness mentioned by St Judas, than like our Culinary fire, or any other luminous flame. That it shall endure of itself and preserve itself without aliment; And not only so, but that it shall even restore what it consumes. Idem divinus ignis, saith he, unâ eademque potentia & cremabit impios & recreabit, The same fire of God shall by the same faculty and power burn the wicked and recruit them. Et quantum a corporibus abjumit tantum reponet, & sibiipsi eternum pabulum subministrabit, It shall restore so much of the Body as it consumes, and so furnish itself with an eternal fuel. He doth not only say that the passive faculties of the damned shall be strengthened and made hard as an Anvil to endure that punishment, but that even the fire itself shall have a restorative faculty also and give strength in the midst of Torment. And if this either Tradition or Supposition of the Father's concerning the restorative faculty of the fire of Hell or the then strength of the passive faculties be admitted, it is very easy to conceive how the pains of Hell may be great, and yet their greatness may not hinder their Eternity.  
Tertullian and Justin Martyr are misreported by a learned Writer, as favourers of some contrary Opinions, 
Bishop Taylor Ser. 3. of Christ's Advent.  and as sometimes disallowing the perpetuity and sometimes the continuity of those Torments. But great and learned divines are not always without their naevi. And, I think, it may be reckoned for one of his failings, that he hath given countenance to our modern encouragers of Vice, by writing so doubtfully, and in general misreporting the Opinions of the Fathers in this particular.  
For Tertullian in the first place is so far from favouring origen's Opinion, that he every where opposeth it. In that very Text cited and misconstrued by the Bishop, 
Epicurus omnem cruciatum & do. lorem depreciat, modicum contemplibilem pronunciando, Mag. num vero non diuturnum, etc. Tertull. c. 45. adversus Gentes pag. 74.  Tertullian directly opposeth one of the greatest arguments that was ever made in the defence of the Heresy of Origen. The argument (indeed taken from the principles of Epicurus) was this, That no pain which is great can be lasting. Tertullian industriously and directly denies that principle, and affirms in particular, that the pains of Hell are great, and yet not only lasting but everlasting, Dolores non diuturni, verum sempiterni, His sense is, that to say those pains are lasting, is to abate of the Truth, and to speak too little of them, and therefore he pronounceth the pains of Hell to be great and everlasting, and that this was then the Christian Faith. The Reverend Prelate above mentioned would have the words non diuturnus to signify not the pains of every day, and so he doth at least take off the continuity of the pains of Hell in the Opinion of that Father. 
Bellum diaturnum, pax diuturna, morbus diuturnus, fimulatio diuturna, alio semper sensu. apud. Cic.  I will not bring a Grammatical controversy into the Pulpit, else it is easily defensible, that He hath fixed a new and a wrong sense to the word Diuturnus, and a new and a wrong Etymology, when he deriveth it from dies not from diu: Besides he takes off the Opposition intended by Tertullian against that principle of Epicurus, and maketh him speak that which is most contrary to his own doctrine in other places. 
Deus producto aevo isto judicaturus est suos cultores in vitae aeteraae retributionem, profanos in ignem aeque perpetem & jogem, suscitatis omnibus ab initio defunctis, & reformatis & recensitis ad utriusque meriti dispunction●m. Tert. adv Gentes c. 18.  For in the 18th chapter of his Treatise adversus Gentes, he writes that God, at the End of this life, shall raise up the dead from the beginning of the world, and call them to an account of their merit and demerit, and shall sentence the wicked into a Fire that shall be both everlasting and continued, and elsewhere, that the profane shall live in the torment of a perpetual fire, which shall be so far from destroying them, that it shall give an incorruptibility to the tormented Bodies. What can be spoken more expressly against the annihilation contended for; than this doctrine, that maketh Hell fire so far from corrupting them, as to give incorruptibility to the tormented. Or what more against origen's Opinion for the restoration of the damned, and vicissitude of Resurrections, than what he affirmeth in the same place, 
Dei quidem cultores apud Deum semper; pro●ni vero in paenâ aeque jugis ignis, habentis ex naturâ ejus divinam subministrationem incorruptibilitatis. Tert. cap. 48. Adv Genter. Et S. ibidem Restituetur omne human 'em genus ad expungendum quod in isto avo boni vel mali meruit, & exinde pendendum immensam aeternitatis perpetuitatem. Ideo nec mors jam, nec rursus ac rursus resurrectio, sed erimus iidem qui nunc, nec alii post.  That there shall not be now a death and then a Resurrection, and then another death, and after that another resurrection; but that we shall rise the same that we are now, and that afterward there shall be no change? I pronounce therefore that Tertullian hath had wrong done Him in this Point, and that neither St Augustine among the Latin, nor St Basil among the Greek Fathers are more orthodox than He, nor more opposite to the ancient and modern Heretics in this point concerning the greatness and eternity of Hell Torments:  
And the like may be said of Justin Martyr, he affirms I am sure, that every one shall go to everlasting punishment or to everlasting Salvation according to the merit of their life. That the Devil and such as follow him, that is, 
V Justin. Martyr. in Apol. pro Christianis ad senatum Rom. & in 2. Apol. ad Antoninum Pium pag. 45. Where it is not only called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. & pag. 50. & 52. ib. and in 68th pag. speaking of the ad coming of Christ he affirms, that then, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the wicked debauched and Impenitent shall be eternally punished in an eternal fire. And he doth not mean that they shall be annihilated, as Mr Hobbes will have it, and revive no more, but that they shall continue to suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in an eternal sense of that Torment; [That they shall have sorrow enough in Hell, but that in Hell their Sorrow and Repentance shall not profit them at all.]  
St Gregory telleth us, that the Devil begat this Persuasion, 
Greg. Moral. 34. c. 11.  that the punishment of sin in Hell should have an End, that Men here on Earth might not take care to put and End to their sins.  
And Photius that great Patriarch of Constantinople in his Letter to Michael Prince of Bulgaria reckons this Opinion so dangerous, that he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an Exhortation to all possible sin and to all possible damnation. And surely those who would now persuade us, than the pains of Hell shall be but short and transitory, will, when they may have hope to prevail, tempt us with that same Original Lie by which the Serpent first deceived Eve: As then the Serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die, though God had said, you shall surely die, So these will say, Be sanguine now, that is, eat and drink, whore and Hector, debauch and oppress, For we have found out a new and comfortable Opinion, that there is no such thing as any second Death.  
But I shall proceed to show you, that whatsoever new Opinions there are now, the primitive Faith was otherwise. St Cyprian, or whoever was author of that Homily de Ascentione Christi, that we find among his writings, declareth to this purpose, That the wicked shall be appointed to dwell in infinite torments, That there shall be streams of Tears for ever, but for ever to no purpose. The flames there shall be utterly inextinguishable, and the punished Souls shall dwell immortally in those infernal furnaces, and the most kill part of their torment shall be this, that they shall all ways live in a despair of ever being redeemed thence. God will no more have mercy then, Then confession and Repentance shall be too late; For Christ descended into Hell but once and shall return thither no more to work any new Victory or make any new Redemption. Prudentius addeth his suffrage against the Heresy of Origen in those verses, 
Vermibus & flammis & discruciatibus aevum  
Immortal dedit, Senio ne paena periret  
Non pereunte animâ—  His meaning is, That both the Soul of the sinners and their torment also, their flame and their worm by the appointment of God, shall be eternal.  
Athanasius concludes his creed thus, Those that have done well shall go into everlasting life, and those that have done evil into everlasting fire, and he affirms the same in divers other of his writings.  
St Hierom, as he was a passionate Lover and admirer of origen's learning and Wit, 
Felicibus ingeniis mirum dictu quantopere faverit, adeo ut haereticos etiam laudibus ornaret, libenter si licuisset fidei vitium eruditioni condonaturus. Cum primis autem Origenis, quem suum adpellat, etc. Erasmus in vita Hieronymi, ubi narrat etiam ut Origenistae in suae sactionis consortium Hieronymum pertrabere nitebantur.  so possibly he might take his fancy of a Purgatory fire from Him, and yet as well as he loved him, he would not follow him in his heresy, Diaboli (saith he) & omnium negatorum & impiorum dixerunt in cord non est Deus, Deus, credimus aeterna tormenta. We believe that the Devils and Atheists and such as deny God in their hearts shall suffer eternal pains. 
Hieron. in c. ult. Esaiae.  And let our Atheists take heed they do not one day find St Hieroms creed truer than their own.  
It were endless to give you all the private Judgements of the Fathers, dispersed up and down among their writings, You may have a good Collection of the arguments anciently used against origen's Opinion in Justinians letter to Menna then Archbishop of Constantinople; which letter is yet extant in the third Tome of Binius his Counsels: I shall therefore conclude the Authorities that affirm the pains of the damned in Hell to be everlasting, with that peremptory decree of the sixth council of Constantinople, intended to condemn that very Opinion of Origen maliciously (to the Ruin of all good manners) now again renewed by the Atheists and Socinians of this lose and naughty Age. And let me tell our Lawyers (who as they say begin too much to favour Mr Hobbes's errors) that this decree which I shall now repeat was thought of so much use by the ancient Lawyers, 
Vide Baisamon in Photii Nomo. canon. Tit. de Fide c. 2. l. 5. Basilic●● Tit. 1. c. 1. resp. 1.  that they caused it to be embodied with the Imperial Laws, and esteemed the authority of it to be the universal concern of the Empire. The words of the decree are these, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in English thus, 
V Binius Concil. loco citato.  If any one doth say or hold, that the punishment of the Devils and Wicked men shall be but temporary, and that after a season it shall come to an End, or that there shall be a restoration of the wicked Angels and Wicked men to their former estates and Dignities, Let him be accursed. I am unwilling so severe a Censure of the Church should come against any man through my mouth. Instead therefore of that, Let him be accursed, I shall say let Mr Hobbes live and let him be reclaimed, and let him not be ashamed to repent of and to disclaim his Errors (as I have reason to believe Origen did his before his death.) And let the Socinians be indeed as Zealous encouragers of Virtue, and Opposers of Vice as some of them pretend to be, and then I am sure they will leave off this their daubing with untempered Mortar, 
See the lamentation of Origen, Heu mihi doctori, nec discipuli locum teneo, volens alios illuminare mcipsum obscuravi. Plangite me quia aeternis paenis condemnotus sum; ve eor diem judicii, qua in aeternâ poenâ damnatus sum; Timeo paenam, quia aeterna est, etc. Ita Origenes in threnois a B. Hieronymo latin redditis.  this which I may properly call (in the phrase of Ezechiel) their sowing pillows under every Armhole.  
To conclude, this then is the uniform sense of the Catholic Church. That the pains of Hell are great, The Greatness of them is intimated in this, that they are represented as the Torments of fire which is the worst sort of Torments, by the Torments of a black and dark fire, which is the worst sort of tormenting fires; Other Circumstances that make this torment formidable, are the perpetuity and continuity of it, both affirmed by all orthodox writers primitive and Modern.  
And yet whether these Flames are visible and luminous, or the Burn are intensely great and dark, as those of melted metals and Minerals; and whether they are palpable or Immaterial; are questions, which with many others of like Nature are easier to be disputed, than certainly decided. For as the Joys of Heaven are set forth unto us by visible and Material Emblems and Representations of the greatest Happinesses that we can conceive, and yet we believe them much greater and better, though not properly such as those shadows represent; So on the other side, if we judge the expressions concerning the pains of Hell to be metaphorical, and do not believe that they are formally such as they are described to be when they are represented to our present Capacities (which was, I think, the utmost of St Gregory Nyssenes' Opinion) yet than we must by the same Analogy believe, that they are greater and higher miseries, than those metaphorical Expressions can really decipher. Surely if there had been a greater kind of torment conceivable than that Torment of fire joined with that blackness of darkness mentioned by St Judas, the holy Ghost would have chosen to have made use of those for representations. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, 
Someanciently, and some of late, as Casaubon particularly, have spoken of Greg. Nyssene, as if he had been a Sectary of origen's heresy. The chief place they note is the conclusion of his catechetick Oration. But the sum of his discourse there is no more than this; That as the Joys of Heaven are such as cannot be described in words, seeing they are such as Eye hath not seen non Ear heard; so neither shall the pains in the lise to come be like those that we now feel, The fire shall not be like our fire; for ours may be extinguished, that cannot: Nor shall that worm be of the kind of our earthy Vermin. For they die, but that dyeth not. And truly I never heard that it was censured as Heresy, I am sure it was not the Heresy of Origen, to assert the Seripturall expressions concerning the pains of Hell Metaphorical. What it was is declared in this discourse, and St German and Photius two great Patriarches have anciently written his defence V Elogia in Nyssenum in prolegomena ad ejusdem opera ex editione Claudii Morelli, Parisiis 1638.  So neither is it possible that our present flesh and blood should be able without a change of its Nature, to inherit or endure the kingdom of Satan. And if there must be a change of this corruptible Nature, before it can be capacitated to suffer those everlasting Torments, possibly there must also be a change in our earthy Natures before we shall be able perfectly to understand them.  
We read that upon the delivery of the law of Moses, Exod. 24.17. that the sight of the Glory of the Lord was like devouring Fire upon the Top of the mount. And that then the People saw the thunderings, and lightnings and the noise of the Trumpet and the mountain smoking. And he professed Himself then to be a consuming Fire, Deut. 4.23. Believe me, my Brethren, or if ye will not believe me, believe the Author to the Hebrews who telleth us, that even under the Gospel, our God is also a consuming Fire. And it is, as I formerly noted, the Observation of the Psalmist, That if we make our Bed in Hell, God is there also; God is there and he will show himself a consuming fire in the midst of those Flames. Though Heaven be the Throne and place of God's presence, yet God is in Hell as certainly, and as effectually, as he is in Heaven. And the wicked, together with the good Company they hope for, shall be sure to find Him there disposing of that good Company so, that they shall not be able to elude the Vindictive Wrath of God, or any way to alleviate one another's punishment. God I say, who is the lustre of a shining Glory in the new Jerusalem, with his presence doth also fill that Tophet that he hath prepared: You remember that the same God that was light and Glory to the children of Israel, was a cloud and pillar of darkness and trouble to the Egyptians: Exod. 14. and so shall the same God be light to the Just, and a cause of Horror to the wicked after the resurrection. How much of the Torment shall be inflicted on the damned immediately by himself as he is God the consuming fire, He only knoweth; and God grant that by his grace we may so live, that, by our own woeful experience, we may never know it. I am sure it is a good inference that the Apostle makes from this Consideration. Heb. 12. ult. Let us, saith he, have the Grace to serve God, with Reverence and godly fear, as we read it, or as the ancients read it, with Reverence and fear of punishment, For our God is a Consuming Fire.  
And thus much have I spoken to commend unto you that Initial fear, that is the way to Virtue and the beginning of Wisdom. I speak not of this as of the highest attainment in Religion, I know there is an estate of so great perfection as to be above fear, and that is the estate of perfect love; For perfect love casts out fear. 
1 John. 4.18.  I wish we were but well settled within the Bordures of Religion: Not is a Man to be denied his Sonship and Interest in God the Father, if he be really religious, though he be not arrived so high as that perfect love which casts out fear. Solomon assureth us, that there is a blessedness that belongs to the man that feareth always: Prov. 28, 14. and St Paul adviseth us to work out our salvation with Fear and Trembling, Phil. 2.12. And therefore I cannot altogether approve the Rule of the Schools that saith, that Timor filialis non respicit Deum tanquam Principium inflictivum paenarum, Filial fear looks not upon God as the cause of Punishment. For the best of us, though Children, must confess that we have been dissobedient children. Joseph feared especially the evil of sin when he resisted his lustful Mistress with that Expostulation, Gen. 29.9. How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God, but it is not said that He did not fear the Punishment of that sin also. To fear God is to honour and sanctify Him, so the Prophet Esay adviseth, Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself. How is that to be done? Why it follows, let him be your fear, let him be your dread: Esay 8.13. When we fear him and punishment by Him, we think honourably of his power and of his justice: And thus, as Solomon observeth Prov. 19.23. The fear of the Lordtendeth to life. And though the perfection of Holiness implieth more, yet as St Paul noteth, we do not come to that perfection, we do not perfect that holiness. but by the fear of the Lord. 2 Cor. 7.11. He that feareth God dares do no Evil, and whether he feareth sin as sin, or whether he feareth the punishment of God upon his sin, the least and lowest of these fears causeth a man to abstain from evil and is the way to life, that we are commanded to walk in. And let me give it this further commendation, that it doth not only cause our Obedience in other things: but we show our Obedience even in this when we fear God. And therefore we are doubly to blame if we do not cherish this Fear that is in the first place commanded by God himself and so our Duty, secondly that containeth in it such an honour of God, and such an estimation of his power and justice, as will be a motive to lead us to holiness here, and consequently to eternal happiness hereafter.  
And now I have done, I tell you that I am not at all delighted with this argument: and I had rather, if there were cause, have been commending unto you that other fear of God, that filial fear; which indeed, hath little of true and proper fear in it. I mean, that I had rather have been preaching unto you the joyful Tokens of your assurance, in order to the perfecting your love in God. But alas I find too much reason to be still upon these Initial lessons. And, My Brethren, you must not be angry with the watch for giving you these Alarms, until they find you more apprehensive. It is most certainly true that where there is no fear of God, there is no true, stable and well grounded Virtue. What a Conclusion was that of Abraham, Gen. 20.11. The fear of God is not in this place, therefore will they slay me for my wife's sake. Abraham knew this, that where Natural lust hath extinguished the fear of God, there is no bar against Adultery, Murder or any sort of Wickedness. For want of this fear proud and lustful Men will be ready to poison or make away the husband that they may enjoy, I mean abuse the Wife, Oh may it not be said of us for these or the like Reasons, That the fear of the Lord is not in this place! Abimelech in the day of doom shall appear to be the son of Abraham, and our profession of Religion shall increase our shame and torment if we dare those wickednesses that Abimelech durst not. Beauty was Beauty then; The Beauty of Sarah had took him, and he had took possession of the Beauty: and surely she was as near being made a Sacrifice of another kind, as her Son Isaak afterwards was when he lay bound upon the Altar. But Abimelech, though a Gentile, when he knew she was Abraham's wife, he would not rob Abraham, much less would he slay Abraham for his wife's sake. If it be otherwise with us, shall not his Nature judge our Religion, and his Gentilism condemn our pretences of Christianity? Hominum pessimus malus Christianus, He that is vicious being a Christian, is even the worse for his profession. Eternally true is that observation of David, Psalm 19 The fear of the Lord is clean, surely the want of this fear, as it is a Nationall defect, and cause of much Nationall sin, doth call for penitential prayers and tears from every Soul that is a lover of his Nation. Now is the time that every devout man should be as the Prophet Jeremy, should wish his head Water and his Eyes fountains, that he might weep day and night for the sins of the daughter of his people: Surely it is time the Trumpet were now blown to some solemn penance. Let us at least, that are Priests and Ministers of the Lord, weep in our several places, Let us stand between the porch and the altar, and say, Spare thy people O Lord, and give not thy Heritage to reproach Joel 2.17. Let us all, Men of high degree, and men of low degree join with that Royal penitent, Psal. 51. and pray, that God would wash us, even this whole Nation, throughly from our wickedness, and cleanse us from our sin. Make us clean hearts O God, and renew right Spirits within us. Cast us not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from us. And then let us add endeavours to our prayers, Let us gird up the loins of our Minds, and encourage ourselves against all Vice. What though ill men sometimes come to be favoured and preferred? What though the fear of God and his judgement with some sorts of Men is now grown out of fashion. The council of King Solomon will eventually prove as good as it is now seasonable, Prov. 23.17. Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long, for surely there is an End and thine Expectation shall not be cut off. The Contempt of Religion hath been an old distemper in the world, and the prosperity of profane Men an old scandal. There is nothing yet extraordinary hath happened to us. There were stout Hector's in Malachi's time, that said, It was in vain to serve God, and that there was no profit to have kept his Ordinance, That the proud were happy and that the workers of wickedness were set up, and those that even tempted God were delivered. Let us consider therefore what wise and good Men anciently did in that Case, the Prophet tells you, Mal. 3.16. That then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another, and the Lord harkened and heard it. And a book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day that I make up my Jewels, I will spare them as a Man spareth his Son that serveth Him.  
Oh that the great God, whose last appearance shall melt down the Flinty mountains, would now melt down our flinty hearts, and make them new, and cleanse and polish them so, that in that day he may own his own workmanship, and place us, even us, his new Creation, in some dark place at least among those Jewels!  
To that great God who is maker of all things, and Judge and Rewarder of all men, and to the Lord our Righteousness, whose merits must be our only plea in that dreadful day of Judgement, and to the Spirit of Holiness, who by appearing in us and for us can only make us accepted, by giving us a Title to plead those Merits, to the whole Holy and ever blessed Trinity in Unity be Glory Honour and Adoration for Evermore.   
FINIS.   

SECTION II.  
CELESTIAL HAPPINESS OR The Rewards of Religion in the future life.  
Explained, confirmed and commended as the chiefest Good.  
In four Sermons preached in the Cathedral Church at Winchester.  
By R. S. LL. D. etc.  
He that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of all those who diligently seek him:  Heb. 11.6.  

IN felicitate aeternâ Civitatis Dei, Sabbatoque perpetuo vacabimus & videbimus, videbimus & amabimus, Amabimus & laudabimus. Ecce quid erit in Fine sine fine. Nam quis alius noster finis est quam pervenire ad Regnum cujus nullus est Finis?  Augustin: in conclusione lib: ult. de Civitate Dei. 
We believe, O Lord, that thou shalt come to be our Judge; Make us to be numbered with thy Saints in Glory everlasting  

SERM. I. Of Happiness in Heaven.  PSAL. 16.11. 
In thy presence is fullness of Joy, at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.  
IT is the common and uniform judgement of all mankind, a truth universally received, without any contradiction, that to live, without grief, in an estate of Joy and Happiness, is the confessed Interest, and to it is the innate desire, of every man, as Man.  
Now, (which will ease us of a laborious defence of this conclusion,) as the mind of man can never be so much debauched, as not to propose its own Happiness and delight, for the end of all its deliberate Actions; so neither can it be without the sense of this its Aim: but, upon examination, will ever rest more undoubtedly satisfied of its own passionate affection to happiness, than of any other thing that it comes to understand, by the sight of the Eye, the Taste of the Palate, or the perception of any other the most infallible external sense: And therefore Philosophers, who have made it their business to understand human Nature, have thought it enough to intimate, and forbidden the proof of this point; because it is already by every one confessed; No Notion more commun or more generally anticipated: So that it is agreed by all, 
Omne animal simulatque natum est, voluptatem appetere, eamque gaudere ut summo bono, dolorem aspernari ut summum malum, & quantum possit à se repellere; Neque opus est ratione aut disputatione, quamobrem voluptas sit expetenda, aut fugiendus dolor sit, lentiri autem hoc, ut calere Ignem, Nivem esse albam, dulce Mel; quorum nihil oportet exquisitis rationibus confirmare, satis est admonere. Ita Torquatus apud Ciceronem 1. de Finib. Omni Naturae convenit quod sit determinata ad aliquid, Voluntas est ord●nata à Deo ad certum finem, qui est Beatitudo, & sic voluntas naturaliter vult Beatitudinem sive bene esse, & non libere; tanquam naturali inclinatione determinante quantum ad actum primum. Ideo primus actus cujuscunque voluntatis tribuitur Dco; & idco nulla creatura potest peceare in primo actu, cum ad illum ●t naturalis & à Deo determinatio. Viguerius Inst. de voluntate Humana. cap. 3. §. 3. v. 1.  that his pains would be needless, and even subject to derision who should endeavour by exquisite arguments to confirm this Truth; That every man desires to be free from pains and griefs, and to live in an estate of delight and Happiness.  
There is another Universal judgement of all mankind, not denied by any man that hath learning enough to number or measure, It is this: that the greater, the more full and intense, as also the more extense and durable delight, is to be chosen before the shorter and the less. For Delight or Happiness being in all men's Judgements esteemed a thing inoffensively good; 
Arist. Rhet. lib. 1. c. 6.  of which there can be no noxious or harmful excess, (to use Aristotle's language (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) it followeth that the more of this excellent condition any man enjoyeth, it is so much the better for him, or (to use ordinary speech) so much the happier he is. We should account that Man an Idiot, a Natural fool, and fit to be a Ward all the days of his life, who having his choice should choose one shilling before twenty, one Farm rather than a whole Lordship consisting of many; one part rather than the whole, wherein that part and divers others more considerable are contained. Now if it be thus in matters whereof there may be bad use made; and which may be converted into the possessors harm, much more true is it, and most certainly holds in the case of happiness itself. That full joy is to be preferred before that which is slender, poor and scanty, and Pleasures for evermore, before pleasures for a season.  
Now to prepare you for what I shall speak hereafter concerning the Rewards of Christian Virtue, I shall tell you, That among all the Pleasures and Happinesses, that were found out by wise and considering Men among the Heathen, none are said to be greater than those that did ordinarily spring from the practice of moral virtue. Nor, 
Apud Stobaeum cap. 22. Plutarch de Anim. Tra. Euripides in Oreste. Juvenalis Satyr. 13. ad fine●● Paena autem vehemens, etc.  if we will believe their histories, were there any greater griefs to be avoided than those that did arise from the practice of Vice. Pythagoras' compared the pains of an evil Conscience to perpetual whip: Plutarch to the anguish of an Ulcer; Orestes in Euripides to a destructive disease; juvenal telleth us, that the torments of an evil conscience are so great, that there can be no greater even in Hell. For an example of that unquietness wherewith wicked men are haunted, we may look on the Character of the Roman Catiline, as he is reported by Sallust, His impure Soul, saith he, could neither be at rest sleeping nor waking, His conscience did so rake and harrazze his unquiet mind. His colour therefore was pale, his Eyes bleared, his pace sometimes quick, sometimes slow, 
Animus impurus neque vigiliis neque quietibus sedari poterat, ita Conscientia mentem exagitatam vastabat: Igitur color ejus exanguis, faedi oculi, citus modo, modo tardus incessus prorsusque in fancy vultúque Vecordia inerat. Sallust in Catil.  and the Disease of his heart appeared openly in his face and Countenance. And thus it is more or less with every man of Catiline's principles and practice, 
jamblich. Protreptic. c. 19  insomuch that jamblichus affirms that even Immortality without virtue, would be a very great Mischief, 
Herocl. incarm. Pyth.  as implying and eternal Infelicity: Hierocles confesseth also that the least of evils that can happen to a person of an ill life is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That his Soul is in perpetual Torture and convulsions and that he ever lives in dread of the punishment of Hell.  
And it is a most true Observation, 
Plutarch de Ani. Tra.  that some of their own learned men have made, namely, that Reason which is wont to administer help to all other sorts of grief, on the contrary doth enrage and increase this much more. Nay even those who are the greatest Enemies to virtue, and most professed defenders of Atheism, cannot free themselves from a suspicion of divine Revenge impendent upon Vice. For though they raise every day new and strange Hypotheses; Yet when they have wracked their brains to the uttermost, out of all their studies and restlessness, they raise but suppositions or Hypotheses, they pretend not to bring any science to the contrary, Nay they bring not one argument to prove, that the common faith is not the truer.  
On the contrary the wise and good man, He, as Seneca observeth, is always full of Joy, He is merry, he is quiet, He is unshaken, 
Senec. Ep. 59  He liveth so that he keepeth an even reckoning with God. I may add, and with his own conscience which is a domestic Deity unto Him. The Pleasure of Virtue is equal to that of life, and life were no life without it, saith Phaedra in Euripides. 
Eurip in Hippol.  I might multiply testimonies on this argument, but the matter is confessed and needs it not.  
If you ask what Reason Vicious men among the Heathen had for these their fears? what ground had good men among them for these their Joys? I answer, that even their Reasons were not bad ones, but yet for our Comfort, we that are Christians have much better.  
First they had as we have, a Faith that there is a God, and that this God is a rewarder of good and evil actions. They found Notices of good and evil planted in their minds, directions for Virtuous living given them from the author of their Natures. These notices as they were made, so were they bred up with them, and became as inseparable from them as the very parts of their own souls. These are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The common notions that the Creator hath inspired universally unto all reasonable men as saith Hierocles. 
Hierocl. in Carm. Pyth.  These are the natural and domestic Heralds of Gods will unto us. And it was by obeying these Notices that the Heathens are said by St Paul, 
Rom. 2.14.  to have done by nature the things that were written in the Law. Plato telleth us that God hath divers sorts of Laws, and among the rest that one is Lex humana, nostris insculpta mentibus, ad veri rectique notitiam & affectum, It is the Law of human reason wrought and engraven in our minds to form a knowledge and love of Truth and Right. This being laid down as a ground, they discoursed further that men ought not to think that these natural notices were to no purpose imprinted on them by the author of their Natures. But, seeing they were most proper to direct Virtuous actions, they argued that God had appointed them for that End; even as he had appointed the Eye to see and the Ear to hear, which were only proper for those services: and consequently that wicked men cross the purposes and designs of God and displease him, when they make no use at all of those Dictates of Conscience, or use them not to the right End; and that they must expect to suffer the effects of that displeasure. For it was not without reason presumed that to have these Notices obeyed was the pleasure of God, who planted them in our Natures; and that those pleased him most who obeyed him most in doing as they directed: and that either in this life or in the next they should find the benefit of their Obedience; and the wicked the Reward of their Dissobedience. 
tamblic. de vitâ Pyth. c. 18.  All beings show their kindness where they love (saith Pythagoras) and God consequently. And therefore he and his School always concluded that wise Men will apply themselves to do the things that please God and that in hope of a Reward. For even the Gentiles believed that there was a God, and that he was a Rewarder of all those that diligently seek Him. According to the style of the Apostle Heb. 11.6. If it be asked what do we more than this? what advantage then hath the Christian and what profit is there of the Gospel of Christ? I answer as St Paul did Rom. 3.2. Much every way, chief because that to us are committed the Oracles of God. We grant that their Notices were pretty explicit, that directed what actions were good and what evil. Yet their thoughts concerning a Reward (though they believed it in the general) were very confused, various, doubtful. They saw that in this world good men were often oppress't, and that worse than they governed, and bare Rule over them. This made them resolve, that the great and full reward of Virtuous actions was to be expected in another World. But their conceits concerning that other world were so uncertain, and their Traditions upon which these conceits were built became at last so mixed with fables, that they came to be esteemed but Poetical Phansyes. Heaven was metamorphosed into the Elysian Fields; and the Tales of Styx and Acheron confounded the True Notion of Hell: insomuch that little remained of the old Faith and Tradition uniformly consented to more than this, That there were Notions in us competently sufficient to direct our Practice, That there was a God who made us, and planted these Notions in us, and that this God was a Rewarder.  
Here then is our advantage, The Gentiles they had their Altars erected to an Unknown God, Act. 17.23. So then Virtue aimed at an unknown Reward, What the best and most considering persons among them conceived confusedly and believed uncertainly, That the holy Gospel to us Christians proposeth distinctly, and confirmeth surely. And though the Glory and Happiness which the blessed shall enjoy in Heaven be so great, that as St Paul observeth, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor understanding comprehended it: yet as the same St Paul observeth (1 Cor. 2.10.) God hath reveled it to us by his Spirit. He hath showed us what is the condition of that estate, at least so far forth as our earthy natures were capable to understand it.  
And truly it is but necessary for us to be frequent in the contemplation of that happiness that God hath provided for such as serve him. For the Race that is set before us is to be run, not without our labours and endeavour. And it is the value of the prize that must encourage us to be temperate and strive in it. King David (though reported in holy Scripture to have been a Man after Gods own heart) yet professeth of himself, that he had utterly fainted but that he believed verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, Psal. 27. And St Paul observeth that it is only and singly this Hope of Heaven that easeth a Christians life from being of all lives the most miserable, to be of all lives the most happy, 1. Cor. 15.19. Nor was his consideration of the Recompense of Reward thought either unlawful or superfluous by Abraham or Moses or our blessed Saviour. Great were the Joys that were set before them, and great, even the same great Delights are set before Us. The most searching wit cannot conceive greater, For these are the greatest possible, nay we cannot conceive these adequately, because they are so great.  
Now that I may not wander too much, when I treat of so infinite a Theme, I shall designedly confine my present discourse to some few Texts, and chief to the last verse of the sixteenth Psalm; Where the Prophet concludeth, that in the Kingdom of Heaven, or which is all one, in the presence of God, there is fullness of Joy, and at his right hand there are Pleasures for evermore.  
This Psalm is entitled by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. A piece of David's Sculpture or engraving. As our best Poets choose to have some greater acumen, somewhat more excellent and strong for wit and sense in the Closure of their Poems: So in the last line of this Psalm, in the Bottom of this piece of Sculpture, there is engraved in small, a good lively Image of Heaven, or of that which maketh Heaven to be such, Celestial Happiness. This Urania is a fit piece, for every divine Lover and courtier to cast both his Eyes upon. And therefore while I discourse to You on this subject to rectify my meditations, I shall frequently cast mine Eye upon this very little, but very fine piece of the Royal Engraver.  
I laid down in the beginning these undeniable and confessed Grounds. First that every man desireth to live without grief, in an estate of joy and happiness.  
Secondly that every wise man desireth the greater Happiness before the less. I shown by the by, the Opinions of Heathen Men, that Happiness was not otherwise attainable but by Virtue and the endeavour of Pleasing God.  
But now I assume, which I intent for the Argument of this Discourse, That in Heaven, in his own presence, God hath provided for Virtuous men an estate of happiness, that is in all respects the greatest that can possibly be imagined or enjoyed: And to prove this that I assume, I shall only beg you to grant, what, if you consider, you cannot but grant, namely that the greatest happiness possible, can have but those parts or properties which in this Text are either explicitly or implicitly affirmed of the Glory of Heaven.  
The first of these is Indolence, that is the absence of Grief and security from it. This is required as a prerequisite, or principle and foundation of the other parts, and is implied, because the other mentioned properties cannot be where this is not.  
The second part or property is, that it hath Joy in possession; The very form, essence, or substance of that happiness consists in Joy. Nothing can be more suitable to our Natures or appetites, than delight, Joy or pleasure: And this we have an explicit assurance of from this Text. For the Psalmist telleth us expressly; That in the presence of God there is joy, and at his right hand there are Pleasures.  
The third property of the greatest happiness is, that there be fullness of this Joy. For Fullness implieth the highest degree and greatest measure. Neither man nor Angel nor any other Being can be capable of more than fullness, and this is also explicitly affirmed of the estate of Glory, viz. That in the presence of God there is fullness of Joy.  
The Fourth and last property of the greatest happiness that can be imagined is the Perpetuity, or eternal duration of its pleasures: and this the Text also giveth us an explicit assurance of; For it concludeth, That in the presence of God are pleasures for evermore: not for a day or a year or ten years or ten thousand, But in the presence of God are pleasures for evermore.  
Thus the Royal engraver in this very little piece hath given us all the lineaments of the greatest happiness, and hath directed us where this Urania makes her abode, where this Happiness, this perfect and complete happiness is to be found, not among Glories or riches or Pleasures of this World, but in the presence of God in Heaven.  
O Let the Power of thy Grace O Lord fit us for that presence!  
The first property of that happy estate, which the blessed enjoy in the presence of God is Indolence, or security from Griefs. This is not expressly mentioned in the description, but certainly implied; For there can be no Fullness of joy where pains or sorrows are mixed or fill any part of the Soul. For that Soul cannot be perfectly full of joy that is partly filled with sorrow, And I therefore place Indolence first, because an Estate of Joy can stand upon no other Bottom: There can be no foundation for it, where the place is already possess't with grief. For as the Schoolmen use to dispute, that the privation or absence of cold, is a necessary requisite for the introducing of Heat, so they affirm also that the absence of grief or sorrow is as necessary for the production of delight and Pleasure.  
Secondly this estate of Indolence, which is the ground or Basis of delight, though it be only implied in the Psalmists description here, yet in other Texts of Scripture is expressly asserted to be part of the Portion of the Blessed in Heaven. We are Christians, we all profess to believe the Scriptures. In them we hope to have eternal life, and so (if the Son of God be to be believed before Socinus) did the Jews before us: we have the light of that Revelation which the Heathens wanted, and would have rejoiced at. This would have corrected their Traditions and rectified their confused Expectations. We have as St Peter speaketh a more sure word of Prophecy, to which we shall do well if we take heed, as to a light that shineth in a dark place; until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts, that is, until the day come that we shall be admitted into the presence of God, and shall see him, not in a glass darkly, but face to face. Till that time come, we must borrow all our light from Scripture, which came not by the will of Man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1. ult.  
St John we know in the time of the Gospel was the great Master of Revelations, He was the person whom our Saviour chose out of all his Disciples to reveal those things unto that were to come to pass in the End of the world. And he hath given us a sufficient Testimony of our Security from grief at that time, when we shall enjoy the presence of God in the new Jerusalem. He saw the Heavens and the Earth fly away from before the face of God, and there was no place found for them, Rev. 20.11. He saw also a new Heaven and a new Earth and a new Jerusalem coming down from God, richly adorned as a Bride in Expectation of her Bridegroom. Rev. 21.1, 2, 3, 4. And I heard, saith he, a great voice out of Heaven, saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their Eyes, and there shall be no more Death, neither sorrow nor Crying, neither shall there be any more pain. Here You see we have a particular Revelation to assure us that in the resurrection of the just, they shall have the first part of Happiness, which is Indolence or the security from grief.  
Now the manner or solemnity of giving this Revelation deserves to be considered also. For least this vision should be without an authentic Notary, He who sat upon the throne said unto John Writ, for the words are faithful and true. This came not like a delphic whisper; For he heard a great Voice, and that not uttering the mind of God enigmatically, as it were in a riddle, not in amphibolies or equivocal language and of various construction as the heathen Oracles did (who sought out dark speech, that the Event might not overtake them in an evident lie) but in plain univocal and downright terms, There shall be no more Death nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. This was a Voice from Heaven, This is the eternal decree and covenant of God of which he commanded St John to be the Scrivener, This is the enfeofment of the redeemed, or in the phrase of the Spirit, the words that are faithful and true and cannot pass away.  
This Text you see is general and full and can be meant of nothing else. But seeing what is here spoken in general is in other Texts delivered more particularly, It will not be amiss to follow wheresoever the Scripture leadeth, and so to take a more special account, what are the miseries that ill men are subject to, and that holy and good men by the mercy of God are redeemed from.  
It is most true that Esdras long since observed that Man's condition is not greatly to be boasted of, seeing it is generally true that he observeth 2 Esdras. 7.21. that Men now in this present time live in Heaviness and after death they look for punishment. Here we are subject to all sorts of pains bodily and mental; and after the Resurrection as there shall be conditions of greater joy, so also there shall be conditions of greater sorrow, than are any of those to which we are here obnoxious.  
Man is indeed born to pain naturally as the spark flies upward: And God that ordained all things ordained these pains and sorrows, and every one must look to have his share of them. And yet it is piously believed that it is not God's delight either in this world or in the next to afflict or grieve the children of Men. It may seem a paradox to some that pains or griefs should be good for any thing, and yet it is the Opinion of the best Philosophers (and I believe as true, as it is strange) that the pains which men feel in hunger in thirst and in all sorts of sicknesses, and also that all those Natural cares that arise from natural appetites are by God appointed for necessary and excellent Ends. We learn from divines that the pains and cares of this world were intended to wean us from it, and to prompt and dispose us to look after a better. But we learn also from our Philosophers that they serve even in this as useful means for the conservation of Man in his present estate and Nature. Were it not for the pains of Hunger and thirst, It is believed that some men would be so reckless as to forget to provide meat; 
Admirari nosde● cet eam fuisse solertiam sapien●issimi Naturae opificis, qui, quia omnis Operatio sutura ex se laberiosa erat, etiam quae naturalis foret, testante Aristotele, idirco omnem Operationem blandimento voluptatis condivit: ac tanto vehementiorem voluit esse voluptatem, quanto ipsa Operatio erat magis necessaria futura, sive ad totius generis sive ad Animalis cujusque singularis conservationem, Scilicet Animalia aut non curarent, aut obliviscerentur, neque adverterent, quibus par foret temporibus seu conjugio operam dare, propagando generi seu comedere, bibereque producendae vitae Individui, nisi inditi essent stimuli, quibus molestiam creantibus, instigantibusque admonerentur ejus actionis cujus voluptas, talem molestiam sedatura, sit comes unde & ad illam eliciendam feruntur. Gassendus in 10. Diogenis Laertii librum. De morali Phil. Epicuri.  and that were not hunger and thirst greater pains, some would be so lazy as to account it a pain to eat and drink, and so death would probably evertake them in their inconsiderateness, before they would mind to replete their exhausted Bodies.  
And in like manner it may be asserted, that there is a necessary use in all the pains of sickness. For sicknesses are certainly contrary to our Natures and corruptive of them. And therefore, It is the concern of our lives to find them out; which we cannot easily do without the sense of pain. The Apoplexy is a dreadful disease unto us, even upon this very account, because it kills and gives no warning, and every other disease would be as suddenly fatal, had it no pains to forerun or to accompany it. It must therefore be granted, that even the pains of sickness are here useful to us, they are stimuli necessarii, they put us in mind that our health and life is concerned. Pains make us sensible of the morbific cause and so do direct and provoke us to endeavour the Cure of the Disease.  
And the same thing may be said of the greatest Cares, that are incident to Man, that they have their great Ends also. We know that the present world subsists, only by the maintenance of a succession of Generations. And if these successions must be maintained, Men must (besides the present sustenance of their families) take care to lay up (let me use the Phrase of the Psalmist) some remainder of their substance for their Babes.  
But (to apply this to our present argument) There can be no more use of these cares or of these pains when We shall once be well landed into Heaven. For first in Heaven there shall be no sin, and therefore there shall be no need of any pains so be the punishment of Sin; Secondly there shall be no death, and therefore there shall be no need of hunger or thirst or of the pains of sickness to warn us that we are in danger of Death, or to direct us to do those things that concern our life. Nor shall there be any use of those ordinary Cares that are now most Natural and useful to admonish to make provision for ourselves and our families, because God shall there make such provisions for us that all these worldly Cares shall be for ever useless. Our lives shall not as in this world depend upon the continual accession of fresh Nourishment, nor our Immortality upon the establishment of life and estate upon our Name and issue.  
And as there is no final cause nor use of those cares and pains in Heaven; so is there no possible place for, no material, no efficient cause of them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, There shall be no internal matter there, that may within us be suscipient or capable of Diseases, nor external Occasion to produce them.  
In this world we complain that we are subject to innumerable sicknesses, and that the immediate causes of them are almost infinite; but all those causes and occasions are inconsistent with the Revealed state of Glory. First many diseases there are that arise from a Weakness or defect in some part or Organ, Thus Palsies, Epilepsies and Apoplexyes are by some Physicians judged to arise from some Weakness or defect in the Brain and Nerves. If a Man hath got the Jaundice or the dropsy, than the weakness of the liver is accused. And the Spleen and the Lungs and every other part hath its proper weaknesses also, whence several and distinct diseases commonly arise. But this is the comfort of the good Christian, that his Body shall be subject to no weakness nor defect in Heaven. St Paul assureth us 1 Cor. 15.43. That our Bodies which are sown in weakness shall be raised in strength and power.  
Secondly besides these of Weakness, there are sorts of Diseases which happen even to the strongest Men, such are those pestilential sicknesses that are caused by poisonous and corruptive vapours, which corrupt and infect the blood, though before never so pure and defecate. Against these no strength of our earthy Natures can be any preservative. But the strength of a glorified body is above them all. And St Paul in the Text above cited 1 Cor. 15.43. is our witness in this particular. Our Bodies that are sowed in corruption shall be raised in incorruption. Our Corruptible must put on Incorruption, and so our Mortal shall put on Immortality: We shall have our Natures fixed for ever, so that no malignant, no pestilential vapour; nor any new and heterogeneous ferment shall be able to alter or corrupt our Constitutions. The pestilence that walketh in darkness propagating itself occultly, and the Plague that destroyeth at noon day, shall have no influence nor power over us.  
Thirdly though the Body and all its parts be strong, and the Air wherein we breathe be sweet and wholesome, Yet Diseases may arise from other causes. For example, sometimes there happens to be some dissagreablenesse in the matter of our Diet: sometimes a mistake in the Quantity; sometimes by some other accidents Errors are committed in some of our Digestions: which as they happen in the first second or third Digestion (to use the style of our vulgar Physiology) they cause the pain in the stomach, the Colic or the Flux, the Obstruction of the Mesentery the fits of an Ague, or the pains of a putrid fever and many more as well chronical as acute diseases. But all these are accidents of that Nature that they cannot possibly happen to our glorified Bodies. St John declares Rev. 7.15.16. That in Heaven Men shall hunger no more, they shall thirst no more, There shall be none of those stimuli; none of those pungent pains for want of meat and drink. There shall be no use of Diet nor possibility of Committing Errors in Diet on Digestions, and consequently no surfeit nor putrid fevers nor those other diseases that here arise from errors committed in diet and digestion. There shall not be any burning fever, No nor so much as a febris ephemera, not the least Inflammation of the Spirits from the heat of the Sun. So St John proceeds, The Sun shall not fall hurtfully upon them, neither shall any burning.  
It may be added to complete the difference, That Women, (which is the half of the rational world) bear children here, and it is notorious that they do not bear them without pain and sorrow. For to many a disease are they peculiarly and upon that account obnoxious before they can bring a Man child into the world. But in Heaven it is Impossible that Women should have any of these Discomposures, or that the now Natural care for Wives and children should disturb men there. For our Saviour hath condescended to tell us, that those who shall be accounted worthy to attain that world, and the Resurrection from the Dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage, nor can they die any more. They shall have a perpetuity, but it shall be established in a better way than by succession of Generations. For it follows Luk. 20.35. They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, equal to, or of like immortal Nature with the Angels, and are the sons of God.  
Thus you see how that in all things God exalts the honour of his Goodness to us. He did us a kindness in giving us these pains during our Mortality. In the resurrection, that day of our Jubilee, when there shall be no further use of them, He will take from us our Diet of bitter herbs, and do us a more great and excellent kindness, He will establish us in such a state that it will be Impossible any such cares or griefs should fall upon us.  
I have spoken hitherto principally of our deliverance from griefs that are corporal and incident to us by reason of our Bodies. But it is too true that we are subject here to those that are mental also. The Spirit of man may bear his infirmities. That is such Evils as are incident to his Man's Body may be born by his Spirit, 
Prov. 18.14.  but a wounded Spirit who can bear? When our strength is weakness, how great is that weakness? and when our Relief is Torment, how great is that Torment? It is for the soreness of these pains of Conscience that they are compared even by Heathens to perpetual whip, to destructive diseases, to sore and incurable Ulcers, nay even to the Torments of Hell itself. And it is most true that no man in this world can be perfectly secure from the pains and troubles of Conscience, because no man can here be perfectly just, no man can perfectly comply with the Dictates of his Conscience, which contains yet a blotted Copy of God's first Original Law. Nor can any professor of Christianity perfectly comply with the booked or later Edition of God's Royal Law, so as to need no remorse, so as to be above the Necessity of sorrowing and Repenting for his sin. Though David was a Man after Gods own heart, yet there was a time when his heart smote Him. And if his heart smote him for cutting off saul's skirt, and for numbering the people; what work think you made his heart with Him in the not to be named matter of Uriah? How bitter are those crier in the 38th Psalms Thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no health in my flesh because of thy Displeasure, neither is there any rest in my Bones by Reason of my sin. For my wickednesses are gone over my head, and are like a sore Burden too heavy for me to bear. And how full of concern are those prayers in the 51. Psalms, penned on that very occasion. Cast me not away from thy presence, Take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore me to the Joy of thy Salvation. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God. And St Peter, that great Apostle (though his pretended successor pretends he cannot err) yet he erred more than once, and for his errors wept, (I wish I could read of any Popes that did the same) for his errors I say he wept, as bitter tears as ere were wept by Mary Magdalene.  
But Heaven is above all these clouds and showers. There is no trouble of Conscience, there is no broken Spirit there, there is no grief, no sorrow, no pain. And therefore not the greatest of pains the pain of a troubled mind. As in the state of Integrity there was neither sin, nor sting of Conscience: So shall it be in the state of perfect Restauration. The glorified Christians shall not only be purged from all their sins by the blood of Christ, and be clothed with his Righteousness, but such Grace shall be given them that they shall grow up and flourish in an inherent Righteousness of their own. The great Master of Revelations tells us, that to the Spouse of the Lamb (which is the glorified Church of Christ) to her it shall be granted that she shall be arrayed in fine linen, which fine linen as the same St John interpreteth it, is the Righteousness of the Saints. Rev. 19.8. They shall be as the confirmed Angels are, secure from falling into any Action that may cause sin or sorrow, Their trade shall be to be ever Glorifying God, and this shall add to their Glory and to their joy, that they shall know that this their glorious Employment shall neither have any end nor any Intermission.  
And Having showed you now that Heaven is free from the pains of this world, you will easily believe that it is free from the pains of the other world also. Heaven were not Heaven, if there could be any danger of the second Death, or if the pains of Hell might interrupt the delights and Glories of the Blessed there.  
The prophet Esay telleth us indeed, that there is a Tophet prepared of Old, Esay 30.33. and our Saviour that there is an everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Math. 25.41. a Torment that as St John speaks shall neither have End nor Intermission, Rev. 14.11. The smoke of their Torment, saith he, shall ascend up for ever and ever, and they shall have no Rest day nor night. The Eternity of this Torment is sufficiently asserted and proved by the Fathers in Opposition to the Heresy of Origen, which same proofs may serve to convince all Heretics and Men of lose principles that now endeavour to Renew the same pernicious doctrine. I gave you a particular of them with Answers to the matters objected in another Discourse, when I commended unto you the fear and dread of God, even of that God who as our Saviour declareth is able to cast both Soul and Body into Hell fire. And I shall not repeat now what I delivered then.  
It then being granted that the condition of the second Death and the pains of Hell therein are very dreadful, it will be a doctrine worthy of our acceptance, that those who are accounted worthy to wear the livery of Christ and to be Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem, shall have security from those pains also. David speaks it as well of Himself as of Christ: Thou shalt not leave my Soul in Hell. For the Souls of the Just are all in the hand of God, and no Torment shall touch them: Wisd. 3.1. The Plagues of Egypt shall not be seen in Goshen. Our Saviour who knows it best hath described unto us the management of that whole affair, and the different portions of the good and the bad, Math. 25.30. When (saith he) the son of Man shall come in his glory and all his Angels with Him, All Nations shall be gathered before his Throne, and He shall separate the good from the bad, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the Goats. The good he shall bless and receive into his own kingdom, but unto the wicked shall this sentence be, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; so these shall go into everlasting punishment and the Righteous into life everlasting.  
Give me leave to add one Observation more, It is this, That though the damned shall have a sight of Heaven, and of the state of Glory, yet that sight shall be so far from being any comfort or refreshment to them, that it shall greatly augment their torment. For that sight shall Cause envy, and we know that Envy naturally causeth grief, There shall be (as our blessed redeemer testifieth) weeping and gnashing of Teeth, when they shall see Abraham and Isaak and Jacob in the kingdom of God and themselves thrust out. This very Circumstance of their seeing Abraham and Isaak and Jacob and the whole company of the professors of Religion (men whom they formerly contemned and despised) in the possession of that Glorious Happiness, and themselves with all their wisdom and Policy thrust out and excluded, this uncomfortable Contemplation shall cause no small accession to their torment.  
Secondly though the blessed have seen sorrow for the time past and shall then see the horror of Hell before their eyes, Yet both the Remembrance of the one, and the sight of the other shall be so far from causing grief and sadness in them, that these Contemplations shall greatly augment their Joy. 
Suave mari magno, turbantibus aequora Nautis,  
E Terrâ alterius magnum spectare laborem:  
Non quia Vexari quenquam est jucunda voluptas,  
Sed quibus ipse malis careas, quia cernere suave est.  It is a delight, saith Lucretius, for one that hath escaped to the shore, to look back upon the Tempest, and to see it break the masts, and tear the Sails, and create trouble to the mariners, who are yet tossed like a Tennis on the waves. Not that it is a pleasure for one man to see another toiled, but a joy to stand in security, and to view so great a danger, that He himself in his own particular hath so nearly escaped. So likewise the Blessed in Heaven, when they are secured in their own particulars, then shall they with pleasure remember all the troubles and griefs that they have waded through in the life past; and with pleasure look upon the pains of Hell which they see other plunged into, but themselves have, by the Mercy of God, so strangely escaped: and thence even from this consideration shall they take Occasion to sing praises to Him who hath placed them in a blessed estate, not obnoxious to any of their former griefs, and hath also redeemed them from the dreadful Region of darkness, and brought them to his own marvellous light.  
And now the sum of what I have discoursed is this, That there is nothing more  to mankind in general than joy or Happiness. That the greater joy is by all wise men to be preferred before the less. That to the greatest possible joy (besides other requisites) the absence of all grief is required. That the estate of Glory hath this requisite. First it is free from all those cares and griefs and pains to which we are here obnoxious by reason of our Bodies. For the proof of which, I shown you in particular, That though the usual cares and pains, to which we are here obnoxious by reason of our mortality, are of Use and necessity in this present world, Yet they have no Use, nor place, nor possibility in the state of Glory. Then I showed you that there shall be none of those pains in Heaven that are purely mental; and last of all, That though after this life there is a Tophet of everlasting punishment prepared, yet that the pains thereof shall not touch the blessed, but that the contemplation of them shall even augment their Joy.  
All this have I done to prove that the first condition, namely Indolence or security from griefs is one part of the portion of Religious and good men in Heaven. But this is but the Negative part, but the removing of the Rubbish that there may be a good foundation laid for the superstructure of Happiness. When I shall draw the next Curtain, I shall show You, that I may further provoke You to the practice of a Religious and Virtuous life, The Glory of the Mansion itself, the joy of Heaven, the fullness of that joy; the pleasures of that state, even those pleasures that the Psalmist affirms shall last for evermore. Now let the great God of his infinite mercy pardon our sins, and purify our hearts, and make us first as desirous of his Rewards in Heaven, as they are worthy of our Desire, then let Him fit us for them, and bring us to them; even to those joys that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of Man to be conceived. To the God of Joy and peace who is able to do for us more abundantly than we can ask or think be Glory Honour and Adoration for ever.   

SERM. II.  PSAL. 16.11. 
In thy presence is fullness of Joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.  
FOR Ministers to make Apologyes in the Pulpit, when they are not absolutely necessary, is generally judged to be uncomely, and below the Gravity of their place. But there are subjects sometimes to be treated of, in which there is so just Occasion of some Preface, that to omit it were token enough of a proud and presuming Nature. And such I take to be the argument which I must consider from this Text, which leadeth me to the consideration and Description of that Estate, which I can neither fully understand nor speak. And if God should give me the Tongue (as he gave St Paul when he was rapt up into the third Heaven the Eyes) of an Angel; yet ye would not be able to understand neither the Nature of heavenly glory, unless the same God should likewise give unto you Angelical Intellectuals. Such is the grossness of human sense, that when we desire to give Heaven its due esteem, yet all our thoughts are both besides it and below it. We are not capable of any true Ideas of it. We cannot bear the least ray of the starrinesse of its Nature, It is therefore the great Mercy and Condescension of God, that since we could not arise to the Contemplation of Heaven in its true and Native lustre, he hath considered our Natures, and by the use of familiar Metaphors and allusions made his heaven stoop to us, and clothed it for our present Comprehension with the Air and livery of this lower world. And we are further to adore his Bounty, that hath made heaven too great, and too glorious an estate, to be described Philosophically in affirmative univocal Terms. It will be sufficient, if I can any way express it, though in phrases Metaphorical and borrowed from subjects below itself, and though they are, as they must needs be, full of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and undervaluations of its true, and frequently alien from its essential and genuine dignity.  
I showed in the foregoing discourse (among other things) that the greatest Happiness possible can have but these four parts or properties. 

1. Indolence or security from grief, which is required as a prerequisite, and foundation of the other parts.  
2. That, for the essence, nothing can be desired more suitable to our Natures than Delight, joy or Pleasure.  
3. That for the Degree, man is capable of no more than Fullness.  
4. For the Extent, that nothing can be longer or larger than Perpetuity, or pleasures for evermore.    
I went then only through the Negative part, and without figure or Metaphor proved it from Scripture clearly & distinctly, that the state of Glory shall be free from pains and griefs, bodily, mental, temporal, eternal. Now I come to the positive part, and to prove that there is not only in Heaven the state of Indolence or security from grief, which answers that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Voluptas in statu, so much valued by some of the ancient Philosophers, but also that Voluptas in Motu preferred by others, namely all those stirring and pleasant Airinesses and commotions of the mind which are concomitants of the greatest mirth. For so, though generally under figures and metaphors, is that estate represented to us.  
If you ask by what Authorities of Scripture we entertain this hope of an active joy in Heaven (besides that of my Text which affirms joy and fullness of joy to be had in the presence of God) I shall refer you to what the Psalmist affirmeth in the 125 Psalms, viz. That he who in this world goeth on his way weeping and beareth good seed, shall doubtless come again with joy: the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek; that is, with an Ovation or great exultancy of active joy. Nay there is so much of this in Heaven that the state of Glory is simply styled by the name of Joy. For the form of words to be used by our Saviour when he shall admit his Religious and faithful servants into Heaven is no other but this, Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.  
But I have yet a further Conclusion to be proved from divine Revelation, namely, that there is not only a security from grief, and some active joy in Heaven; But that there are the greatest degrees and quantities of that joy. There shall be plenty of it; even as much as our refined and exalted Natures shall then be able to contain. Nothing is capable of more than fullness, and we have a ready testimony from the Text, that in the presence of God there is fullness of joy.  
Now to comply with our Natures, and to make us esteem the reward that is proposed to us, and to entice our affections after it, that are generally too carnal, and to represent the fullness of this joy so as to give it a power over us that are yet earthy minded, the holy Ghost hath chosen to represent the pure, and in their own Nature incomprehensible joys of Heaven, by sensible representations of the most eminent earthy delights and pleasures. He saw our Infirmity that we cannot well Judge of delights that are purely intellectual and spiritual; and therefore he hath so much condescended to our Distempers, as to distemper Heaven itself for our sakes; and to draw us some scenes of Heavenly joys in the corporal shapes and figures of our fullest earthy pleasures; Such are those of feast, Weddings, the possession of Riches, Honours and the like, so Luke 22.30. This Heavenly joy is represented by that of a Royal feast with God, by eating and drinking at the Table of the king of Heaven.  
And our Psalmist hath given us the like figure of Celestial Happiness in the thirty sixth Psalms v. 8. which we read thus, They that trust in thee shall be abundantly satisfied with the fullness of thy House, and thou shalt give them to drink of the River of thy pleasures, that is, thou shalt give them to drink plentifully of thy pleasures, as out of a River, It follows, For with thee is the Well (the never ceasing spring) of life. And in thy light shall we see light. Every particular is very considerable, First Inebriabuntur ubertate domus tuae, so the vulgar latin, agreeably enough to the Original and best Translations: 
In Textum Inebrtabuntur ubertate domus tuae, & torrente voluptatis tuae potabis eos, dicunt Interpretes, quia suavior in poculentis voluptas quam in esculentis, ideo per inebriationem summam laetitiam hie intelligi. v. Euthymium & Nicephorum. ●uin & Philosophi instantiam voluptatis i● motu eam potantis post sitim inducunt, inde per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veteres quidam, ut Orpheus, perpetuam inebriationem Virtutis mercedem dixerunt.  Now by that or the like phrases learned Men have chosen to represent, that Voluptas in Motu, that active and stirring pleasure in which they placed the greatest Happiness. Secondly those Phrases, they shall be abundantly satisfied, and they shall drink as out of a River, signify the greatest plenty of that pleasure, or (to use the stile of the Text) a great fullness of this Joy. And though these representations for our sakes are Corporeal; yet there is one in the close more Intellectual, Spiritual, and harder to be understood, In thy light shall we see light. Let the foundation of light and life so purify and then exalt our Natures, that we may see that light and live.  
It is most certain that the Joys of Heaven are in their own Nature highly Intellectual and Spiritual, and yet to exhibit a full delight, and shape its idea to our present affections, It is frequently in Scripture Compared to the pleasures of a Marriage, and which is a high Honour to Matrimony, to that of a Bride upon her Wedding day. That we know is the Time of her great joy, and there is reason it should be so, seeing at that day she is emancipated from the corrections of childhood and youth, she is freed from the commands of her Governesses, she is made Mistress of herself, she receives a Blessing and a portion from her father, smiles and Gratulations of joy from her whole family and kindred, and which is above all, she taketh then a perfect assurance of full satisfaction to her Natural desires, and makes an everlasting settlement of her own, and takes an everlasting assurance of her Husband's love. In these colours therefore doth St John typify unto us the estate of the blessed in Heaven, Revel. 21. Then, saith he, that is in the first appearance of the state of Glory, the triumphant Church shall come prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband: as the Bride rather than as the Bridegroom, because (if there be any difference) her Joy is esteemed generally the greatest. And then, as it is expressed Rev. 19 the Blessed Angels shall sing for Joy those divine Scripture Epithalamiums, Let us be glad and rejoice and give honour to the Lord, for the marriage of the Lamb is come and the Bride hath made her ready: and that song of Loves, Psasm 25. Harken O princess and consider, incline thine Ear, forget also thy own Country and thy Father's house; then shall the King greatly desire thy Beauty, for he is the Lord thy God, and worship thou him. To which the Bride shall make Responsals like that penned by Isaiah cap. 61.10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with a robe of Righteousness even as a Bride, richly adorned with her Jewels.  
But because Glory and honour to some more Intellectual Complexions, is matter of their greater delight, than those sensual of meat and marriage; to comply with the Notions of these men also concerning Happiness, Heaven is elsewhere expressed to be an appearance in Glory, Col. 3.4. and it is in holy scripture particularly compared to the pleasure that men of great Spirits take in Honours gotten by noble and excellent Achievements.  
Among the triumphant Glories mentioned in History, 
V Natalis Com. lib. 5. Mythologiae cap. 5. Morere Diagera: Non enim in coelum ascenderes; Lacenis Gratulatio ad Diagoram duos filios Victores olympiae habentem. Tusc. Quaest. l. 1.  and of use in former times, there were none Causes of greater Joy than those accustomed upon a victory at the Pythian, Nemaean, Isthmian or Olymphick Games; where he that got the victory was crowned with an honourable garland, and carried on the shoulders of the chiefest Citizens not into the Gates, but through triumphant Pageants or Arches, even over the walls of their Cities. In the chief places of which there were Inscriptions engraven or statues erected to the honour of the Conqueror, sometimes therefore the estate of Glory is compared to the transport and Joy of these triumphant victors. So by St Paul (1 Cor. 9.24.25.) to that or a Crown or prise gotten by those who strive for Mastery at the Race. But that which is above all in point of Honour, and more universally resented as the most full, ample and greatest attainment that is possible in this world, is to be the Fountain of Honour, to be a King in possession of a real Crown or throne: By this therefore the Glory of Heaven is most frequently exemplifyed, to him that overcometh, saith our Saviour Rev. 3.21. will I give to sit with me in my throne; and St James telleth us, that the Lord hath promised, and the Blessed shall receive a Crown of life, James 1.12. and Math. 24.24. and Rev. 1.6. It is said, that the Blessed shall be Kings and Priests unto God.  
Nor shall they have these honours in an obscure place. For the glory of that Court (to complete the fullness of our Joy) is expressed to be of a most unimaginable slateliness, beyond that of any Prince's palace in the world. Socrates in one of Plato's discourses tells us, that all the ordinary herbage of the Superior world, is as glorious as the brightest part of the most beautiful flower upon Earth: and that the vast mountains of that world are entire Rubies and Diamonds; whereof those gems which we wear and value, are (as it were) but small scattered Chips and fragments. I will not accuse Socrates for these Hyperboles, his meaning might be sober, and the words intended only to express a great glory in the world above. For even the slatelinesse of the Heavenly Jerusalem is typified in the Revelation [chap. 21.19.] by Ministering unto our Corporeal phancyes a not unlike representation; For it said, that the wall of that City, as it was represented to Him, was made of Jasper, the foundation consisting of divers other precious stones, that the City itself was all built of a substance that had the pureness and other qualities of perfect gold, and (which is the only quality that can be added to make gold itself more precious) the clearness and transparency of glass. That the streets were paved with the same most precious mettle; That every Gate was one entire Pearl, that the presence of God and of the Lamb were a constant light and Glory, and as it were a temple in the midst of it. Now if this should be literally true, and in kind, even as it is expressed, what an overflowing fullness of delight must he be possessed with, that is continually ravished with these Enjoyments, that is a King or a prince in such a place as this? and we cannot deny to admit these Comparisons so far as they were intended, namely to join with the Text in confirming the proposed Truth, That there is delight in the greatest quantity possible (though not of so gross a kind) that there is fullness of Joy and Glory in Heaven.  
I might instance in other similitudes, as where it is compared to the possession of a great treasure, which to some men is a most great and sensual delight, but I shall choose to pass to the last particular, The Measure or duration of the greatest Happiness. And truly I think the learned Fathers of the primitive Church were sound Philosophers in this point, with whom it is a frequent assertion that such a life cannot be most happy, which is not secure of its own Eternity. If therefore any thing be designed for the full satisfaction of human Nature, it must be a delight that shall last for ever: and that is such, that it must needs be satisfactory, seeing no man can wish for more than eternal Happiness: Eternity hath no end at all, neither is there any duration, nor can be in Nature, no nor can be projected in Human Fancy, longer than for ever, nay the Imagination cannot extend so far. The power and goodness of God hath provided for us beyond the utmost stretch of our own Conceits; For he hath meted out the duration of our Glory by no other measure than that infinite Eternity. My text comes home to the proof of this point also, For it asserts, That in the presence of God there are pleasures even for evermore. 
Merito Philosophorum non obscurus Euclides qui fuit conditor Megaricorum discipl●nae, dissentiens a caeteris, id esse summum bonum dixit, quod simile sit, & idem semper. Intellexit profectò quae sit natura summi boni, licet id non explicaverit quid sit; id est autem immortalitas nec aliud omnino quicquam: quia sola nec imminui, nec augeri nec immutari poorest. Senec● quoque imprudens incidit, ut fateretur, nullum esse aliud virtutis praemium quam immortalitatem. Laudans enim virtutem, in eo l●bro quem de immatura morte conscripsit, Una, inquit, res est virtus, quae nos immortalitate donare possit & pares Diis facere; sed & Stoici, quos fecutus est, negant fine virtute effici quenquam beatum posse. E●go virtutis praemium beat a vita est, fi virtus (ut recte dictum est) beatam vitam facit, Non est igitur (ut aiunt) propter seipsam virtus experenda, sed propter vitam beatam quae virtutem neceslario sequitur. Quod argumentum docere eos potuit, quod esset summum bonum. Haec autem vita praesens & corporalis beata esse non potest, quia malis est subjecta per corpus. Epicurus Deum beatum vocat, quia incorruptus & quia simpiternus est. Beatitudo enim perfecta esse debet ut nihil sit quod vexare ac minuere aut immutare possit. Nec aliter quicquam existimari beatum possit, nisi fuerit incorruptum: Incorruptum autem nihil est nisi quod est immortal. Solaerga Immortalitas beata est, quia Co●rumpi ac dissolvi non potest. Quod si cadit in hominem virtus, quod negare nullus potest, cadit & Beati●udo. Non potest enim fieri ut sit miser, qui est virtute praeditus: si cadit beatitudo ergo & immortalitas cadit in hominem, quae beata est. Summum igitur bonum sola immortalitas invenitur, quae nec aliud animal, nec corpus attingit, nec potest cuiquam sine scientia ac virtute, id est, sine Dei cognitione ac justitia obvenire; cujus appetitio quam vera, quàm recta sit, ipsa vitae hujusce cupiditas indicat, quae licet sit temporalis, & labour plenissima, expetitur tamen ab omnibus & optatur; hanc enim tam senes quam pueri, tam Reges quam Infimi, tam denique sapientes quam stulti cupiunt. Tanti est (ut Anaxagorae visum est) contemplatio coeli ac lucis ipsius, ut quas●unque miserias libeat sustinere. Cum igitur laboriosa haec & brevis vita, non tantum hominum, sed etiam caeterorum Animantium consensu, magnum bonum esle ducatur; manifestum est eandem summum ac perfectum fueri bonum, si & fine careat & omni malo. Denique nemo nunquam extitisset, qui hanc ipsam brevem contemneret aut subiret m rtem, nisi spe vitae longioris, etc. apud Lactantium de falsa sap. lib. 3. c. XII. ubi etiam concludit, Summum Bonum quod facit beatos non posse esse nisi in eá Religione ac doctrina, cui spes immortalitatis adjuncta est. Cui simule est iliud St Augustini, Beatissima Vita effe non poterit, nisi quae fuerit de aeternitate suâ certissima, De Civitate Dei lib. 10. c. 30. Cujus est & illud, Quicquid ad hoc corpus spectat & immortalitatis est expers vanum sit necesse est.   
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Posidippus. 
And here all our Comparisons are outgone: Our feast are for an hour, our Weddings for a day, a Week, or a Month; the enjoyment of Riches, honours, kingdoms with us in this world are but short and momentary; but in heaven there shall be not only a Feast, but an eternal Feast; an Eternal Appetite, and eternal satisfaction to it. The jubilation of the Lamb's Nuptials shall not be measured by a day or days, by a Month or Months, but shall be extended to the vast duration of the eternity of God. There shall be new Epithalamiums and new songs, the Gaiety shall be everlasting; the Lamb and the Bride shall always marry and shall always be given in marriage.  
There shall be glory that shall be always fresh, that shall not grow into oblivion or disrepute, there are those Crowns and garlands to honour our Mastery, that are (as St Paul speaks) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as fade not away; there only are those everlasting kingdoms, and those stately palaces which cannot be removed, but do stand fast for ever. There only are those treasures which are eternally secure, where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt, and were Thiefs cannot break through and steal.  
And thus much, being led by several texts of scripture, I have adventured to speak by way of Metaphor concerning that blessedness; and I think I have evinced that it is an estate not only of security from griefs, but of the most great, and most full delights and of delights that shall last for evermore.  
But here give me leave to interrupt you with an advertisement, Namely, that those expressions and scriptural Resemblances of heavenly Joy to the delights of sense are only intended to express the grandeur and completeness, but not the Nature or kind of the Joy of Heaven; otherwise the Paradise we expect might be thought as sensual as that of Mahomet is commonly represented. And indeed it was the great goodness and Wisdom of God to use unto us such familiar Resemblances, for we are earthy constitutioned men, so, saith St Paul, was Adam our Forefather, 1 Cor. 15. And while we live here we must bear (as he there speaks) the Image of the Earthy. And so are not capable to understand what Joys will be apt to suit with our Natures after their change into the state of Incorruption. Only thus much is revealed unto us, That as we have borne the Image of the Earthy, so we must bear the Image of the heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. That is, as we have been hitherto like Adam, so also hereafter we shall be in our glorified bodies, like unto the glorified body of Christ; they are the express words of St Paul, Phill. 3.21. That the Lord Jesus shall transfigure our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body. It is not, saith St John 1 Epist. 3.2. manifest, or Intelligible what we shall be, only thus much is revealed, and we know it to be true, that when the Lord shall appear we shall be like him; that is, not only our Souls, but our bodies also shall be purely spiritual, even as the body of Christ was after his resurrection.  
This is not vehemenisme, but a great truth, that there is a spiritual Body. And however in the Notions of our present Philosophy, Bodies and spirits are opposite and contradistinct, yet not so but that the body of Christ now is, and ours hereafter shall, be undoubtedly spiritual, we know but in part, saith St Paul, and truly the Nature of that spiritualty which we shall enjoy in our bodies after that great change, is a mystery, or that part of science, which now we do not, cannot, understand. Maimonides hath an excellent discourse given us by the learned publisher of the Porta Mosis to this effect, As, saith he, the blind Eye is not delighted by the most beautiful colours, now the deaf Ear by the ravishing modulations of the sweetest Music, and as it is impossible that the fishes of the sea should know how to judge of the pleasures those creatures take that live in the quick and finest Aether, under the Concave of the Moon, 
Sicut nec caecue colores nec Sung dus voces, nec impotens Veneris voluptatem veneris percipit, ita nec corpora voluptates animi proprias assequi. Et quemadmodum Piscis Elementum ignis non habet cognitum, ita nec in mundo hoc corporeo voluptates Mundi spiritualis dignosci. Maimonid. in praefat. ad Explic. cap. 10 Sanedrim. apud Pocockium de Portâ Mosts.  so neither by us in this world can the delights of the spiritual world be discerned. We have no true taste (saith he) of any but corporeal pleasures, and purely mental delights are so strange unto us, that we cannot without much Industry and diligence have any taste or Apprehension of them. On the contrary Angels are not sensible of any corporeal pleasures, their senses are not as ours, nor made to the same purposes: And we after death shall no more relish or desire these bodily pleasures, than a wise Monarch would desire to dethrone himself for ever and lay down all his Regalia, that he might spend his days at play in the streets, with that company and in those sports which when he was a child was more suitable to his temper than the excercise of his Royal power. Such difference is there in the dignity and vileness of the delight of this corporeal and that spiritual World. And therefore (as that considering Rabbin well expresseth this matter) God hath dealt with his people as a prudent and indulgent Master treateth the tender scholar whom he desires to improve, He provokes him to his lesson with the reward of a fig or a piece of sweetmeates, 
Et paulo post, Non est Angelis volu●tas aliqua corporea nec cam percipiant, cum non sint illis ut nobis seasus, quibus ea quae nos percipimus assequantur; Eodemque modo cum e Nobis quis dignus factus fuerit, qui gradum istum p●st mortem consequatur, Non amplius voluptates corporeas percepturus est eâsve appetiturus, magis quam Rex magni Regni dominus Regno suo exuicuoiat, ut ad Pili lusum in Plateis redeat, etiamsi tempus faerit quo lusum istum Regno anteserret. Fingas puerum minorennem ad praeceptorem, deductum quo cum legem e●oceat; quod magnum ei, ob eam quam inde assequetur perfectionem Bonum est, licet ipse magnitudinem istius boai prae intellectus imbecillitate non percipiat. Coget Necessitas Praeceptorem qui ipso perfectior est scholarem sic provocare, Dicet, Lege ut tibi Juglandem aut ficum aut sacchari portiunculam demus, ta fiet ut studcat, Non ipsius Lectio●is gratiâ, Cujus digaitatem nondum intelligit, sed ut edulium istud accipiat, etc. apud Maimoniden cod. lib. p. 138. & deinceps.  or somewhat that will for the present work upon his fancy, not with a discourse of nice speculation to evince a future satisfaction to the mind by the learning of the Law.  
And this doubtless is the very reason why the holy Ghost bath had such frequent reference to corporeal pleasures, in the Notices which he hath given us concerning the Joys of Heaven; because while we are here, our body generally prevails above our spirit, and we do better resent corporeal than mental pleasures. 
Cum horro mortalis de aternâ gloriâ disserit, Caecus de luce disserit. Gregor. Moral. 27.26.  But notwithstanding for the use of those that are more perfect, and that we may not conceive to ourselves, as I said, any hope of a Mahumetane Paradise, or reality of gross corporeal pleasures in the life to come, the same Spirit hath made frequent attestations of the spiritualness which we shall enjoy even in our Bodies then, and of the diversity of our delights there from these of this present world: and therefore when we shall come to explain the Nature of Heavenly glory without the use of Metaphors (which can be only done by Negatives, because we cannot form any direct Idea of it) than all these pleasures of eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage and all corporeal delights are denied of it.  
But now since we have made so good a progress in the way we designed, let us indulge ourselves the refreshment a little to look back and see how consistent and agreeable these principles of Religion are to the Notions of considering men among the Heathen. And truly it is hard to find any thing more agreeable to us than the Philosophy of Socrates, as it is represented by Plato in his Philebus, and elsewhere dispersedly among his writings and was (as I take it) the ancientest Philosophy of the whole world. Which in short is this, 

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & afterwards, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Which testify that the ancients to Plato owned the world to be governed by the providence of God. He reckons this among the great and ancient Traditions, inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. passim.  
V Platonem in Philebo, and in his tenth book de leg. he appointeth severe punishment for Atheists as for persons that are most destructive to the commonwealth, of which he makes three kinds, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc.   First that there is a God and a providence that Rules the whole world. That man is a complext being consisting partly of an Immortal soul, which is derived from God, (the great spirit that fills and governs all things) and partly of a corruptible Body made of the Elements and corruptible parts of the world. And consequently that the pleasures and delights of Man are divers, answerable to this Complexion and mixture. Some pleasures are purely Intellectual, some purely corporeal, some mixed of both. That when any thing tends to the corruption of this complext and mortal Nature, it causeth grief, And that when any thing tendeth to the restoration of the same Nature, it causeth joy or pleasure to the Body. That there is a joy or Pleasure that ariseth purely from the expectation of the soul alone, and that there is another mixed kind, For the soul may conceive pleasure in expectation of some good to happen to the whole compound, And this well agrees with our Divinity. For we profess that the souls of all good Christians rejoice in the hope of that Glory of God that shall hereafter be extended both to our Souls and to our Bodies. And that very well agrees with our Divinity (in this subject de Finibus) which he affirms, That there is a sort of joy that is far more excellent than all the rest, and that is a certain fruition and Speculative pleasure that ariseth from the knowledge and contemplation of things that continue eternally the same. For such fruitions in the highest degree are enjoyed by all glorified spirits by means of the Beatific vision, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ib.  of the most Glorious objects of the world to come; concerning which the Schools have furnished us with large discourses that are not unpleasant, but yet have this deficiency, 
V Aquin. supplem. Quaest. 92 93. & Doctores passim de visione beatifis â.  that they have more of Fancy and conjecture in them than certain evidence.  
For seeing we neither now understand what our own Natures shall be then when we shall be exalted into the state of Incorruption, Nor what kind of glorious Objects shall present themselves, nor to what kind of senses they shall accurre, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Soc. lb.  therefore it is impossible we should have a positive knowledge of the true Nature of the fruitions of that Estate; Thus much is revealed that we shall not cat nor drink to restore Nature, nor shall our Constitutions be discomposed by any disease, and therefore neither shall we have any of those Pleasures that Plato speaks of, which living creatures enjoy when they are restored to their own Natures, we shall have none of those concretions and discretions, None of those replettons and evacuations, none of those increments and decrements, corruptions and restitutions of Nature, which are according to the Philosophy of Sorates Causes of grief or Joy in this world. For St Paul hath declared that in the Resurrection Men shall have spiritual Bodies, that shall be immortal in themselves, and therefore not to be preserved so by eating or drinking, or the continued addition of new substance: 
Quaerat fortasse aliquis de virtute gustabili & virtute tangibili, & etiam odorabili, si quae erit earum operatio vel usus in futura gloria? Et revera est dubitandum, quod vires illae non recedent ab Animabus humanis, sed Operatio virtutis gustabilis, qua Gustatio est, cum non sit necessaria nisi propter nutrimentum & restaurationem corporis, non eritibi necessaria, sicut nec operatio virtutis generativae quae generatio est. Liberabuntur tamen istae vires a miseriis in quibus modo sunt. Tu enim hic vides qualiter affligitur virtus gustabilis fame & siti, malisque saporibus. De vi etiam generatiuâ notum est quae tormenta patiatur hic ab ardoribus concupiscentiarum & libidinibus: ab his igitur erit liberatunc: Et erit Decus ejus & Gloria castitas inviolabilis. Non enim Sobrietas aut Abstinentia minus virtutes sunt, aut minus Arma animarum humanarum in pace spirituali quam in b●llo: Et hoc est quoniam non solum Armasunt, sed etiam ornamenta & pulchritudines animarum mirabiles at desiderabiles. etc. apud Gul. Parisientem part. 1. de universo. p. 2. c. 33. p. 696.  And yet Bodies they shall be still and in the Opinion of the best schoolmen they shall have the same material senses of Taste and touch and smell, though, if they do continùe, it is agreed that they must continue for Ornament rather than for those uses, to which they were applied in this world.  
Let us conclude by adressing our thanks to God that he hath vouchsafed to reveal so much unto us concerning the Glory of the life to come, which we could not have understood by Nature. For the Natural Man understandeth not these things of God, and if we consider aright we shall find that we have Reason with all humility & precious Reverence to thank God that we do not comprehend it all. For it is the infinite Blessedness of that condition, that puts it beyond the reach of our senses and of our understanding, as we shall declare more largely when we explain that Text where it is affirmed, that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor have those things entered into the heart of Man, that God hath prepared for those that love Him.  
Now to the great God who is maker of all things and judge and Rewarder of all men, And to the Lord our Righteousness, etc.   

SERM. III.  1 COR. 2.9. 
It is written, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of Man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.  
IF you ask where this is written, the Margin of your Bible's direct you to the 64th of Esay, where the Church, desirous of his second Advent, addresseth thus to the desired Messiah, Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at they presence! For from the beginning of the world, (so the fourth verse proceeds) men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear, neither hath the Eye seen, O God, besides thee, what He hath prepared for Him that waiteth for Him.  
There is one thing wherein I find the generality of Men strangely inconsistent with themselves: They cry out and declaim against the present world, and undervalue all its Enjoyments, 
Why men preser earthy enjoyments before those of heaven.  and yet they are loath to leave it, and in practice prefer it before Heaven itself. Now this is a dangerous Misprision, and the cause of it is not our Mistake concerning the Vanity of the things of this world, but our Ignorance or Infidelity concerning the Things of the next. The whole Nature and all the Qualities of that Happiness, while we are here, We shall never perfectly know. But God hath given us such a portion of Revelation concerning it, as may sufficiently commend it to us. And indeed in these and many other Texts very excellent things are spoken concerning a glorious state to come, a state of Happiness which Religious and good Men shall enjoy in Heaven. I may speak in the phrase of the Psalmist, very excellent and glorious things are spoken of thee, thou City of God. Heaven is a place of so great Glory, that it hath gotten some of the prime attributes of the great and glorious God that dwelleth in it: God is infinite and so is the Happiness of Heaven: God is incomprehensible, and so is the Happiness of Heaven. The excellence of God Himself Naturally, and the Glory, in that Heaven which he hath prepared for his own Mansion, and for the future Mansion of his servants are too great to be expressed truly, and without a Metaphor, otherwise than by Negatives. It was true without a Metaphor, what we declared in the first part, That in Heaven there shall be no grief, no sorrow, no pain. But how shall we speak the positive parts of Heavenly glory by way of Negatives? Why! we may speak as the Church anciently did by the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah: Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard, what (that is, what positive parts of Glory) God hath prepared for those that wait upon Him. And St Paul goes further in the same Way, when he telleth us, that Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard, nor (which is somewhat beyond what is contained in the expression of the Prophet Esay) have those things entered into the heart of Man, that God hath prepared for those that love Him.  
The Eye of a man that is gentile and curious sees much, and the Ear of the same Man heareth much more than his Eye ever saw, and his Fancy conceives beyond them both: But the heart of a Man, if we take it for his will and Desires, enlarge themselves infinitely and exceed all. For a man may will and desire all happiness indefinitely, even that which he never saw, nor perfectly conceived: But the things that God hath prepared for those that love Him are so great, and contain so much of Happiness and delight, that St Paul affirmeth, they have not entered into the Heart, certainly not into the imaginative part, and it may be not perfectly into the appetitive part of the soul of Man.  
But suppose that St Paul spoke only of the understanding, Fancy, or Imaginative faculties, when He saith, that the Glories of Heaven have not entered upon man's heart. It is surely a very high commendation of that Glory (which Christ hath purchased and prepared for his servants, and which the spirits of just men made perfect shall enjoy in Heaven) when he telleth us, that it is greater than any that our external or internal senses, greater than any that our animal or rational faculties can apprehend, more great more perfectly excellent, than did ever enter into the understanding or Imagination of Man.  
Great surely are the riches and ample is the dominion of Nature; But greater and more ample that of human Fancy, 
The enjoyments in Nature great.  there are Beauties of Art and Nature to please the Eye, There are the delicate Enchantments of Voices and other Music to delight and Ravish the Ear. Nature for the Taste hath afforded us variety of pleasant meats and drinks, and the studied and Curious Arts of Luxury have found out many more. Every sense hath its entertainments fitted for it; and the world is not so poor, but that there is somewhat what in it to answer almost every Fancy and every appetite of Man.  
In the City there is wealth. In the court there is rich apparel, the graceful Mien, gallantry and glory. In the University there is learning and good Natured men, there is that great pleasure of wise and excellent Conversation. With Councillors there is civil prudence, with Commanders there is courage and Conduct, with other professions other excellencyes to be admired. There are in the world Royalties, Primacies, Principalities, Empires, for such as are ambitious of them. But which are of ten thousand times more value than all that I have mentioned, There are yet further such precious attainments to be had even here below, as virtue and the inchoate grace of God, inchoate I say, for in heaven only shall our virtues and our Graces, together with our glory, be made perfect.  
These and many other enjoyments and delights there are which have been respectively seen by the Eye, or heard of by the Ear, or apprehended by Man. And though few men have attained to all or the most part of these, Yet a man in his heart or mind, by the consideration of the parts, may without difficulty conceive all these great delights to meet in one and the same person.  
And further, it is at least conceivable, that all those pleasures may continue with Him, and with his children and descendants in his sight any finite number of years, even the greatest that can be counted by Arithmetic, and even what he cannot conceive or understand with his Mind, he may indefinitely wish for or desire with his heart as an unknown Happiness.  
But if we take up in the narrower Interpretation and confine this word Heart to the Understanding faculties, It must needs be confessed that it were a strange portentous state of delight and Glory, if all these known and conceivable parts of Happiness should thus accrue to any one in particular; and indeed it would be so great, that rightly to conceive this Estate, if it were only as great as any that can enter into the understanding of Man, one had need of a knowledge not only like that of Solomon, comprehensive of the Nature and use of all plants, or of any one Species of things, but of the Nature and advantages of all Objects whatsoever, and so rather like that of the first Man Adam, who knew all the Excellencies of all the Creatures, and gave them names accordingly.  
But yet St Paul telleth us (which is the consideration that I would enforce) That even such an Estate, it being seen with the Eye, and heard of by the Ear, and having entered into the heart of Man, is of a much base and lower Nature, than is the true Est te of that Grace and Glory, which the Blessed in Heaven shall be possessed of. Adam himself who knew so much of the Nature of all things, yet knew not perfectly the Glory of this estate, and St Paul, who, in his rapture into the third Heaven, saw it, yet confesseth that it was unspeakable.  
And here he does not only tell us from the Prophet Esay, that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, but he adds, nor have those things entered into the heart of Man, that God hath prepared for those that love him. They are greater than his mind can fully comprehend, and it may be greater than ever his heart did distinctly or perfectly desire.  
There is, I confess, some doubt concerning the sense of this Text, 
1 Cor. 2.9. explained.  and what writing it is that St Paul doth here cite in this place. For he saith, It is written, Eye hath not seen, Nor Ear heard. 
Vide Drusium, Zegerum, Grotium, etc. in 1 Cor. 2.9.  The critics generally assert from ancient and grave Testimonies that in the Apocryphal books of the Prophet Eliah, the words here cited by St Paul are found, and are willing to refer us thither for them. And Grotius affirms, that the Jewish Rabbins have such a common proverb or sentence as this, which they do also expound of the future life. This we may be sure of, that if St Paul here citeth the Apocryphal books of Eliah, or any other of the old Jewish writings, that He commends what he citeth, and hath given it a countenance and Authority by that Citation: And why may he not do that to the Jewish writings, which he hath done things well written by the Heathen Poets. 
Acts 17 28. Tit. 1.12.   
But it seems to me more probable, that the marginal references in our English Bibles direct us not amiss, when they refer us to the Text read unto you out of the 64th ch. of Esay, where it is said v. 1. by way of prayer for the second Advent or Glorious coming of Christ in Judgement: Oh that thou wouldst rend the Heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the Mountains might flow down at thy presence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the liquors to boil, etc. We believe that at the end of the world there shall be a general conslagration of all things, when not the mountains of the Earth only, but the Elements of Heaven also shall melt with fervent heat, And it is not improbable that the Prophet may intent that conflagration when he makes this prayer, and then the sense will be, Oh that the great day of doom were come, when all the mountains of the Earth shall burn and smoke, at another rate than Mount Sinai did at the giving of the Law! At that time one or two Mountains smoked and were ready to flow down before his presence. 
The conflagration of the world in order to the purgation of its matter.  But oh when will that time come, when the whole system of Nature shall be melted down and flow together in its own infinite space as in a great melting Furnace? For this is the Operation that must pass through the mighty hand of God, that so the feculent Matter of this world may be purged of its dross and rust, and be made a fit material, for the new Heaven and the new Earth, and the new Jerusalem, that God shall then prepare for those that love him. He proceeds then to show the Reason why he desired this dissolution of all things, namely, that it might make way for a better Resurrection. For, saith he (ver. 4.) since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear, Nor hath Eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for those that wait upon him: So that the sum of the sense is but this, Oh that this world might be dissolved and melted down, that we might arise into a new and better world, even into that Glory, that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard: For such a Glory hath God provided for those that wait upon Him.  
But this text, as it extends not our heavenly Glory, as St Paul doth, to be beyond the comprehension of the heart; So there is a Parenthesis in it not mentioned by St Paul, For it is said, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, O God (besides thee) what he hath prepared. 
Rabbins affirm that from the state of the Messiah they were to learn the image of their future glory.  But this parenthesis (besides thee) was not omitted by St Paul, because dissagreeable from his doctrine. For even (according to the rabbinical Interpretation) this text together with the Parenthesis, will agree with the Analogy of St Paul's doctrine, and that of the christian Faith. For this was hence the Notion of learned Men among the Jews, that in the future life there was for good men a state of great glory provided, but that they were to take the Image of their future Glory from what should happen to the person of the Messiah; so that according to their doctrine we must make this paraphrase of this 4th v. O God the son, our Saviour and Messiah (For to him this whole prayer seems to be addressed) Besides thee, that is, besides the evidence and pattern of our Resurrection and glory that we have in thee; we, as yet, see not, nor can we understand what he, that is, what God the Father hath prepared for those that wait upon him. Ben Maimon the most judicious of their Rabbins telleth us, that it was the Intention of the Prophet Esay here to declare that the glory of the world to come cannot be comprehended by Corporeal senses; and that his Brethren, the Hebrew doctors, make this to be the sense of the Text, that the Prophets only exhibit and declare the state of the Messiah and his Glory, and that from him must be taken the Image of the glory in the world to come. So, saith he, 
Seculum futurum sensibus corporeis nequaquam apprehendi indicat Propheta hocipsius dicto, Oculus non vidit, O Deus, praeter te, quid faciat expectanti ipsum. Ad quod explicandum dixerunt Magistri, Omnes propherae universim non prophetarunt nisi de diebus Messiae. At quod ad Mundum futurum, Oculus non vidit, praeter Te, etc. Maimonides in poriâ Mosis Pocockiana, p. 154. & in p. 150. Neque voluptas illa in parts distribuitur, neque enarrati potest, neque reperitur similitudo aliqua quacum comparati possit, verum uti dixit Propheta, ejus magnitudinem admiratus quam magna est bonitas tua, quam obscondisti Timentibus Te, etc. ib.  they interpret this text, Eye hath not seen, O Lord, besides thee, what God hath prepared for those that wait upon Him, that is in short, Men know no more of Heavenly glory than what they learn by those things that God hath declared concerning the exaltation of the Messiah.  
And we have no reason to contradict this Exposition of the Rabbins, though of the Jewish Religion and not of ours, seeing it is a Gospel's Truth, that the Image of our Resurrection is the Resurrection of Christ, The Image of our Glory is the Glory of Christ, we have no manifestation of what we shall be, but such as ariseth from the consideration of what He is: And so we may truly say in their sense, Eye hath not seen, O Christ, Nor Ear heard, besides thee, what God hath prepared for those that wait upon Him. Saint John telleth us 1 John 3.2. that it does not yet appear what we shall be, but this we know, that when our Lord Christ shall appear we shall be like unto Him. He shall change our vile body and make it like unto his own glorious body according to that mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.  
There is another doubt also objected from that Parathesis or addition of St Paul, But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit. For how can it be said that the things that God hath prepared for his servants have not entered into the heart of Man, when Christians are men, and it is added that God hath revealed them to us Christians by his Spirit.  
This parathesis therefore must be justly not strictly interpreted, For it is true, that God hath revealed them now much more than formerly; He hath revealed them by his Spirit, but he hath not revealed them fully, not so that St Paul himself could, while he lived here, adequately conceive the Nature of those heavenly Glories. It is most true that since our Saviour preached the doctrine of the new Testament, and since the gift of the Spirit which hath raised Man above his Nature and since the Transfiguration, resurrection and Ascension of Christ, which are patterns of what shall happen to all God's servants, Now the existence of the future state of Glory is more fully confirmed, and its nature much better understood, than it was by those who lived in the former Ages; when they had no light but from the letter of Moses, whose writings were dark in this point, or from the Prophets, or from the more uncertain Faith and Tradition of the Gentiles. And yet notwithstanding the great advancement of our knowledge in this particular, It is not so advanced as to render this text untrue; it is not so advanced as that we may perfectly know them. For his Rapture into the third Heaven taught St Paul himself, that those Joys are yet unspeakable, and that Humane Nature is yet uncapable adequately to conceive them. They are so great, that Eye hath not seen them, Ear hath not heard them, nor have they ever so entered into the heart of Man as to be perfectly and fully conceived by Him.  
When our Saviour was taken up into Heaven from amidst his disciples in Mount Olivet, 
Act. 1.  and a Cloud had received him out of their sight, they continued still steadfastly looking towards Heaven, but were reproved by the Angels in these Words, Ye men of Galilee why stand you gazing up into Heaven? Words, my Brethren, that we may nost properly apply to the present figure of our own thoughts, we have been looking not towards Heaven only, but upon Heaven itself, until in the midst of our gazing we have lost it. Only we cannot so properly say that a Cloud, as that a sunbeam, or at least a very bright Cloud, hath received it out of our sight. For we find that Heaven is so wrapped up in its own glory, that there is no perfect entrance left to the Eye of our understanding.  
Let us therefore apply to ourselves that Angelical advice, and stand no more gazing into Heaven. It is proper for us in this case to do as the disciples did, to hast away to our upper Rooms, First to our prayers, then to our work; But for our Encouragement we may cast an Eye upon the great Reward that God hath provided for us, We may consider so much of Heaven as is revealeable to us, and believe further, and expect beyond all that those incomprehensible Glories that are to be enjoyed with Christ above. Nay let us believe and give thanks for it, that there are joys prepared for us that are not now revealeable, and though we can form no Idea or conceit of them; yet let us rejoice and give thanks unto God that there are joys prepared for us, and for all Religious and good Men with us, of which we can form no Idea. Christ hath merited this belief of the world that we should think him able to perform his promises, to raise us from the dead and to glorify us with that glory, which I have endeavoured to describe, but have been oppress't in my endeavour by the weight of my undertaking, finding the excellent glory and happiness of that Estate to be incomprehensible and ineffable. He that raised Jairus his daughter and the Widow's son, and Lazarus and (which is most of all) himself from the dead, whatsoever Atheists may speak of the Incredibility of that Resurrection, shall certainly raise us also. I hope by God's help to give you an account of the Reasonableness of the Christian faith in that article at some other time. But we that profess Religion, profess to believe our Resurrection as certainly as we believe our death. I know that my redeemer liveth, saith Job, 
Job 19.25, 26.  and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth, and though after my skin worms destroy this Body, yet in my flesh shall I sce God, etc. And I know, saith Martha, that my Brother shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day, John 11.24.  
I shall now add but one advice more, which is this: that as we have Evangelicall expectations, so we should take the Evangelicall directions, that we would endeavour to rise to newness of life here, that we may rise to eternal Glory hereafter. Let the Doctrine of our Resurrection to eternal life have its perfect work, so the full belief and actual consideration of this one Article of eternal life, or eternal misery to come, may by the grace of God, minister to us Christians in giving obedience to our Lord, that which we sometimes complain so much for the want of, even a power to do all things through Christ that strengtheneth. There is no Duty (saith Dr Jackson) whereunto the belief of this eternal Reward doth not enable and bind us. If we do not live in some measure agreeable to our profession and the hopes of our profession, we shall be in the End condemned by it: and in the mean time we betray it openly, that there is now a defect in that principle that should be within us, or in the excercise of that Principle, that is, we believe not, or we consider not, For what saith St John, every one that hath this hope purifieth Himself even as God is pure, 1 John. 3.3. And therefore he that doth not purify Himself, He is but a pretender to this Hope, He hath it not at all well grounded in Him, or at least he hath it not in actual excercise and Employment. For if there be such a Hope, unless it be very sleepy, if it be a lively and a quick Hope, it must be the spring of a Christians joy and glory, in comparison of which He will contemn all the Riches, all the Honours, all the Pleasures of this world as dross and dung. And there is reason for this preference, because as St Paul doth more than once assert, so great is the glory that shall be revealed, that to it nothing in this present world is worthy to be compared. It was the Hope of this Happiness that made the primitive Christians leap into the Flames and suffer Martyrdom with joy. Now though we, through the Mercy of God, have no flames of Martyrdom to seap into, yet we may take this note from the Psalmist (Psal. 125.) that those who are said to return with joy had a Time of going on their Way weeping and bearing good seed; or this from St John, That the Bride must have her wedding Garments prepared before hand. She must not be like the foolish Virgins, she must not be to provide her Ornaments when her wedding Hour is come. She must be arrayed in Fine linen and this Fine linen is the Righteousness of the Saints, Revel. 19 We must know that Christians are to be arrayed not only with the Righteousness of Saints inherent. We may learn from St Paul 1 Cor. 9 That those who obtain this Crown of Glory in Heaven are temperate in all things, and prepare themselves before hand, and then also run and strive that they may obtain. For it is so ordained that no man shall come to that great glory either with the assistance and Grace of God, or without his own faithful Endeavor, Compliment alone will never do it: Our Saviour hath protested, Matth. 7.25. That not every One who professeth this Religion, Not every one who saith unto Him, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but he only who doth the will of his Father which is in Heaven.  
Now to the king of Heaven, and to the Lord our Righteousness by whose merits only we can have Entrance into that kingdom, and to the Spirit of Holiness, who can only give us title to those merits, etc.   

SERM. IU. Of Happiness in Heaven showing, In Opposition to the Atheist, The Reasons why we believe 

Rewards and punishments in another life.  
The Immortality of the Soul.  
The Resurrection of the Body.    
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaak, and the God of Jacob: God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.  Math. 22.23.  
ACTS 26.8. 
Why should it be thought a thing incredible, that GOD should raise the Dead?  
AS the Fear of that Punishment, 
The Hope of the Resurrection of the Body and life everlasting the greatest Encouragement to Virtue.  that God hath prepared for Wicked men, is apt to deter them from the continual practices of Vice: So the Christians Hope of the Resurrection of the Body and everlasting life in Heaven is the greatest encouragement to the Excercise of Religion and virtue. I have already shown you the excellence and Glory of that Estate which we Hope for: and in the next place I think it may be seasonable in Opposition to the Atheists of our Time to clear unto you the foundation of this Hope, namely the Credibility of the Resurrection itself, which I propose to do in this method.  
First to show you that from Natural Reason much hath been granted towards our faith in this particular.  
Secondly, that the world had reason to receive, and we have reason still to continue the belief of the doctrine of our Saviour delivered us in this Article.  
All this I mean to do as it were historically by giving you the ancient state of the doctrine delivered in it, and some of the old arguments that continued this belief against the Atheistical Reasonings of former Ages: And these old arguments of proof, that have withstood the Batteries of Atheism hitherto I am not only contented with, but indeed I prefer them before those fine, but untried ones, of New Invention. 
The existence of the law of Nature argues rewards and punishments in another life, because they are not equally distributed in this.   
First this was part of the Natural Man's creed, that there shall be hereafter in another life, time and place for Bliss and Punishment. This all considering persons have argued from the Notions of the Law of Nature that men generally find implanted in them. If a law (say they) then there must be a Reward and Punishment; else that Law will be to no purpose. But we find a Law written in our Hearts, and yet virtue hath not its Reward, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. apud Platodem in Phaed.  nor vice its Punishment always in this life, and therefore it must be looked for in another. How many vicious livers are there, who have escaped correction from all Mortal Men? and how many poor virtuous persons have there been, who for their general practice of virtue and patience in Honesty and upright dealing have received nothing but Envy, Reprocah, Despite and Oppression in this life? 
V Plutarchum de serâ numinis vindicta. Platonem in Gratillo & Gorgia.  and therefore we argue now, as they did anciently, that there is wanting that Order and providence in the Government of the Rational world, that is visible in all things of lesser moment, unless, as we believe, there shall be indeed another life, wherein according to our merits we may receive Rewards and punishments. And upon this Expectation Solid and Wise Men still held that the Practice of Honesty, and the Observance of the Laws of Nature were to be defended and preferred even before the preservation of their present lives. Which had been irrational and foolish for them to have done, had they been without a Reasonable Hope of a just Recompense in another life. Secondly, another thing that we have received from Arguments of natural and Human Reason is the doctrine of the Immortality of our Souls. And since the Soul according to the Platonique and Peripatetical, and all other Philosophy, 

Detrchere aliquid alteri, & hominis incommodo suum augere commodum, magis est contra Naturam quam Mors, quam paupertas, quam dolour, etc. apud Ciceronem de Off. 3. Ad Carthaginem rediit Regulus, cum neque ignorabat se ad crudelissimum hostem atque exquisita supplicia prosicisci, quod Fidem servandam putabat. Cicero eod.  
Justum & tenacem propositi virum,  
Non civium ardor prova jubentium,  
Non vultus instantis Tyranni,  
Mente qualit solidâ.  
Si fractus illabatur Orbis,  
Impavidum ferient ruinae.  
Hac arte Pollux, & vagus Hercules  
Innixus, arces attigit igneas, etc. apud Horatium carm. lib. 3. Ode. 3.   is the great constituent Principle of our Being and Individuation, if that be granted to be immortal, it must be granted that the greatest and most considerable part of every Individual Man is immortal, And this will well conduce to expedite our other doctrine concerning the credibility of the Resurrection of the same Body.  
It is most true, 
Mr Hobbes' opinion considered.  that the Author of the Leviathan affirmeth that Men, before the time of our Saviour, were generally possess't of an Opinion, 
Leviathan. p. 4. p. 340.  that the souls of Men were substances distinct from their Bodies, and therefore that when the Body is dead, the Soul of every Man whether godly or wicked must subsist somewhere by virtue of its own Nature: But it is as untrue, that the same Author in the same place affirmeth, That this doctrine concerning the Immortality of the Soul was an error that sprang from the Demonology of the Greeks. For in truth, these doctrines were so distinct and independent one upon another, 
The doctrine of the Souls immortality sprang not from the Demonology of the Greekss.  that the greatest deriders of the Greek Demonology were the greatest and most cordial assertors of the Immortality of the Soul. Such was the famous Socrates in particular, whose principal Accusation was, That He made himself and his Scholar's sport by deriding the Gods worshipped in Greece. And this his crime was publicly presented upon the stage, so as to make Him odious to the People, by Aristophanes in his Witty comedy that he calls his Clouds. And yet this Socrates, who laughed at their Demonology so much, had the doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul so fixed and riveted in him, that, as all History concerning Him consents, 
V Platonis Phaed. Cicer. 1 Tusc. Quaest, Xenophontem, etc.  the confidence of it made Him slight his present life and the favour of his Tyrant judges, and choose to die that he might be possess't of that Immortality.  
And that this general doctrine concerning the Immortality of the Soul was founded not upon their Demonology, but upon good Arguments taken from the Nature and Operations of the Soul itself, may be seen in Plato's Phaedrus, and his Phaedo, and in Plotinus, and in Cicero and other Philosophers.  
And to put this out of doubt, I shall give you a Taste of their arguments out of Cicero, 
The ancient arguments for its immortality out of Cicero.  which (for the Reputation of ancient learning, let me speak it) I think are strong enough to break the Opposition of our modern Wits, and in particular to withstand the force of the great Leviathan.  
Animorum, 
Cicero. in Tusc. Quaest. lib. 1.  saith he, nulla in terris Origo inveniri potest: Nihil enim in animis mixtum aut ex terrâ natum atque fixum esse videatur, 
Flabile aut igneum, male vulgò leg. stabile aut igneum.  nihil aut humidum aut flabile aut igneum. His Conclusion is this, that the Soul hath not its Original from any of the Elements, nor from the Fire, nor from the Air, that is flabile and Spirituous, nor from the moist Water, nor from the fixed Earth, nor from a mixture of all these. His enim Naturis nihil inest quod Vim Memoriae, mentis, cogitationis habeat, There is nothing in any of these Elements that is capable of doing those things that are ordinarily performed by the memory, the understanding and thoughts of Men. We will pursue the first Instance of his concerning Memory. Let therefore Mr Hobbes, or any other of our new Wits, show how an Elementary Body or any part of it, that is in perpetual Flux, should retain the memory of things done long since, it may be sixty or seventy years ago. A River that is always running may as well keep an Impression figured upon the surface of the Water by a seal, as the Body of Man that never continues the same for one day can retain those infinite impressions, that every Man remembers without alteration or difference; when this Body and all its Elementary parts (wherein these memoirs are supposed to inhere) is in so perpetual a Flux, that they never are the same entirely for the least time that is considerable. All our modern Men and virtuosos grant this transient Nature of the Elementary parts of the Body, and that what thus daily and hourly perisheth, is daily and hourly supplied with fresh Nourishment. Seeing therefore the Elementary parts of our Bodies are always flying of and never continue fixed, our ancient men of learning such as Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Socrates and Plato and Cicero and the Arabic and other Philosophers after them, argued, 
See the arguments of Avicen and Ibnalcatib in Raymundi Martini Pug. Fidei. p. 1. c. 4.  that not the fluxile part of this transient Body, but an Independent and Immaterial soul must be the subject of Human Memory. For Memory or any other Faculty, Action or other Accident cannot be supposed to inhere in a subject that ceaseth to be, or to endure long, when the parts of the Body supposed to be its subject are of very short continuance.  
And if the Acts of memory which is Tullye's first instance cannot be performed by Elementary Bodies alone, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Vide Plotin. Ennead. 4. l. 7. c. 6. imointeger lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  much less can those curious and intricate Acts of Reason and discourse, by which a man not only remembers single propositions, but corrects Notions, and deriveth arguments; and therefore Cicero concludeth, as the learned did before, and the learned have done ever since, that there is an extraordinary singular and divine being within us, somewhat above our common and Elementary Natures, that is able to perform these Acts.  
And surely all the Industry and Endeavours of our modern Philosophers to explain or prove the contrary are utterly in vain. 
The explication of those that make Souls corporeal impersect.  Great is the power of wit and learning, but weigh their Wit and learning in the Balance, and in this attempt all their wit and learning will be found defective. For suppose we grant, (to comply with the latest and best of them) that there are all those chambers in the Brain, that he there most ingeniously delineateth. Glaze those chambers with all variety of Dioptrick Glasses that shall be useful to the Operations designed, Let the Nerves serve as so many Tubes to carry in the Images of all sensible Objects, Let those images pass through the Corpus striatum, and let that, whatsoever be objected concerning its incapacity to that purpose serve instead of an Objective Glass. Finally through that objective Glass, let all the Images conveied and represented be laid down upon the Corpus callosum as upon a white Table. Here is, you see, a great deal supposed, and if we could have any competent evidence all this were true, yet we were not much the nearer: For the main questions concerning the manner of sensation, Fancy and memory, do still remain unexplained. For it is still unresolved how Light or Fire or Air or any Elementary Body, which appear to us in all other cases to be dead and insensible Being's, can within the Brain be so much advanced as to be quite other things and execute such high and noble Offices of sensation, conception and giving judgement concerning those Representations: And suppose further we grant that the figures represented upon the Corpus Callosum may by some secret undulations be cast into the folds of the Brain, and that in these folds Memory and reminiscence is performed. Yet here the main Questions concerning Memory remain still unexplained, Namely, how notwithstanding the continued wasting of the parts of the Brain, and the supply of fresh parts in their Room, and notwithstanding the confluence of all the vast variety of new Impressions, yet the memory of the same things continues so many years, if there be nothing but a transient Elementary matter to be the subject of these Memories.  
Secondly, it neither is, nor do I ever expect to see it, explained, how within those Folds Light or Air or Fire or any Elementary Body should be able to Remember or Recollect, when neither Fire nor Air nor Light, in any other place ever appeared to have any Faculties in any particulars like those mentioned. We believe there is a Soul of Man that goeth upward, and the Soul of a beast that goeth downward. But let none of our Materialists in Philosophy boast, that they have demonstrated how either of these Souls can perform its meanest Operations, if (to speak in Opposition to the Elements) it be not a Quintessence, somewhat above these Material Natures. His enim Naturis, I must repeat Cicero's words, Nihil inest quod vim Memoriae, Mentis, Cogitationis habeat.  
Another of Cicero's arguments is this, Quod sapit, 
Other old Arguments for the souls immortality from its simplicity, causality of its own motions, and long after eternity.  divinum est, To be wise implieth a high and noble Intellect, and is a faculty fit not for a corporeal and Elementary but for an excellent pure and simple essence, and if it be not of an Elementary but of a pure and simple Nature, it must consequently be eternal. 
Dubitare non possumus, quin nihil sit animis admixtum, nihil copulatum, nihil duplex, quod cum ita sit, certe nec secerni, nec dividi, dec discerpi, nec distrahi potest: Nec interi. re igitur Est enim Interitus quasi discessus & secretio, & direptio, earum partium, quae ante interitum junctione aliqua teneban. tur. Cicero Tusc. Quaefi. lib. 1.  It is not to be doubted saith he, that the Soul is an incomplexed Being, such a one, as is not mixed nor joined nor doubled in its composure. Which being so, the parts of it can never be divided or severed one from another: and consequently it can never die, because Death is but a separation of those parts that before Death were in conjuncture. Other Arguments he hath for the Immortality of the Soul, as that the Soul is the principle of its own Motion, and so moveth itself, and therefore, seeing nothing can be deserted of itself, the soul can never die nor cease to move, as the Body doth, which therefore dyeth because it is deserted of the Principle of its Motion, which is the soul. That the soul hath native Breathe and long after Eternity implanted in it, And that those Breathe and long are not in vain: since God and Nature made nothing in vain. Such are the arguments that were anciently used on this subject. And let no Man here object the Operations of beasts; For it is demonstrable that they are of a kind vastly inferior to ours, and therefore we judge their souls to be so too. And truly many considering Men will rather think the Souls of beasts somewhat above Elementary, which we understand not, and own with Socrates our imperfect knowledge, than that such Operations as are performed by the Minds of Men should be the product of Elementary matter only. For surely our modern Materialists, who are the Philosophers in Fashion, have been so far from showing how the Operations of the Souls of Men may be performed by such matter, that they have not given any sufficient satisfaction, how it is possible that by such matter and local Motion alone the actions of bruit beasts may be elicited.  
But enough hath been said to make it evident beyond all contradiction, That the doctrine of the Souls Immortality was not built upon the Daemonology of the Greeks, but was received and continued from Reasons drawn from the consideration of its own Nature, Motions and Operations. And Mr Hobbes should do well to answer those Reasons and to show the credibility of his own Hypothesis, seeing He hath exceeded the Atheism not only of the ancient heretics in Philosophy, but of all pretenders to it, in this last and most Atheistical Age. For he and those of his Club make the human Soul to be little or Nothing, but a Modus Entis at best, a kind of Motion of some parts of an Organised Body, somewhat like that Harmony of parts to which some compared the soul anciently, and stand confuted for their pains by Plato and other Philosophers. And as if it had been a small matter to corrupt Philosophy, he hath done worse and hath showed his endeavour to abuse Divinity also: when he levels the sense of Scripture to that of his own Philosophy, and when he telleth us that the Soul in our Saviors words doth not signify any such distinct and immortal substance as the erroneous world believes it to be, but only the life, that is in his sense, the Motion of an organised Body; that the Body and Soul, when spoken of together, signify the Body alive, that is, the Body in its Organical Motions.  
But all his Wit and Learning will never be able to draw the holy Scriptures to favour the impious Hypothesis of his Philosophy. If there be no such thing as Spirit, 
Mr Hobbes misinterprets the scripture which speaks of the soul as independent from the body.  or incorporeal substance, that may inform us if the Soul so much spoken of be nothing but a Modus Entis, the motion or harmony of the Body, it was neither safe, nor wise, nor good advice that our Saviour gave his Disciples, when he commanded them thus; Fear not them that kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul, but rather fear Him, who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. For if the Soul were only the Motion or Harmony of the Parts of the Body, he that should kill the Body must needs spoil the Harmony, or motions of it also, and consequently must be able to destroy the Soul too. As he who breaks the Lute must needs spoil all its Music for ever after. It is plain therefore that our Saviour speaks of the Soul as of a Being independent from the Body, so likewise when his Body was upon the cross and lay under the cruelty of his deadly Enemies, he commended his Soul to God as that which was above their reach. The like did his first Martyr St Stephen, and all his holy Martyrs, and all good Christians ever since have at their Deaths commended their souls to God, as that which is distinct and independent from their perishing Bodies. And yet this doctrine concerning the Independence, Immateriality and Immortality of the Soul, was, as I have showed, no peculiar doctrine of Christianity, but was received generally upon good grounds before; and the Gospel owns it as true and well confirmed, and adds to it (that which the Jews believed also,) the Doctrine concerning the Resurrection of the Body.  
This Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body hath been spoken against by many Atheists as a thing incredible. To show you therefore that the Christians were not fools, who ever have believed it, and that we do nothing unreasonable in continuing this Belief; 
V Greg. Nyssenum de Hominis Opificio. c. 25. etc.  I shall show you the Reasons of the Christian faith in this very particular, as they were anciently represented by St Gregory Nyssene, and that with very little alteration of my own.  
It hath been observed by learned Men among the Heathen, 
V scripta de Phlegonte scriptore Ethnico lib. Annal: citato apud Origen. lib. 2. contra Celsum sub Initium. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. ib.  that never any one foretold things so certainly to come, or that were so punctually and precisely accomplished, as were the predictions and Prophecies of our Saviour; and such were those particularly concerning the Persecution of the Christians and the Ruin of the Jewish Temple and Nation. For there was in Reason no probability of either. Judaea was, we know, safe then under the Roman Government, and the whole world quietly sat down in peace under the same Empire. The Romans interposed not in matters of Religion as appeared in all St Paul's Trials before Roman Magistrates. It was therefore a strange unlikely Prophecy that Jerusalem, achief city in a Roman province, 
Origenes in illud, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  should shortly be encompassed with Armies, and thereupon fall into utter Desolation, or that the Calamity should fall so greivously upon childbearing Women, that this should be taken up as a Proverb, Blessed are the barren that never bore, and the Paps that never gave Suck. Yet Jerusalem was in the Eyes of that generation so besieged and reduced to that Calamity by Famine, that, as we read in Josephus, an honourable Woman was found eating her own child, and surely then if ever was a time for the daughters of Jerusalem to weep and to use that saying, Blessed are the barren that never bore. It is also observed by some that as to the manner of that utter desolation of the Temple our Saviour foretold it even to the most minute Circumstances, as that in the ruin of it, 
Origen. lib. 2. contra Celsum v. & Nyssenum loco ●cit. nec non Josephum do bello Judaico lib. 7. cap. 6, 7, 8, ad 16. Luke 23.28, 29. Act. 18.12, 13, etc. V Matth. 13.2.  there should not one stone be left upon another that should not be thrown down and plucked asunder, as the Original word signifies. 
Quis sine admiratione hoc tremendum Demini dictum legere potest, qui meminerit à Josepho scriptum, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. & illud quod paulo post sequitur, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: adeo omnia solo adaequata, ut ne vestigia quidem pristinae ullius habitationis relicta fuerint. Igitur Titus Alexandria revertens cum complanata omnia videret lach●ymas continere non potuit, etc. lege 15. caput l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Josephum. Nemo ignorat Romanorum morem fuisse complanato urbium rebellium Solo aratrum inducere. Vere igitur Mors Jerosolymorum fuit inducto illi aratro. Quod nec vetustissimi Judaei ignorant, qui non solum aratrum templo impressum fuisse terhibent. sed etiam nomen ejus, qui aratrum impressit in monimentis suis retinent. Turannum Rufum vocant, etc. apud Scaligerum Canon Isagog l. 3. ev 11 ad excidium Templi. p. 311.  All which was fulfilled to a tittle: for we read that one Turannus Rufus ploughed up the very foundations of that magnificent Temple, and so severed every stone therein; and yet neither the Emperor Titus, as abundantly appears in the history of Josephus, had originally any design to Ruin Jerusalem, nor any other Roman any respect to, but a hatred against Christ and his Gospel, whose Prophecies notwithstanding by the overruling providence of God they were wrought to fulfil.  
Now (as the Father, 
V Nyssenum ubi supra.  whose Discourse I follow, well observeth) when all the predictions and many others of different kinds were strangely fulfilled in the Eyes of the World. 
Christ's predictions miraculously fulfilled are arguments that his doctrine concerning the Resurrection shall be fulfilled also.  Men of Reason had just cause to think well of all other doctrines that Christ had delivered; especially of his principal and fundamental ones among which none was more considerable than this, That an eternal Happiness both of Body and Soul was to be obtained by Faith and Obedience to the Gospel.  
That our Saviour was able to raise the dead, and to perform all that he had promised he proved by his doing many miracles, great and wonderful, confessedly exceeding all human power. He healed the sick daily: But it is one thing to heal the sick, and another thing to raise the Dead; and therefore to evidence his Almighty power in that particular, It is believed that he delayed the time of his coming to divers sick persons, and suffered them to die, that being dead He might glorify his power, and give some instance of his ability to work the great and last Resurrection. So when Jairus came to him for his daughter, Mark 5. He suffered himself to be stayed in healing the Woman that had the Issue of blood, till news was brought that the daughter was dead, and so now in such a case, that nothing but the Resurrection of the dead could cure her, and therefore it was advised that he should now desist from troubling the Master. But in truth our Master stayed to good purpose, not only to cure the poor Woman with the hem of his Garment, but to cure all us of our Infidelity, and to have the Opportunity of working a Miracle, that must needs convince those incredulous persons, of whom he there spoke, that except they saw signs and wonders they would not believe. Dead therefore though she was, He spoke but the Word Talitha Cumi, Damsel arise; and the Damsel arose and walked.  
In the case of the Widows son, which is reported in the 7th chapter of St Luke, He delayed a little longer, and as he made the case more difficult, so he made his power and mercy more conspicuous. There was a Man dead, a young Man of an untimely death. He was a son, an only son, the only son of a Widow. He was her joy, all her hopes, all her desires. When he was gone all was gone with her. She loved him when alive, and when dead (as that Father whom I follow conjectures,) she embraced and hovered over his Corpse and kept it to mourn over it as long as it could be kept. But when it could be kept no longer, she submitted to the misfortune of her condition, and went with the whole company of her neighbours to see him interred with decency and kindness. He stayed till his corpse was brought to the very grave, without the Gates of the City, to the Golgotha or common place of sepulture there. When the case was thus desperate and every one was concerned for the irreparable loss of the poor Widow. He thought it then a fit time to comply with the common pity, and therefore he met the Widow in her Tears, he had compassion on her. He said unto her, Weep not, he touched the Beer and he spoke those powerful Words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, young man arise, and he that was dead sat up, and he delivered him to his Mother. This was confessed to be the hand of God, to be a great Miracle. It was life from the dead to the Son, and little less to the but now disconsolate, now wonderfully rejoiceing Mother. A greater miracle intended also to confirm the same Truth was that of Lazarus. A work so great that the same Father taketh notice, that our Lord led his Disciples to Galilee on purpose that they might see it, and by it be instructed in the Mystery of the Resurrection. It is recorded by St John that when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He abode still two days in the place where he was: But when he was departed, our Lord spoke thus to his Disciples, Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes, that I was not there that you may believe; and therefore he, took the Disciples with Him and went to Bethany, and when he came there he preached the Resurrection. I am, saith he the Resurrection and the life, whosoever believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, etc. And in process to prove his Doctrine, Jesus, when he was come to the grave, bids them take away the stone: 
John 11.  Martha opposeth it, alleging that certainly now the Corpse lay in stench and putrefaction, and by reason of that it was not to be endured that Christ should come near the Tomb: 
Vide Nyssenum ubi supra.  He had been dead 4 days, and therefore it was not to be doubted that the Cadaverous ferment had swelled the Body, and that there had been a considerable progress made in the Putrefaction. But she had but a rebuke for her care, and our Saviour after a prayer to God speaks those powerful words, Lazarus come forth. And he that was dead came forth bound hand and foot with his grave , etc. This was a great Demonstration that the power of giving a Resurrection to our putrified Bodies lay in Him, when he was able to cross Nature in her Operation and to compel her to restore that to life that was not only dead, as in the other instances of Jairus and the Widows son, but lying in the midst of its putrescency, diffluency and stench.  
There is but one thing that the most cautious and diffident persons could wish to be added to make the Demonstration beyond Exception, and this our Saviour was ware of, you will, saith he, surely say unto me this Proverb, Physician heal thyself, Luke 4.23. Thou that raisest others raise thyself also: We will destroy this Temple of your Body and if, (as you say) you can raise that in three days, we will desire no further Argument, we will not any longer be diffident, nor faithless, but we will believe, that you are, as you say, the Son of God, and that you will raise the Bodies and glorify the Souls of all that believe, and obey the Gospel that you Preach. There were some unbelieving Scoffers that tendered their faith upon a slighter condition, though they thought even that Impossible. For while he was yet alive they made him this offer, Let him but now come down from the Cross and we will believe. But he had a Miracle to do much greater than that, and He must die upon the cross, that he might be able to perform it. He died therefore, and risen again, and by his Resurrection he gave the last fullest proof of his victory over death, and his power to perform his promise in raising the dead universally at the last day. This last Miracle convinced the most incredulous, even cautious and diffident St Thomas. When he saw with his Eyes, that his Lord was risen indeed, 
John 20.25.  the same Lord that he had before seen crucified, dead and buried, when he saw the print of the nails that had fixed him to the cross, and the hole or Gash in his side that was given him by the Soldier's spear, there was nothing left to shelter his diffidence or unbelief.  
Let no man therefore after all these Miracles, especially this last and greatest of Christ's raising up himself, doubt of the power of our Lord or of his faithfulness in raising of us all. He is both able and faithful that promised. So St Paul expostulates, if Christ be raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 
1 Cor. 15.12.  He spoke to Jairus his daughter but a word or two, Talitha Cumi, and she arose from the dead; and no more to the said widow's Son, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, young man arise, and he arose, and no more to Lazarus, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Lazarus come forth, Neither the bonds of death, nor the diffluence and putrefaction of his corpse, nor those other bonds by which in the Grave he was tied hand and foot, could hinder his obedience to the overruling power of this Command.  
Now at the last day the word shall not be to one Damsel, or one young Man, or to one Lazarus, but to the whole Body of Mankind. The word shall be RISE ALL, and the manner is thus described. When the number of the Elect shall be fulfiled, and every man shall be born into the World that God hath appointed to Glorify, and when that time shall be fully come, the knowledge of which God hath reserved to himself, than the Lord Christ shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of an Archangel, and with the Trump of God. That Trumpet shall sound to the Bottom of the Sea, 
1 Thess. 4.16.  and to the Centre of the Earth and shall strike every atom of the whole universe, and our dissolved Bodies in particular, into those several places and stations that God hath appointed them to fill, in the state of the Resurrection. And when the command and warning is thus general the Resurrection shall be so too, even as when his command was particular to Lazarus and the rest, the Resurrection was particular also. What though our Bodies should be burnt to ashes, and those ashes scattered into the Rivers or the Sea, as by persecuting Princes in despite of the Christians God sometimes they have been, What though they should be devoured by Cannibals, or by the beasts of the field, or the fouls of the Air, or the fishes of the Sea, and those beasts, fouls and fishes should again be eaten by other Men; Let the Atheist make what supposition he will, yet every part of every Body will still be within the Empire of God. No Cannibal, nor beast, nor foul, nor fish ever converted the whole Body of any Man to his own nourishment, and is it not more easy to raise Bodies out of those remainders, than out of stones to raise children to Abraham? And what if the same material fragments are not necessary to make us the same Men? We have not the same material particles in our Bodies that we had twenty years ago; and yet our soul which is the great Principle of Individuation being the same, we judge ourselves to be the same Men; and though most of it may be, all our material parts are vanished and others supply their places in that time, yet we think we are sure that our Bodies also are still the same, and all the members of our Bodies continue still the same.  
But if those parts or a great number of the same parts be necessary, It is most true that St Gregory Nyssene observeth, that every part of every Body will still be within the Empire of God. 
St Greg. Nyss. de Hominis Opificio cap. 26, 27. Tom. 1. pag. 115. & deinceps. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. supra & infra.  Fury or Malice cannot so dissipate them nor Ravin so devour them, but that every part of every Body will still be within the Compass of the World, and God can as easily dispose those parts to their right owners, as a common herdsman, who keeps all the beasts of a Lordship in one herd, can when he pleaseth distinguish them and send them to their particular masters and owners.  
But seeing the Resurrection of the same Bodies must be wrought by the power of God, It is fit that we should refer the particular manner, how our Bodies shall be restored to the secret knowledge of God Himself. The thing we are not to doubt, For to raise a Body out of some matter is less than to raise it out of no matter at all. God out of stones can raise children to Abraham, and to raise children implies, 
Matt. 3.9.  that He can give Relation as well as substance, and therefore that he cannot only make bodies, but he can make them our Bodies, He can make them ours it may be some otherways, but most probably by recollecting all or some of the same particles, and uniting them and marrying them again in the Bonds of an eternal wedlock to the same individual Soul and to the same identical and numerical faculties of Sensation, Fancy, Memory, Reason and the rest that we now enjoy. For this is much more easy than to create; nay more easy than out of stones to raise up children to Abraham, that is, to give substance and Relation where there was none before.  
Upon these grounds we receive the Gospel of our Lord, and having such promises of God, we believe with St Paul that the committing of our Bodies to the Grave is but the Solemn preparation for our future Crop and Harvest, 
1 Cor. 15.  which God shall raise up unto us in that great day. We are assured that for one grain of life which we part with here, we shall receive a hundred fold in the life to come. 
V 42.43. etc. ib.  For though the seed we now sow be a mortal and dying seed, yet it shall grow up into an immortal and eternal life: So saith St Paul, the Body is sown in corruption, It is raised in incorruption, It is sown in Dishonour, It is raised in Glory, It is sown in Weakness, It is raised in power, It is sown a natural Body, It is raised a spiritual Body. This is the Catholic Christian Faith, the truth of which hath been confirmed to us by the greatest Miracles, and which hath prevailed in the End against all the Oppositions in all Ages of the unreasonable unbelieving world.  
If you desire to be satisfied how the doctrine of the Resurrection stood in the Opinions of the Jews and Heathen. 
How the doctrine of the Resurrection was received among the Jews.  We find first that among the Jews, the majority and indeed the best and learnedest sects received it; and so did the Pharisees in particular. For which they cited Daniel 12.2. and Job. 19.25, 26. but more especially against the Sadduces (who receive only the books of Moses) they allege that promise to Abraham, Isaak and Jacob. Exod. 6.4. concerning their Enjoyment of the Land of Canaan, which because they enjoyed not in their lives past, It was argued that there must be a Resurrection, that the promise of God may yet be fulfiled unto them. And against the same Sadduces, who denied the being of Spirits and the Resurrection, 
Matth. 22.31. explained.  our Saviour useth a like argument, Matt. 22.31. which because to some it appeareth dark, I shall a little open it unto you. The Argument stands thus. Long after Abraham's decease God hath said, I am the God of Abraham, of Isaak and of Jacob. See Exod. 3.6. And so much the Sadduces granted. To which our Saviour assumes, God is not the God of the dead but of the living, that is, God is not, cannot in a just sense be said to be God of the dead, who are so dead that they shall never live again, and therefore if he be the God of Abraham, Isaak and Jacob; Abraham, Isaak and Jacob shall live again. This is an argument though possibly not so clear as some others from some other Scriptures, yet as clear as any that could be deduced from the books of Moses, which was the only Scripture acknowledged by the Sadduces against whom our Saviour there disputed. Some Hebrew Rabbins, though Enemies to Christ, yet favour both this his doctrine, and his particular Exposition of this Text. (so Aben Esra) For they take these words I am the God of Abraham, etc. to contain a promise that referreth to the Resurrection. Grotius observeth that these are words by which God expresseth the Covenant of his greatest Grace and kindness, as where he saith, I will be your God, and ye shall be my people. That their Notion of God there implieth that of a Rewarder and great Benefactor; and to be Abraham's God, implieth according to that Notion to be Abraham's great Benefactor, Friend and Rewarder. Then they assume that the fulfilling of this promise happened not to Abraham in this life, nor to Isaak or jacob; For they lived here the lives but of poor pilgrims, they received nothing excellent or particular from God, for which God should be styled their God. And Death is a condition wherein they could not receive this singular favour from Him. God cannot in this sense be a God to persons that are dead and to continue dead. And therefore, if he will show to Abraham, Isaak and jacob any excellent and particular favour (which seems to be intimated in the phrase of being their God) this must be showed in another life, and consequently God must raise them up from the dead, 
Comp. Heb. 11.16. with Exod. 3.6.  that they may be made capable of it. And the Author to the Hebrews interpreteth this phrase just as our Saviour doth that Abraham and the Patriarches by virtue of this promise expected a better Country, that is, an heavenly. And he affirmeth that God is not ashamed to be called their God upon this very account, because he hath prepared them a City, intimating that his preparing for his people a City in Heaven, a heavenly Jerusalem, is the very thing that giveth Him a title to be called their God.  
Now the soul, as is above affirmed, being always immortal, and this promise being made concerning the beatifying of their Bodies and rendering them glorious in Heaven; in both respects, first in respect of what they always enjoy in their Souls, and secondly in respect of the certainty of Gods promise concerning the Resurrection of their Bodies, Abraham, Isaak and jacob are looked upon as being even now alive. If God be just the soul is immortal. For Abraham and other good Men have not had their Recompense of Reward in this life. Nay if God be indeed faithful and just, he will be a God to whole Abraham, Body and Soul. We see (while it is in conjuncture) the Soul loves the Body and would not willingly be parted from it; And it is all the Equity in the world, that since the Bodies of God's servants suffer much in Obedience to the Soul and Spirit, they should be partakers of Glory with the Soul and Spirit. God made the whole Man, and redeemed the whole Man, and every good Christian giveth unto God the whole Man, and therefore we may conclude that it is agreeable to the goodness of God, to be kind to both parts body, and soul, and equally to glorify the whole Man.  
As to the Opinions of wise and rational Men among the Heathen, we find, as I shown before, that they perfectly agree with ours concerning the soul of Man, I cannot say as much in that other point concerning the Resurrection of the Body, though some possibly among them have believed that also: And the Principles of others do rather favour than contradict it. For this we have the Authorities of St Augustine and St Gregory Nyssene. Gregory Nyssene telleth us, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ita Phocylides inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ut Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illud poema appellat. quamvis & sunt qui dubitant, an Gapita illa antiqui sint Phocylidis, qui Olympiad. 59 aut 60 floruit. Non tamen est cur aut Judaeum aut Christianum ex stylo reputemus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. habot his aliena.  that even the Opinion of the Pythagorical Transmigration hath a notion in it not very different from ours of the Resurrection. Both hold that the same Soul may after its departure from the Body abide and inform some Elementary Body, only our Doctrine is, That the Soul shall abide and again inform the same Elementary Body. St Augustine telleth us, that there were a sect of Philosophers called the Genethliaci, mentioned by Varro, who were of Opinion, that after certain periods of Time the same Soul and the same Body should be again reunited: and comparing the Opinions of Plato and Porphyry, he reports Plato's Opinion to be thus, Animas sine corporibus in aeternum esse non posse, 
Greg Nyssen. de Anima & Resurrectione p. 231. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ib. & deinceps. Videatur & Augustinus de Civitate Dei lib. 22. capp. 28, 29. v. & Forcatulum lib. 1 pag. 87, 90.  That our Souls will not endure to live eternally in disunion from our Bodies. He reports Porphyries Opinion to be, That the Soul being in a separate estate from the Body, and once made pure, will never care to return to those Evils to which it hath been obnoxious in Human Body. But he observes in the conclusion, that both these Opinions were reconcileable to Christianity. Nay if they were both united they would make up perfectly the Christian doctrine, and that if Porphyry had lent his Opinion to Plato, and Plato his to Porphyry, they both had been united to the Truth of the Gospel in this particular, which is, that our Souls in the End shall return to such Bodies in which they shall happily and immortally continue. His words are, Dicat, etc. 
Dicat cum Platone Porphyrrius, redibunt ad corpora; dicat Plato cum Porphyrio, non redibuet ad malo, & ad ea cortora redire consentieat in quibus nulla mala patiantur.  Let Porphyry say with Plato, that our Souls shall return to some Bodies, and let Plato say with Porphyry, that they shall not return to evil Bodies, and then the conclusion must be, that our Souls shall return to such Bodies in which they shall suffer no evils; Which is the very doctrine and faith of those that profess Christianity.  
But, my Brethren, we have divers reasons to believe both the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body, which those Philosophers wanted. God hath begotten us to this Hope by great and powerful Arguments. It remains only that we make some good use of these Doctrines; and the first and most genuine is this. That as wise Men and good Christians we cherish this Hope: Which we have great Reason to do; First, upon account of its usefulness here, secondly, upon account of that Reward which God hath reserved for this Virtue in the life to come.  
This Hope is a virtue not only useful but necessary for us while we are in this militant condition. Our life is sometimes compared to a Warfare, and then this Hope of salvation is said to be our Helmet, 1 Thess. 5.8. which is, as all know, a most necessary piece of Armour, and the defence of the most Principal part. Sometimes our life is compared to a Voyage by Sea, and then this lively Hope is represented as most useful to us upon another account. For if we are becalmed in the midst of the Ocean of these worldly affairs, Hope is the Wind that must fill our sails. And this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, full Gale of this Hope will safely and in due time bring us to our desired Haven, Heb. 6.11. But if on the contrary by reason of our own lightness and Vanity we are ready to be tossed to and fro with every Wave of Temptation, This Hope of Heaven serves us for another Use. For then, as the Apostle to the Hebrews well observeth, we are to have this Hope as an Anchor of the Soul sure and steadfast, Heb. 6.19. In every profession and calling the Encouragement is from Hope. He that ploweth, ploweth in Hope, and he that thresheth, thresheth in Hope, 1 Cor. 9.10. And in our general calling of Christianity no man ever was made perfect without this Hope. Men as Men desire Happiness. and would avoid misery. But if Christians were without this Hope and all their Expectations were confined to this life only, St Paul affirmeth, that they were of all Men the most miserable, 1 Cor. 15.19. We have indeed a joy that exceeds the joy of the worldly man in his Corn and Wine and Oil, but our Hope is the foundation of this our joy. We rejoice, saith St Paul, in the Hope of the Glory of God, Rom. 5.2. We have love, that is a great and a cordial Christian Virtue, a Virtue amiable to God and useful to Men. But Hope is the Principle and ground of Love, Quantum quis sperat, 
Bernard. de pass. Dom. c. 43.  saith St Bernard, tantum amat, we love our Neighbour because we love God: but we love God because we expect and hope for all our Happiness from Him. Every good Christian hath a tree of life that springeth up within him, the Root of which is Faith, the Stem Hope, the Branches Love, and the Fruit good Works. He therefore that goes about to take away Hope goes about to ruin the inner Man by cutting off the Tree at the very Stem. Hoc ipsum quod Christiani sumus, Fidei ac spei res est, saith St Cyprian, 
V Cyprianum de bono Patientiae.  The very being of our Christianity depends upon our Faith and Hope: There is an Error crept in Christendom in Opposition to the Excercise of this great Virtue, which I think sprang originally from the unnatural and forced Rhodomontades of the proud Stoic, who (as I shall show when I compare their Ends in Philosophy with ours in Religion) vapoured in a Wisdom that was errand folly, and boasted of a Virtue he neither had nor meant to have. From the Stoics it passed into the Contemplatives or perfectionists in the Church of Rome; and from these down to our Antinomians or Brethren of the Family of Love. This is the genealogy of their Error; and their Error this: They would have no Christian act from any Principles either of Hope or Fear. They think it below them to cast so much as an Eye to Heaven, they would have us to go to Sea without a Wind, and to war without a Helmet. They would have the poor professor of Religion go on his way weeping and bearing good seed, without hoping for a harvest, when he shall return with joy and bring his sheaves with Him. They would have Moses Choose to suffer affliction with his Brethren, 
Heb. 11.26.  rather than be accounted the son of Pharaoh's daughter; and that without any respect to the Recompense of Reward. These Men are certainly more nice in their speculations than the simplicity of Christian wisdom requireth them to be: Must we needs exceed the example of our Master? It is well surely, if we come up in any good proportion near unto it. And yet we read that he, for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross. Was this joy set before Him, 
Heb. 12.2.  and may it not be set before us also? It hath been the care and wisdom of God to draw us to himself by the proposal of great Rewards: These are the Magnetismes of God's appointment: and yet they are called by the Prophet Hosea, the cords of a Man. I drew them, saith God, with the cords of a Man, and with the Bonds of Love, Hos. 11. These are the ways of Attraction fitted by God to work on Human Nature. These are the Bonds of God's love and Bounty, whereby he endeavours to draw his people to Himself, shall we then be so hardy and venturous, as in favour to our own conceits to break his Bonds in sunder, and cast his cords from us? We have his warrant and order not to cast away our Confidence, we have his commad to gird up the loins of our Minds, to be sober and hope to the End. 
1 Pet. 1.13.  And where we have our commands and directions from the Oracles of God, with what pretence can we scruple whether it be lawful to Obey? Is not his word a sufficient Warrant for our practice? He is so loving a Father that he will not offer his children a stone for Bread, nor a Scorpion for an Egg. Why then should we be so presumptuous as to sever those things by Niceties and speculative distinctions, which God hath conjoined and which the son of God whilst he lived upon Earth hath by his practice and Example commended to us.  
Some Antinomians to disparage this virtue have told us, that there shall be no use of Hope in Heaven. What then? shall we not therefore use that Virtue which is so necessary for us while we are upon Earth? And how do they know that there shall be no use of Hope in Heaven? Learned and studied Men are of another Opinion, namely, that the perfected Saints and Angels ever love God, because they have an assured Hope that they shall ever be continued in that Station of serving and praising God in Glory. They cannot infinitely at once enjoy their eternal Happiness: and what they cannot infinitely at once enjoy, why may they not hope for in continuance? Surely could they want of this Hope or this assurance, their love in the same measure would want of its perfection. Thus you see, though the use of Hope in this life is enough for our purpose, yet they can never prove that it is altogether unuseful or unnecessary in the next.  
But besides this, 
The reward of Hope.  from the usefulness of it I have another argument which may move you to continue and cherish your hope, and that is from the Reward that God hath annexed unto it in the world to come. This is the very Motive of the Apostle, Heb. 10.35. Cast not away your confidence, which hath great Recompense of Reward. God hath appointed this lively Hope as an excellent Instrument to assist us and to conduct us safe to Heaven; and then he rewards us for making use of this help and assistance, that he hath ordained for us and given to us. For we have it not of ourselves. It is (as all other Christian virtues are) the gift of God. And this is ever the way of God's infinite goodness, He appointeth those things that are most excellent and useful to our Advantage, and then for serving our own Interests in that Way that he hath appointed, he heapeth yet more and extraordinary rewards upon us.  
Another use, that we must not forget to make, is this, That we in the whole course of our lives give thanks giving, worship and Adoration to God, who hath bestowed upon us immortal Souls, and so put a difference between us and the beasts that perish; and so also in respect of the glorious Resurrection which he hath promised to our Bodies, we ought according to the style of St Peter, bless God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us to a lively Hope of our own Resurrection, as by other means so especially by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead. I shall exhort you therefore in the very words of our Office in the holy communion, Let us lift up our hearts and give thanks to our Lord God. For it is meet and right and our bounden duty that we should in all times and in all places give thanks unto thee, O Lord, holy father, All mighty and everlasting God. But chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Resurrection of thy son Jesus Christ our Lord, who by his death hath destroyed death and by his Rising again to life hath restored us to everlasting life. Therefore with the Angels and Archangels and all the company of Heaven we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts; Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory. Glory be to thee O Lord most high. Amen.    

FINES COMPARATI. THE AIMS of 

Philosophical  
Vulgar   Wits.  
Compared with the Ends of Religion and Virtue.  
That which is Crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered,  Eccles. 1.15.  

1 Cor. 1.20, 21, 22, 23. 
Where is the Wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the Disputer of this World? Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World.  
For after that in the Wisdom of God the world by Wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after Wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.  
But unto them that are called Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  To which add the 6th and 7th verses of the following chapter. 
We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the Wisdom of this world, or of the princes of this world that come to nought.  
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world to our Glory.  
WHen I have been sometimes considering upon what slight grounds divers learned Men have undervalved Religion, and the Hopes of Immortality and Glory, and that many vulgar Wits have done the same; and that neither the learned Philosophers, nor the carnally-minded and worldly men, 
Both Philosophical and vulgar Wits vain in the choice of their ends.  have gotten any thing considerable in exchange, or indeed have any thing in comparison to boast of, I could not but apply to these two differences, the high and Philosophical and the low and vulgar Wits, that saying of the Psalmist, applied by Him to the different states of Men. 
Psalm. 62.  Surely the Wits of high degree are Vanity, and those of low degree are a lie: to be laid in a Balance they are both together lighter than Vanity. For I shall easily make it appear that the Wise man or Philosopher, when he hath exalted himself against God, He hath made himself a fool, and that he hath no more Reason to glory of his Wisdom, 
Jer. 9.23.  than the Rich man hath of his Riches or the Voluptuous Man of his pleasure, and that neither of them have any cause to Glory. He that glories against Religion holds up his Weapons against God, and he shall prosper accordingly. Give me therefore your favour and patience and I shall consider them, all the high and the low, the Wise man and the fool, as they have opposed the most perfect wisdom, which, however sometimes despised, I shall plainly demonstrate to be the Wisdom of Religion. The Philosophers have ever been apt to soar too high and to towr aloft beyond their senses. The vulgar have ever been as apt to sink too low, so that their senses are communly drowned in the Enjoyments of this world. We will not disparage Philosophy so much as not to consider it in the first Place. And therefore I have chosen to present you a Landscape, where you have our great Apostle represented as taking a Review of his Opponents at Athens, who were the Philosophers in general, and among them, if we distinguish particularly, the Epicureans and the Stoics. And upon this full Review of the Opposition he had on the one side, and of the power, strength and success of his Gospel on the other, I conceive Him as it were venting both his Pity and his Indignation in the words of this Text, Where is the Wise? Where is the the Scribe? Where is the Disputer of this World? hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World, etc.  
This Epistle was written to the Christians in Achaia. Corinth, as all know, was the Metropolis in that Province, insomuch that when the Apostle mentions the readiness of of the Corinthians, his phrase is, that all Achaia was ready a year ago. Athens was another lesser City in the same province, but renowned for the Academy that was held there by the Philosophers. And I am of Opinion, that this Text reflects on somewhat that happened to St Paul at Athens. 
Argumentum l. 5. Tuscul. Quaestionum illud est, Virtutem ad beatè vivendū seipsâ esse contentam, ubi sanctum illud augustúmque, ut vocat, Platonis fontem aperit. Cui viro ex se apta sunt omnia quae ad beat vivendun ferunt, huic optime vivendi ratio comparata est. Neque enim laetabitur unquam, aut maerebit nimis, Quod semper in seipso omnem spem reponet sui. Et inter paradoxa defendit Cicero 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nemo potest non esle beatissimus, inquit, qui est totus aptus ex se, quique in se uno sua ponit omnia. Contentus sis temet ipso & ex te nascentibus bonis Sen. Epist. 20. Stoicus putat Deum ad sapienteum sic dicere, Non egere felicitate felicitas vestra est. Est & quo Deum antecedatis, Ille extra pat●entiam malorum est, vos supra patientiam. Contemnite mortem, quae vos aut finit aut transfert. Ante omnia cautum est, ne quis vos teneret invitos. Nihil facilius quam mori, etc. Sen. de Providentia cap. 6. Solcbat Sextius dicere, Jovem plus non posse quam Virum bonum. Deus non vincis sapientiam felicitate, etiamsi vincit aetate. Non est Virtus major quae longior, etc. Epist. 73. & epist 5.3. Est aliquod, inquit Seneca, quo sapiens antecedat Deum. Ille naturae beneficio non suo sapiens est. Ecce! res magna, habere imbecillitatem hominis securitatem Dei. Et epist. 31. Hoc est summum bonum, quod si occupas, incipis Deorum socius esse non supplex. Vox Stoici non intercedam apud Deum, ut sapiens plenus gaudio, hilaris, inconcussus sim, ita Horatius Aequum animum mihi ipse parabo.  For as he disputed against the superstition of that place, and preached the Christian doctrine, certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and the Stoics encountered Him, abused Him, called him names, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, babbler, that is, one that makes a great noise and spends much speech to little purpose. He preached Jesus, This was thought Innovation, dangerous to the state: It was condemned as the preaching of a strange God. And whether they took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be a Goddess or no, yet this we are sure of, that when he preached the resurrection of the Dead, he was but mocked and laughed at for his pains; The Philosophers declared for a Happiness and summum bonum in this life. They had a Wisdom professed among them, that undertook to give a virtue which should need no Grace, and should perfect such a life as should need no pardon; And therefore as they would not stay for their summum bonum, or chiefest Happiness until the resurrection, so they cared not for a Jesus, they would need no Saviour. They boasted, that they had a way whereby they could live cum Diis ex pari, they could live in the perfection of Virtue and felicity, as the Gods themselves did, and they would not own him to deserve the Name of a Philosopher, that could not beatify Himself. Their Sapiens must sibi sufficere ad beatam vitam: Their Wiseman must have a Happiness within Himself, which he may be proud of as his own, and for which he stands beholden to no other being, These were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, principal Opinions of the Philosophers, and, if we distinguish them from the rest, particularly of the Epicureans and the Stoics.  
These principal Notions of Philosophy being so contrary to those of Christian Religion, which St Paul was to preach, It is no wonder if he left Athens and went to Corinth, where on the contrary he found strange success. Of the Rulers of the Jewish synagogue one was coverted, another publicly buffeted before the judgement seat for raising a faction against St Paul. And more of his success we read in that 18th chapter of the Acts.  
Now in this Epistle written to his Converts, of which some few were at Athens, but the greater part at Corinth, he seems to reflect upon the Opposition that he met with among the professors of Wisdom in Achaia, and particularly those Epicureans and Stoics, who encountered him at Athens. And contemplating the success that God had given to the preaching of the Gospel, He is pleased with the Review, and in opposition to all that pretended wisdom wherewith Himself had been opposed, He makes this triumphant Speech,  
Where is the wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? etc. Where is your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, your Philosopher, where is your scribe, your literator, your professor of learning, as Tertullian translates it? your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, your writers of curious Dissertations, as Oecumenius. Where is your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, your Curious Disquisitor, Disputer of this world? which words of this world possibly may be Emphatical to denote one common Error of all the Philosophers, that they directed men to look after happiness in this life, and not in the life to come, whereas the Gospel directs to happiness in the next life and not in this. So saith St Paul in the pursuance of his discourse in the sixth verse of the next chapter. We speak wisdom among the perfect, yet not the Wisdom of this world nor of the princes of this world, which perish and soon come to nought. The Wisdom of the world, as Oecumenius observeth, aims at Temporal things, which continue only with this life and reach not to the life that is to come. The Christians aim is chief at things of the other life, And by the Princes of this world he tells you that St Paul means the Philosophers and Literati, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Oecumenius in locum.  who were generally Demagogues and imposed on the People, the same that are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the chapter before. Men that gloried in their own inventions and Reasonings, even these by the Gospel are also convinced of folly, no less (nay it may be more) than other Men: For the Vulgar and those that pretended not to so much Wisdom as these learned Philosophers, could see God by the Creature, and could think it wisdom to endeavour to comply with the pleasure of their Creator: But these Princes of the world, as St Paul calls them, had got a New wisdom, and a Philosophy that led from God. In Opposition to all these, and to resettle his own worship, God raised up Preaching, a weak means in all appearance, and therefore the Greeks did not more admire the Wisdom of their own Philosophy than they derided the foolishness of Preaching. But what saith our Apostle in the Context, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That of God which hath least of wisdom in it, will eventually prove wiser than the greatest wisdom of Men. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that of God which hath least of strength in it will eventually prove too strong for the strongest Opposition of Men. Let those therefore boast that Winne, Let the Philosophy of Christianity be foolishness to the Greek, we know that there is notrue Philosophy besides it. We have learned from our Saviour that Wisdom is justified of her children, and the Apostle here telleth us, that the Philosophy of the Gospel is wisdom to the perfect, and on the contrary that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, God hath stultified and infatuated the Learning, Wisdom and Philosophy of this world.  
Yet some care must be taken that we do not condemn, nor misconstre St Paul, so as to think that he condemns all Philosophy or all Philosophers. There is a Natural Wisdom that St Paul calleth the wisdom of God; and the Gentiles, who as St Paul saith, do by Nature the things contained in the Law, do it by their Natural wisdom, and therefore in the case of Philosophers it is a hard task to speak any thing universally and justly. For Philosophy is not one uniform Learning and Discipline, There is a great difference between Socrates and Plato on the one side, and Aristippus and Epicurus on the other. Take Philosophy all together it will appear to be a very Protens. It is like the Clouds in Aristophanes his Comedy, that have every day new fashions: Or the Philosophers may be compared to Jeremiahs' figs Jer. 24. Some very good figs like those that were first ripe, and some very naughty figs which could not be eaten they were so bad, Though there hath been for a long time a profession of Philosophy and this Philosophy hath still been the Mistress of the Vertuosis, because it had the honour to be thought to teach Wisdom and Virtue and every Noble endowment: yet he that will speak distinctly of its merit must distinguish times and persons.  
At first it was the Wisdom of God as St Paul cais it, 1 Cor. 1.21. that is true Natural Wisdom, and it taught true Religion and the fear of God. Afterward in some of its sects it grew not only to be a new, but a quite contrary learning and Discipline. It was an Angel of light, but it left its first Estate and degrees in this with Lucifer, and those other high Intellectual Spirits that it had its fall from Pride. For the professors of it growing proud in their own conceits and affecting fame by the height and singularity of their Notions, when they by the Wisdom that they professed would not know, that is would not own nor acknowledge God, but left his providence out of their Philosophy and grew too learned to be humble, thankful or Religious; Nay when God had, suffered them so long until some of them made it the business of their Philosophy on purpose to oppose Religion. Then it was time for God to appear in defence of his own existence, Providence, and Worship, and against all their Philosophy, he then sent forth a company of foolish preachers, as they were esteemed, like gideon's Army against the Midianites with their trumpets, lamps, and pitchers, but indeed extraordinarily assisted by his own Spirit and by this means it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching on the one side to save them that believe, and on the other to show the Variety of that profession of Wisdom, or in St Paul's phrase to destroy the Wisdom of the Wise, and to bring to nought the understanding of the prudent.  
The case, to speak it distinctly and particularly, was this, before that time and until the Reign of Philosophy in Greece, It had been the common uninterrupted Faith of the whole world that there was a God, and that he was a Rewarder, that there should be hereafter in another world Time and Place for bliss and punishment, that then it should be better for the just than the unjust, for the good than for the bad, These principles encouraged virtue, kept vicious Men in awe, and made all attend to observe the then acknowledged Laws of Nature: and these were owned as sound and pious Traditions, and studiously defended as such by Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and others of the ancients among the Philosophers themselves.  
But afterward, the more Philosophy flourished in repute, and the more it was courted as an accomplishment, the more the professors of it grew into Emulation. Then they began to think it no Mastery to tread in those old and beaten paths, Then nothing was so honourable as a New Hypothesis; And the Notions they had received were thought too commun for Philosophical Wits to get credit by: and therefore all these were judiciously cast of as rusty Traditions of the Vulgar, whom it is no wonder if the Modes in Philosophy counted barbarous, The learned Men and Curiosi at Athens, who, as St Paul observed, waited for, and courted those Opinions that were new and singular, had conceits that should render mankind more lusty and independent. Aristotle bespeaks himself a great Name by broaching a New Hypothesis, that the world was eternal and not made by God. Epicurus by another, that there is no providence, and that God is no Rewarder. The Traditions of Heaven and Hell, which in part, as then reported indeed, were so, were totally and unjustly without distinction rejected as poetical and fabulous. Virtue was to be its own Reward, and Men were to expect no other. And this was looked upon as a great service done, and a great Improvement of Man's Empire, for by making virtue (which was to be learned by an Art they taught) self sufficient to happiness, Every man's felicity was taken out of God's power and put into his own. 
V Plutarch. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, virtus ad vivendum b●atè sufficit; perfecta & divina virtus quid ni sufficiat, imò supersluit. Sen. de vita beatâ. c. 16.  Thus by turning all the ancient catholic doctrines, and every Truth of God into a Lie, whatsoever their Intentions were this is most certain, that they practised most destructively to the ruin of all goodness by thus undermining the very foundations of Morality and Virtue. But by the just judgement of God they were infatuated and became vain in their imaginations. 
Virtutum omnium praemium in ipsis est, non enim excercentur ad praemium: rectè facti fecisse merces est. Sen. epist. 81.  For when they had cast off those old and sound traditions before reported, their new Reasonings were infinitely confounded, as the tongues of the rebellious world were first at Babel. All their designs were for Happiness and the chiefest good; But the opinions were all most innumerable into which they were divided in the search after it. St Augustine out of Varro reckons 188 sects or divisions of them, Insomuch that many, who had a mind for fashion sake to be Philosophers, 
Alii voluptatem finem esse volueruntquorum princeps Aristippus, qui Socratem audierat, unde Cyrenaïci. Pòst Epicurus, cujus est disciplina nunc notior: neque tamen cum Cyrenaicis de ipsa voluptate consentiens. Voluptatem & honestatem fines esse Callipho censuit. Vacare omni molestia Hieronymus, hoc idem cum honestate Diodorus, ambo hi Peripatetici. Honest autem vivere fruentem his rebus quas primas homini Natura conciliet, & vetus Academia censuit, ut indicat scripta Polemonis, quem Antiochus probat maxim & Aristoteles. Ad vos nunc refero quem sequar, modo ne quis illud tam inetuditum, absurdumque respondeat, Quemlibet modo aliquem. Cupio sequi Stoicos, licetne? Omitto per ipsos Aristotelem meo judicio prope singularem, per ipsum Antiochum qui appellabatur Academicus. Erit igitur res jam in discrimine. Nam aut Stoicus constituatur sapiens, aut veteris Academiae. Utrumque non potest. Et enim inter eos non de terminis sed de totâ possessione contentio. Nam omnis ratio vitae definitione summi boni continetur, de qua qui dissident de omni ratione vitae dissident. Cicero Academ. quaest. lib. 4  yet could not tell whom they might follow. Yet two great Errors and mistakes there were, that run through all these sects and divisions, One was this, that they would have their happiness or summum Bonum in this life. Secondly they would have it so, within themselves, so in their own power, that neither God nor man should be able to hinder them of it. This was their design, but their lot from God was otherwise, and Christians triumph over them in these particulars. First because they never for all their proud boastings could secure to themselves the happiness which they designed in this life, and so they must confess before God and men that they have ever miss of their Aim. Secondly the Utmost aims, that these Philosophers in their several sects and divisions were forced to sit down with, are poor and mean in themselves, the highest Encouragments that they can propose to their great and laborious Virtue are inconconsiderable if compared to their Ends of that Natural Religion which they opposed, much more inconsiderable than the End of our true and perfect Religion, which hath been delivered us by the son of God, and which the foolishness of preaching hath in opposition to all their Philosophy again resettled over all the Christian world.  
The first particular that we are to prove is this, that they could never secure to themselves the happiness they design in this life. And this St Augustine proves to their heads. I shall give you but a Taste of his Discourse. First those prima Naturae, those first happinesses of Nature which the Academics made prime parts of their felicity, saith he, and where and how can they be so ascertained as not to be subject to various Casualties? What grief is there though never so contrary to pleasure, what uneasiness and Disquiet is there, 
Prima sic Naturam numerat Cicero Incolumitatem conservationemque omnium partium, valetudinem, sensus integros, vires, pulchritudinem caeteraque generis ejuidem v. Ciceron de Finib, lib. 5. p. 144.  though never so contrary to Rest and Indolence, that may not happen to the Body of their wisest Philosopher? Who can help his being deformed if Nature made him so; sickness happens to one and he wants health; Weakness and Lassitude to another and he wants strength, To another a Lazy Heaviness and torpor and he wants Activity: and which of all these may not happen to the Body of their Wisest Man? Then as to the Soul, What little assistance from our senses will remain towards the perception and comprehension of Truth, 
Ea quae dicuntur prima Naturae, quando, ubi quomodo, tam bene se habere in hac vitâ possunt, ut non sub incertis casibus fluctuentur? Quis enim Dolor contrarius voluptati, Quae inquietudo contraria quieti in corpus cadere sapientis non potest? Membrorum amputatio vel debilitas hominis expugnat incolumitatem, deformitas pulchritudinem, Imbecillitas sanitatem, Vires lassitudo, Mobilitatem Torpor aut tarditas, Ecquid horum est quod nequeat in carnem sapientis irruere?— Quid ipsius animi primigenia quae dicuntur bona, ubi duo prima ponunt, propter comprehensionem perceptionemque veritatis, sensum & intellectum? Sed qualis quantusque manet sensus, si, ut alia taceam, homo fiat caecus & surdus? Ratio verò & Intelligentia quo recedit, ubi sopietur, si aliquo morbo efficiatur insanus? Deinde perceptio veritatis in hac carnum qualis ac quanta est, quando, sicut legimus in veraci libro sapientiae, Corpus, Corruptibile aggravat animam, etc.  if a Man should happen to be blind and deaf. And whether goeth the Reason and understanding of this great Philosopher, how will he render it sedale and tractable, if by the Tumultuary motions of the Spirits in a Disease he once be rendered Mad? But although no such Disease should fall upon him, yet how little perception of Truth can we possibly arrive to us whilst we are impeded with this Flesh. Seeing it is true that we read in the book of Wisdom, that the corruptible Body presseth down the Soul, 
Impetus porrò, vel actionis Appetitus, si hoc modo recte latine appellatur ea quam Graeci vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quia & ipsam primis Natuae deputant bonis, Nun ipse est, quo geruntur etiam insanorum illi miserabiles motus, & facta quae horremus quando pervertitur sensus ratioque ropitur? Porro ipsa virtus, quae non est inter prima Naturae, quoniam & eye postea doctrinâ introducente supervenit, cum sibi culmen bonorum vindicet humanorum, Quid hic agit nisi perpetua bella cum vitiis, nec exteriori, bus sed interioribus, nec alienis sed plane fuis? etc. ib.  and the earthy Tabernacle weigheth down the mind, that otherwise would be apt to meditate on many things. Hardly, saith he, do we guess aright at things that are upon the Earth, and with labour do we find the things that are before us; Then for the appetitive part which the greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the latins have scarce any good Name for, though it be esteemed with them one of their prime parts of happiness, is not this the power by which, when once the sense is perverted and Reason laid a sleep, all those horrible actions of Mad and phrenetical Persons are performed? Then as for the Moral virtues, such as Temperance and Prudence, Justice and fortitude, which exceed the prime Happinesses of Nature and are introduced by learning and discipline. What great Matter of Happiness can there be in these, when they confess that their virtue is always in a perpetual War with Vice, not only with outward Vices, but also with such as are within us, not only with others Vices, but also with our own. We who are Christians confess, 
Neque enim nullum est vitium cum, sicut dicit Apostous, Caro concupiscit adversus Spiritum, Cui Vitio contraria Virtus est, cum sicut idem dicit. Spiritus concupiscit adversus carnem. Haec duo sibi invicem adverfantur, etc. absitergo ut quamdiu in hoc bello intestino sumus, jam nos beatitudinem, ad quam vincendo volumus pervenire adeptos esse credamus.  that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and that these are contrary one to another; so that we cannot do the things that we would: and therefore we confess also that we are not the adepti, that we have not yet attained that happiness to which by the conquest of our carnal appetite we desire to be advanced. 
Et quis est adeo sapiens ut contra libidines nullum om ninò habeat conflictum.  And where is that Philosopher who by his Wisdom hath attained to such a Mastery as to be beyond this Intestine War and to have no conflict with his lusts. To pass by those other virtues, it is a full Testimony that they give us of their want of true happiness whiles they describe unto us the happiness that they suppose themselves to have in their virtue, Fortitude. The Stoic hath learned the lesson of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. apud Epictetum in initio Enchiridii. V Commentarium Plutarchi, Stoices magis inopinata quam Poetas effari.  Things within our power, and things without our power, so well, that he will not allow any thing to be evil that it is not in his power to hinder, But for all that let this Stoic boast of his Immunity from Evils, or the Cyrenaic of his Pleasure, or the Epicurean of his Indolence, 
Tantus superbiae stupor est in his hominibus, hic se habere finem Boni, & a seipsis fieri beatos putantibus, ut sapiens eorum, hoc est, qualem mirabili vanitate describunt, etiamsi excaecetur, obsurdescat, obmutescat, membris debilitetur, dolotibus crucietur: & si quid aliud ralium malorum dici aut cogitari possit, incidat in eum, quo sibi mortem cogatur infer, hanc in his malis vitam constitutam eos non pudeat beatam vocare.  when he is blind and deaf and dumb and crippled in his limbs and leprous in his flesh and tortured with the colic, stone and gout, and in a word is afflicted which such calamities that they all agree aught to persuade their Sapiens, or wiseman, fairly to kill himself, that he may avoid those accidents, (I do not say evils, for fear of offending the tender Ear of a Stoic) and so to make a Way for himself out of this life. Oh the Happiness of this life, when their Sapiens is forced fairly to die, 
O vitam beatam quae ut finiatur mortis quaerit Auxili 'em! Si beata est, maneaturin eâ: Si verò propter mala ista fugitur ab eâ, quomodo est beata, etc.  that he may be rid on't. If it be so calamitous that their wiseman chooseth Death rather than such a life, how is he then possess't at the same time of the greatest happiness. Let me interrogate with St Augustine, Did Cato, the great Example of the Stoics kill himself out of patience or out of Impatience? He would never have done it, unless he had born the victory of Caesar most impatiently: Where then was his fortitude, when he run away from that happy life wherein he boasted. And why may not those things be accounted Evil that renders a Man's life so miserable as that he must avoid it by his own murder. And therefore the Peripatetics and ancient Academics whose Opinion Varro defends, 
Utrum, obsecro Cato ille patientiâ an potius impatientiâ se peremit? Non hoc fecisset nisi victoriam Caesaris impatienter tulisset. ubi est fortitudo? nempe cessit, succubuit, usque adeo superata est, ut ipsam beatam derelinqueret, desereret, fugeret, etc. Seneca de M. Catone sic, megnis aetatum intervallis sapiens invenitur. Neque enim magna & exce. dentia solitum & vulgarem modum crebro gignuntur. Caeterum M. Cato, vereor ne supra nostrum exemplar sit. lib. Quod in Sapientem non cadit Injuria.  speak more tolerably, when they allow these calamities of life to be Evils, and the greater Evils the longer they continue. But still they hold the erroneous conclusion that their Sapiens may be happy in the midst of those Evils, which that they may no longer continue they confessed reasonable that he should kill Himself. But let me speak again with St Augustine, Do they therefore call such a life happy, because by a Voluntary Death they may withdraw themselves from it? What if by the judgement of God they should be continued in this life and not permitted to die nor ever suffered to be without these Evils, in these Circumstances at least they would confess their life to be miserable. And this we assume that it is not therefore not miserable, because it may be relinquished, Because it is a short misery it ought not therefore to seem none at all, or which is more absurd, because it is a short misery It ought not therefore to be called Happiness. 
An ideo beatam vitam dicis, quia licet tibi ab his malis morte discede. re, Qu●d si ergo in eyes aliquo judicio divino tenereris nec unquam sine illis esse sinereris, nempe tum saltem miseram talem diceres vitam. Non igitur propterea misera non est, quia cito relinquitut; quandoquidem si sempiterna sit, etiam abs teipso misera judicatur. Non igitur propterea quoiam brevis est, nulla miseria debetvideri; aut quod absurdius, quia brevis miseria est, ideo etiam beatitudo appellari, Magna vis est in eyes malis quae cogunt hominem secundum ipsos etiam sapientem, sibimet auferre quod homo est; cum dicant & vetum dicant hanc esse naturae primam quodammodo & maximam vocem, ut homo concilietur sibi, & propterea mo tem Naturaliter fugiat, etc. Vita igitur quaestorum tam tamque gravium malorum aut premitur oneribus aut subjacet casibus, nullo modo beata diceretur, si homines qui hoc dicunt, sicut victi malis ingravescentibus, cum sibi ingerint mortem, cedunt infelicitati, ita victi certis rationibus cum quaerunt beatam vitam dignarentur cedere veritati, & non putarent in ista mortalitate fine summi boni esse gaudendum ubi virtutes ipsae, Cymbus hic certe nihil melius atque Utilius in homine reperitur. Quanto majora sunt Adjutoria, contra Vim peticulor, laborum, dolorum tanto fidelioria testimonia Miseriarum spe salvi, spe beati facti sumus, sicut salutem, ita beatitudinem non jam tenemus presentem sed expectamus futuram. Talis salus quae in futuro erit saeculo, ipsa erit etiam finalis beatitude; Quam beatitudinem isti Philosophi quoniam non videntes nolunt credere, hic sibi conantur falsissimam fabricare, quan. co superbiore tanto mendaciore virtute. Augustinus De Civitate Dei. lib. xxx. cap. 4.  There must needs be a great power in those Evils that make a Man's valour guilty of his own Murder, especially seeing that nothing is more Natural then for a Man to love Himself, to avoid Death and to desire to live in this very conjunction of Soul and Body. St Augustin's conclusion therefore is, and it is the Opinion of all good Christians, that in this life which is oppress't with so many and so great Evils and is subject to so many casualties perfect happiness is not to be expected, and therefore that if the Philosophers had been truly wise they would have left off to project to themselves the Enjoyment of the chiefest Good in this state of Mortality. That the Moral virtues themselves, than which Nothing is more excellent or profitable in human life, are greater Testimonies of the miseries we are here subject to than assistances against them: that they cannot give the happiness designed by them, and therefore that by how much the more these virtues are proudly boasted of by so much the more they are vainly belied. But this is not all that may be spoken against Philosophy, as the Wisdom of it is opposed to and compared with that of Christianity, that it attaineth not its End nor maketh any one happy. But it may be added that the Happiness by them designed is but poor and Mean. They win not at their Game, but if they did, 
Si ergo virtus per seipsam beata non est, quoniam in perferendis malis tota vis ejus est; si omnia quae pro bonis concupiscuntur negligit, si summus ejus gradus ad mortem patet, quandoquidem vitam quae optatur à caeteris saepe respuit, mortemque quam caeteri timent, fortiter suscipit. si necesse est ut aliquid a se magni boni pariat, quia suscepti & superati labores ad mortem usque sine praemio esse non debent, si nullum praemium quod eâ dignum sit in terra reperitur, quandoquidem cuncta quae fragilia sunt & caduca spernit; quid aliud restat nisi ut caeleste aliquid efficiat quia terrena universa contemnit, & ad altiora nitatur quia humilia despicit. Id vero nihil aliud esse potest quam Immortalitas. Quod Argumentum docere Philosophos potuit quid esse summum bonum— Beata igitur vita, quam Philosophi quae siverunt semper & quaerunt, nulla est: & ideo ab iis non potuit reperiri quia summum bonum non in summo quaesiverunt sed in imo, etc. apud Lactantium lib. 3. de falsa sapientia. cap. xii. Plutarch aperte de Stocio sapiente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. De pugna Stoic. Cicero, Stoici eam sapientiam interpretantur, quod adhuc nemo mortalis est Consecutus. in Laelio. imo & seneca rarum dicit sapientem tanquam Phaenicem semel anno quingentesimo. Epist. 42. Quin & ipsi prosessores sapientiam quamquam profitebantur despicatui habebant, Quare cultius tibi Rus est quam Naturalis usus desiderat? Cur ad prescriptum tuum non caenas? Cur tibi nitidior supellex, etc. Nunc hoc respondeo tibi. Non sum sapiens & ut Malevolentiam tuam pascam nec ero. Senec. de beatâ vita. c. 17.  it were but trifling: for their game was but children's play. The Academics Prima Naturae, The ten parts of the Felicity of Aristotle, and the Peripatetics, the Indolence of the Epicureans, the Pleasures of Aristippus and the Cyrenaicks, the Chimeras and Airy Castles of the Stoics, if when enjoyed as much as our Natures are capable of, yet they weigh Nothing, or, if it were possible, less than Nothing when compared to that Immortality and Glory proposed to all Christians, let us to prove this, divide and separate these sects of Philosophers, who are all in the choice of their Ends divided from us, because they will place their Expectations in this life only. First the Stoics and Aristotle (as in all public Schools he is now represented, who take their definitions of felicity from his Ethics, and not from his Rhetoric, where his Opinion stands as represented by Cicero and the ancients) and the generality of Moral Philosophers, all directly affirm, That there is no Reward of virtue to be looked for but the bare Action. Honesty, say they, is its own price and must pay itself, nor will they allow us any End of doing well besides our very doing so. Ask them what End had Epaminondas in the defence of his City with the loss of his life, what Reward had Hercules (who is their great Example of Heroic virtue) when he went about doing good, purging the world of Monsters and gratifying mankind with his twelve renowned Labours. It was the common beleif that he got his place in Heaven by them. But these Philosophers were of an Opinion that he had only his Labour for his pains. Operatio sec. virtutem was all his work, and the same Operatio sec. virtutem was all his Happiness and Wages; So that these propose no Encouragement that may compare with the Ends of our Religion or that state of Immortality, which, though we do not understerstand, yet we believe to be full of a great, a glorious and an Eternal joy.  
Another sect of Philosophers there were of another Opinion, namely, that it would not agree with the real design of a Wise Man to practise the great, and hazardous actions of virtue upon no other account besides than the Action itself: and therefore considering the troubles that did continually harrasse the unlgar sort, though they were not with Aristippus for the Itch of Pleasure, yet they thought very well of the state of Indolence; they resolved therefore that it was the chiefest attainable good and aught in prudence to be the End of every wise Man's actions, to endeavour in this world to be rid of all grief and trouble: and to this Estate they gave the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indolence. To enjoy which, I say not Joy but, Indolence only for the term of this life was the Totall sum of their utmost design; But to this estate no man in this life could ever yet attain. No Philosopher was ever so good a Physician of the mind as to be able to prescribe such a Nepenthes as could remove all grief and sorrow from the sense. But if Philosophy could give Indolence yet this is but the first part, this is only the Entrance and beginning of ours: It comes short of joy most of all short of such joys as we pretend to, which are so great that nither their Nature nor their duration can be comprehended by us.  
It is true that Aristippus and a sect of Voluptuaries there were, who advanced higher, and condemned this state of Indolence as too low for the greatest Scope and End of virtue, too small for the highest intention of a Man, being, as they phrased it, but dormientium felicitas, a sleepy Happiness, a life for Trees that grow in all storms and continue indolent and insensible though a flash of Lightning consume them to ashes. And yet it was a state not competent to Man neither, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Laertius in vita Aristippi.  as Epicurus (the admirer of it) must needs have found by his own Experience. For notwithstanding all his skill in Physics, He was not Physician enough to defend himself from most violent fits of the Stone, 
V apud Plutarchum in moralibus compendium comentarii, quo ostenditur Stoicos qua poetas absurd●oria dicere.  with which he was frequently tormented, and in one of which He is reported to have died. And not to seem sensible, but to profess Indolence in such a Case; would appear like a Stoical Rhodomontade or groundless ostentation of a power beyond what really can be found in the Nature of Man: therefore some of them affirms, Aristippus I mean and other voluptuaries of that School, that to enjoy actual delight and joy for the present, to be sure of some pleasure in this uncertain World is the best and greatest design of a Wiseman. But how much joy will serve this wiseman's turn? how much is his utmost Aim? enough to make Him as happy in his own judgement as his great Philosophy could make him. No man can be more punctual in any thing than the Epicurean Zeno, is in this determination, who gives this to be the true dose or measure of it, That it must be a continued pleasure for the greater part of this life, That if any vehement grief intervene, it must be short, or if it be long and chronical, It must have more Intervals of Delight than fits of Pain. The utmost design of the most Indulgent Philosophers you see is only for some pleasue and that in this life only, so much as may a little preponderate and outweigh the fits of grief that shall endeavour to oppress Him, while he is here. Give him but a Quartan Ague, let him have but two days well for one day ill, two days of joy for one of sorrow and it sufficeth Him.  
How infinitely then in the Aim of our profession and the End of our virtue beyond theirs, when the Scripture sets forth before us, not only the bare Action of virtue for its own reward, which was the Aim of the Stoics anciently and of the vulgar Philosophy that is now read in all Schools, Nor only Indolence or security from grief, which was the Aim of some Epicureans: But such a state as shall contain all these in the first place, and besides all these an Addition of joy, even of such joy as neitheer Aristippus nor his followers, nor any other Philosophers could ever hope for, even fullness of joy without mixture of grief and pleasures, not only during this momentany life, but pleasures for evermore. And this is another particular of our Triumph, namely that besides this, That the Philosophers by their Wisdom could not attain their Ends; their very Ends and Designs were by no means comparable to those which Christians may obtain in the profession and practice of their Religion.  
O let the great God make us for ever humbly thankful for these his Mercies: Let Him, of his great Mercy, by all those means and methods that He hath sanctified to that purpose, first make us fit for, and then bring us to those joys and Glories, that are the Ends of Christian faith and virtue, and which are indeed so infinitely great, that Eye hath not seen them nor Ear heard them, nor have they ever entered into the Heart of Man to be conceived.  
Gloria Trinuni Deo.   

SERMON II.  ROM. 13.13 14. 
Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in Ryotting and Drunkenness, not in Chambering and Wantonness, not in Strife and Envying.  
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provisions for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof.  
HAving done with the little learned world, whose Wisdom I have proved to be but Vanity, finely diversified with singularities of many curious follies; I am now come into the greater, where I find the bulk of mankind not poisoned with medicines artificially and industriously composed, but overwhelmed in an Ocean of Ordinary delights, and drowned as it were in the most common, and duly taken very useful, Element. Solomon adviseth us, that having found honey we should eat so much as is sufficient: But we on the contrary are still ready, like drones, to suffer ourselves to be drowned with the best Enjoyments, and to surphet with the abundance of good things here below. How many are there in all conditions and places that are tempted to forsake their chiefest good: their God, and their Heaven, 
The ends of the vulgar Riches and Honour, but more especially pleasure.  in exchange for the Riches, Honours and Pleasures of this World. And if we look upon examples, we shall find that no Temptations have been more powerful than those from Pleasure. Men who are covetous of Riches or ambitious of Honour, have no better pretence for their Ambition and covetousness, than the hope of a continued Enjoyment of their pleasures in the End. 
V Augustinum lib. 8. confess. c. ult.  St Augustine, as he was a man of great wit and Spirit, so was he a man subject to great Temptations. He confesseth that Pleasures were his old Mistresses; Once they had, and they strove hard to have kept perpetual, possession of him. What Augustine wilt thou leave us thus? wilt thou take a Farewell of all thy old delights for ever? Succuttebant, saith he, vestem meam carneam, they made a strong concussion upon his carnal part. But it happened by the Mercy or God that once as he had been in a conflict with such Temptations, he fell into a deep consideration of his former life, and then as he reports of himself he heard as is were a voice saying to him, Take up and read. Taking up a book, (which he had there) of St Paul's writings, he dipped upon this very text, not in ryotting and drunkenness, not in chambering and Wantonness, etc. Nec ultra volui legere, saith he, nec opus erat. He found enough in that Text for one Reading. The word of God (as the Apostle well observeth) Heb. 4.12. is quick and powerful, and sharper than a two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit; and is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Judge of our thoughts and Intents, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Executioner of our Lusts. So St Augustine found it, He obeyed the power of this word, and glorieth in the Grace of God, that this text was in the hand of God, the instrument of his conversion and salvation. Oh that the same Spirit of God would so work upon our hearts, that the same word might now take the same effect in us!  
There is a great deal contained in this Text, and yet let me tell you the profession of Christianity containeth a great deal more, we are pressed here to the performance but of one part, of one branch of our Baptismal vow, namely to make good that part of our baptismal Renuntiation, wherein we profess to deny the sinful lusts of the Flesh.  
Our common Philosophy teacheth us, that the Aims, desires or Lusts of the flesh are twofold, some proceed from the Concupiscible Appetite, and these in St Paul's Phrase go under the names of ryotting and drunkenness, Chambering and Wantonness, and are contrary to the duty of keeping our Bodies in Temperance, soberness and chastity, commended to us in our Catechism. Secondly, there are some Lusts that proceed from the irascible appetite, and these in St Paul's Phrase go under the names of strife and Envying, whence battle and murder and all breaches of the sixth commandment communly ensue. We shall plant our Batteries now only against the first squadron of our Lusts, that in this late Age have gotten too great an Empire of Mankind and shall leave the second to be encountered at some other time.  
Lust we have and shall have, This is that Body of Sin, that we carry still about us. 
The fixedness of Lusts to corrupted Nature.  St Paul complains of it as of a deadly dart that stuck fast in his Liver Haeret lateri Lethalis Arundo-who, saith he, shall deliver me from this Body of death? Even natural men have been still ready to complain of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Plutarch ex opinion Pythagorae. Et ex Platone & Aristotele animam dicit, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, vid. Plutarchum in comment. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the very body of death that St Paul speaks of. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as Plutarch calleth it) an extravagant, passionate, and disorderly appetite. This is that Canaanite that we must always fight against, but shall never be able utterly to extirpate.  
Some indeed there are (and too great a part of the world) that design themselves an happiness by the satisfying these Lusts, and to that intent they make great and ample provisions for them. St Paul telleth us, that the intention of the Gospel is directly contrary; namely to direct us to Glory by the way of sobriety and virtue, to dissuade men from the pleasures of Intemperance, and to suppress the government of Lust. I think it very seasonable (now in this lose Age) to show you the Reasonableness of St Paul's doctrine, which is the doctrine of Christianity; and to that end shall propose unto you three conclusions; which being well proved, will be sufficient to dissuade any reasonable man, much more any true Christian, from the pursuance of Happiness by the way of sensual pleasure.  
The Conclusions are these. 

1. That there is no satisfactory happiness to be found in the pursuance of our Natural Lusts and desires.  
2ly The making provision for the Lusts of Intemperance, is certainly Mischievous and Dishonourable to Man as Man.  
3ly The pursuance of such sensual pleasures or Lusts, is most of all Mischievous and Dishonourable to man as Christian.    
First, I tell you that God hath written vanity and vexation on all the provision that can be made for Lust. It was the sin of Man that first filled humane Nature with this concupiscence: And God suffereth vain Men to be toiled with their own passions, and to be vexed with making provision for those Lusts, which he knoweth, and we may know, never will be satisfied. For we find by Experience, that those Men who have let themselves utterly lose to the Bias of their Natural Inclinations, and have plunged themselves in all those material Enjoyments, which they thought would end in the greatest pleasure, have found in the Top of their Enjoyment nothing but Satiety, Disrelish, and Repentance.  
Solomon hath committed his own Experience to History in this point. He was a wise and a rich King: he lived in great Magnificence and glory; There was in Him a Confluence of whatsoever this world can pretend to of Riches, Honours, and pleasures: and he giveth us the story (in the second chapter of his Ecclesiastes) how once like a Vertuose (for experiment sake) he ran the Risque of trying what good might be found in all sorts of them. He was a voluptuary (or Epicurean, as we call them,) before ever Epicurus was born. To enable him to acquire the Enjoyments he proposed, he wanted no worldly means: For first, He had a great Empire, and vast Treasures left him by his Father, and he had large Tributes both from his own People, and from the Provinces adjoyzing, and not only from the remaining Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, 
1 Kings 9.21, 22.  and Jebusites, 
1 Kings 10. ult.  but he had yearly acknowledgements from those great kingdoms of Egypt and Syria also: And therefore to satisfy the lust of the Eye, as it became his Imperial magnificence, he built and he planted sumptuously. Other great princes were not more famous for their Mausolaea, their Pyramids, Amphitheatres and Arches, than he was for that Temple which he built for God, and the Palaces that he built for his own Court, and the courts of his Wives: one of which was no less a person than the Daughter of Pharaoh King of Egypt. And his plantations were answerable. He tells you that he planted vineyards and Orchards, and made Pools of Water, that is, he had large Gardens, where, 
1 Kings. 4.33.34. & Targum in Eccles. c. 2.  if we believe some Authorities, there grew all Plants from the Cedar of Libanus unto the Hyssop on the Wall. These Gardens were graced with Groves and Arborets, and those with Grottoes, Pools, Basins and Water-works, which were partly for state, and partly for use (as the Text there intimates) to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth Trees. To satisfy the Lust of the Ear, he had Music both Instrumental and vocal: He had Men singers and Women-singers and Musical Instruments of all sorts, and in a word all the delights of the sons of Men, as we read in that 2d of Ecclesiastes, and in the first book of Kings. He had Honour in abundance, from his neighbouring Princes and from those that were afar off. The Queen of Sheba, and many besides her, 
1 Kings. 4. ult.  came from the uttermost parts of the Earth to hear his Wisdom and to see his Glory. 
1 Kings 4.29.  Moreover to the more full Enjoyment of his other Acquirements God gave him also wisdom and Understanding and largeness of heart even as the sand on the Seashore. He had a large Heart by the particular gift of God. 
Eccles. 2.1, 3.  And Solomon indulged his heart a liberty large as itself, Eccles. 2. I said to my heart (saith he,) go to now, I will try thee with Mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure, and he confesseth he gave himself to Wine and to Folly, to the folly of Women as most interpret his confession, 
Ecclus. 47.19.30.  yet acquainting his heart with wisdom, so the Text proceeds. This was his design, he would make a mixture of Wisdom and folly. He had no mind to part with his reason; but however he would not omit to try also the pleasures of foolish vain men. He would be mad for an Experiment, and therefore he projected how he might cum ratione insanire. He would have the pleasure of Madness and the security of Reason. 
Eccles. 2.10.  Whatsoever good things his Eyes desired he kept it not from them, he withheld not his heart from any Joy, and yet he would keep so much Wit in his frolic, as to be able to weigh his Enjoyments and to see once, for himself and for us all, what good there might be in such a life for the sons of Men. When he therefore freely and without disturbance had pursued the satisfaction of his Natural Lusts, by an Indulgence to all sorts of Pleasures, how much true content did he find in them? Why he telleth us (and we have good reason to make use of the Experiment) that he found Laughter to be Madness, he found Mirth to be unprofitable. 
Eccles. 2.2.  He hated his Eiches and all his great Acquirements, because he found it most probable that one time or other they would come into the hands of a Fool. 
Eccles. 2.18, 19  And this he had reason to think a great absurdity and vanity, that a wise man should toil and make himself a slave all the days of his life, and that in the end a fool should be Master of his Acquirements, who will slight the prudence of his Ancestor, and profusely, and idly waste all that Means of Noble living provided by him. This consideration among others made Solomon, 
Eccles. 2.20.  as himself confesseth, despair of all his labour. He saw the uncertainty of all things here below, and when he had made himself great, he despaired of the continuance of his greatness.  
His Kingdom was advanced to the height, 
V Matt. 6.19, 20.  but he discovered Principles of decay in it. He saw that no Kingdom but that of Heave could last for ever, and possibly he might discover the fool in his son the young Prince Rehoboam, that should lose not only his Tributary dominions, but ten tribes of Israel also. He had Treasures good store; but he found Principles of decay in them too; he saw no Treasures on Earth could last or be secure. He hated the madness and folly of his delights and pleasures, and he hated the Magnificence of his Works and labours, Nay he hated this present life also, because every thing in the end was grievous unto him. 
Eccles. 2.17.  The vanity of the Creature, after a full Experiment made, led him to this great conclusion That Happiness was to be obtained not in this but in another life. It was with him in general as it had been before with his Brother Ammon in one particular: As when Ammon found what little satisfaction his exorbitant lust received in the ravishing his sister Thamar, It is said in the Text, that Ammon hated her exceedingly, Insomuch that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater than the love wherewith before he loved her. 2 Sam. 13.15. Solomon in like manner, when he was disappointed of that content and satisfaction, that he hoped to obtain in his Riches, Magnificence, Glory and Pleasures, than he hated all his glorious Works, nay he hated his present life itself, because he found that all things under Heaven were vanity and vexation. Surely, my Brethren, if Happiness or true satisfaction had been to be found in Glory, or Riches, or in the pursuance of any sort of pleasures, 
Eccles. 2.12.  Solomon had found it, For what can he do that cometh after the King? that cometh after so great and so wise a King. Why the Text answers Eccles. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. De morib. ad Nichomach. lib. 10 cap. 6. Eccles. 12.13.  3.12. he may do even that which is already done. He may try as Solomon did for satisfaction by them; but he shall find in the Issue, as Solomon did, that there is no full Content in Glory or Riches, in Laughter or March, in Wine or Women, or any other reputed pleasure; but that all things in this world are in the end vanity and vexation. Aristotle, who is esteemed the best and wisest Philosopher, makes this final Resolution of his Ethics, that Happiness did not consist in voluptuousness, but in the practice of virtue. Solomon was wiser than he, He tried all things, and after a full Experiment he concludeth more divinely, that Man's happiness consisteth neither in Riches, nor Honours, nor Pleasures, but in the fear of God: which indeed makes this life happy by giving us hope of a better and more glorious life in the World to come.  
And let this Experiment of Solomon, unless we think that we can extract more good from the Creature than Solomon could, satisfy us with the Truth of our first Conclusion.  
My second conclusion was, that the design of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Aristotle calls them, of those I mean that aim at Happiness by ways of Luxury, is not only vain, but huriful also. And that the pursuance of the satisfaction of these Lusts of Intemperance, is certainly Mischievous and dishonourable to Man as Man.  

a Quidam se voluptatibus immergunt, quibus in consuctudinem abductis carere non possunt; ob hoc miserrimi sunt, quod eo pervenerunt, at illa quae supervacanea fuerunt, sacta sunt necessaria; serviunt itaque voluptatibus non fruuntur; & mala sua, quod malorum ultimum est, amant. Seneca.  Philosophers have observed, that it is one Mischief consequent to all Lusts of Intemperance, that men's Lusts are not satisfied but increased thereby, and their Appetite so corrupted; that they cannot live without them. The pleasures which they use, they are quickly made slaves unto, and they cannot wean themselves from that which in short time must be their Ruin: This I lay down for a Rule; that all Lusts of this kind contrary to the Laws of Religion and virtue are Lusts of Intemperance. And for their Mischief, this we find in general, that persons 
b Quid quod ne ment quidem recte uti possumus multo cibo & potione completi? Est praeclara epistola Platonis ad Dionis propinquos, in quâ Scriptum est his fere verbis. Quo cum venissem vita illa beata quae serebatur plena Italicarum Syracusanarumque mensarum nullo modo mihi placuit, bis in die saturum fore nec unquam pernoctare solum; caeterâque quae comitantur huic vitae in quâ Saptens nemo efficitur unquam, moderatus verò multo minus. Cicero in 5. lib. Tusc. Quaest.  riotous, or drunken, or debauched by any of these Intemperances', have first of all their Minds weakened, and the faculties of their souls enervated thereby. You shall rarely find in such men any true Wisdom or able Counsel, or persevering Industry, or any Excellence; and 
c Apud Samnites morum Censores vinolentos à Senatu amovebant tanquam indignos qui honores & publica munia gererent; Indignum enim videbatur illos, qui ingenio temulento & marcido forent, quique libidinum maculis notarentur, ad Remp accedere, aut de publicis consultare: quod etiam Cretenses, & Lacedemonios' & Carthaginenses factitâsse novimus. Alex. ab Alexand. lib. 3. c. 11.  therefore in wise and well governed states, persons given to the least of these vices, have been by Law made uncapable of any public office or Employment.  
Nor are these vices less ruinous to the Body. Who hath Woe? Who hath Sorrow? Who hath Contention? Who hath redness of eyes? Who hath wounds without cause? Even they that tarry long at the Wine, saith Solomon. Prov. 23.30. Alexander, 
Seneta lib. 12. Epist lib. 12. E. pist. 84. Plutarch. Dialog. 19  that great and Invincible Conqueror, was, as many writ, conquered himself and killed by Drunkenness.  
And for other Riots, It is an old observation too frequently renewed, 
Plato frugali coenâ, à quo cum Timotheus Cono. nis Filius Dux Atheniensium, omissis coenis Imperatoriis, ad convivium assumptus, & frugali coenâ exceptus esset, reversus ad suos dixit, Qui cum Platone● oenant, etiam postero die bene habent. Aelian l. 2. c. 18. Cicero. Tus. q. lib. 5. A. Gell. l. 15. c. 8.  that as the greatest Health and Pleasures of the Body come by Frugality and Temperance, virtues that our Religion commendeth to us, so the greatest illness, by excesse● He that withdrew himself from a great Invitation to eat a Philosophical Commons with Plato, had this for his Excuse, that those who eat with Plato are well, in good mind and stomach the next day afterward. And on the other, side It is a good character of a riotous feast, that is given us by Phavorinus in A. Gellius, That all the wit of it consists in two things, In sumptu & Fastidio, in being costly, and making their Guests sick of the Entertainment. It is no honest Ambition, my Brethren, for Men to destroy the Bodies of their Friends by those means that God hath appointed for their Conservation. Press not that upon thy Friend that his Nature requireth not, and may be endamaged by. Know you not, that your superfluities are due unto the poor? Cram not then the Rich Man with his Portion, else thou imitatest the worst of Thiefs; thou robbest the poor, 
Gen 18 6, 7, 8. Heb. 13 2. Quaesitotum terrâ pelagoque c●borum Ambitiosa fames & lautae gloria Mensae Lucan. l. 4. de bello civili.  and then, as Thieves usually do, thou misem ployest what thou stealest from him, Namely to abuse the body of thy richer Neighbour. Abraham is highly commended for his hospitality in Scripture, yet his way was not the way of Riot. For when he had got a tender and a good Calf well dressed with a Dish of Butter; and a Mess of Milk, he thought it an Entertainment fit for Angels. It is not Natural hunger, but Ambitiosa fames (as a Poet calls it) the pride of high eating or of sumptuous feasting, that requires more and Dimidium plus toto, the less is the better for the Body. 

Diverbium illud, Dimidium plus toto in laudem temperantiae & frugalitatis natum bene explicat celebri disticho Hesiodus.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cluadian. lib. 1. in Rufinum 
— ontentus honesto  
Fabritius parvo, spernebat munera Regum,  
Sudabatque gravi consul Serranus ar●tro,  
Et casa pugnaces Curios angusta tegebat.  
Plus habent voluptatis & cruciatuum minus, qui frugaliter vivunt quam qui genio indulgent, Dictum Socratis. Ipsae voluptates in tormenta vertuntur, Epulae cruditatem generant, Ebrietas membrorum torporem, ac tremorem; libidines manuum ac pedum & articulorum depravationem, Denique mortem. Seneca. in epist. ad Luc. Quis Hostis in quenquam tam contumeliosus fuit, quam in quosdam voluptates suae? Sufficit enim alicui, si hostem suum excaecat; voluptates autem non solum excaecant voluptuosos, sed etiam impotentes reddunt, & contractos & lep●osos, & diversis aliis infirmitatibus confringunt. Idem. Legimus quosdam aeticulari morbo laborantes, & humoribus podagrae, proscriptione bonorum ad simplicem Mensam redactos convaluisse; quia Epularum la●gitate ac voluptatibus caruerunt quae corpus & animam frangunt. Hieronym; contra Jovin.    
Thirdly, all these ways of Intemperance are certainly ruinous to the Estate. When did the estate of the Roman Common wealth thrive but when frugality and Temperance were esteemed virtues, when the Consuls themselves were not ashamed of their good husbandry. When for a Cook to have showed his art in dressing any thing but plain meat had been Criminal, a good Occasion for his banishment as it was by the Spartan Law. When their chief Magistrates took oaths at their Inauguration, as in the Roman Common wealth once they did, that in their public feast, they would use no Wine but that of their own country, and which grew upon the place (a piece of frugality, let me tell you, that by the by, is particularly commended to Christians by some ancient Fathers, by Clemens Alexandrinus particularly, & which possibly might not ill become the present necessities of this Nation.) In these days, I say, of their Frugality and Temperance it was, that the Romans thrived and grew every day more great and formidable: and when did that great Empire first begin to run to decay and ruin, even when they had 1000 times the Men, and 1000 times the Money, but the men were corrupted by Luxury and the money spent upon that Luxury. When an Aelius verus, a Geta or a Vitellius would spend the Revenue of a province in one day's Riot, and an Heliogabalus the Revenue of two in one nights chambering. I wish we in all the poverty we complain of were not come near their Luxury, 

Crasso inter Romanos pecuniae magnitudo locupletis nomen dedit, at per Luxum ejusdem tandem bona venierunt. v. val. Max. l. 6. c. 11. Melchior Jun. in Orat. Luxuriae adjun. ctam dicit inopiam Plautus. in Trin. in prologo. Parsimonia apud vetere● Romanos non domesticâ solum observatione ac d●sciplina; sed publica etiam animadversione legumque Complurium sanction● bus custodita est. Veteri senatus decreto jubentur principes civitatis, qui ludis Megalensibus antiquo ritu mutitarent (i. e. Mutua inter se convivia agitarent, jurare apud COSS. verbis conceptis non amplius in singulas caenas sumptus esse facturos quam centenos vicenosque aeris, praeter olus & far & Vinum, neque vino alienigeno, sed pattio usuros, etc. apud Gellium lib. 2. cap. 24.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. apud Clement. Alexandrin: Paedagog. lib. 2. pag. 156.   nay, I wish we did not in many things exceed their very excesses. Number the Ingredients of your Dishes and you will find that there is scarce a great dinner now in a Tavern; where their Olios, Bisks and grand-meats do not exceed the famed pentapharmacum of Aelius verus, or the Tetrapharmacum of the Emperor Adrianus. And are we not, if not as choice, 
Coquos esse non permittebantalios, quam ca●nis duntaxat qui verò quamvis artem cupediariam novis. set, eiiciebatur Spartâ, Aelianas' l. 14. de var. Hist. Quin & Marius Consul (si credimus Eutropio) gloriae sibi duxit, quod solitus erat con. vivium parum scite adornare, quod histrionem nullum habebat neque pluris pretii Coquum quam villicum.  yet at least as Immoderate in our Wines. I speak not of the third sort of Intemperance, I have no pleasure to libel the Age I live in. But give me leave to remember you of the advice of Bathshebah, she was a wise and a great Queen Mother: One that could never be suspected of unkindness or disloyalty to her Lemuel, that is, to her Solomon, to the son of her Womb and the son of her Bones. And yet we find that with great tenderness of expression she advised him against Intemperance in Wine and Women, as that which had destroyed Kings. All Intemperances' are Apollyons and abaddon's, impartial in their mischief. And if by Luxury, Empires, and Royal estates are suddenly ruined, much sooner will our private estates and fortunes by these means be exhausted.  
Nor are these sins of Intemperance only private and domestic Annoyances, they are public Nuisances, fit to be presented in a Leet, they are sins against society and occasions of Injustice also. 
Prov. 31. Nulla pestis capitalior quam voluptas corporis, cujus avidae libidines temerè & effraenatè ad peccandum incitant. Hinc Patriae Proditiones, rerump. eversiones, Nullum denique sceus, nullum facinus est, ad quod suscipiendum libido voluptatis non impellat. Dictum Architae Tarentini apud Giceronem de senectute expositum.  For who are they that assemble themselves with the Congregations of Robbers, and use ill Arts of living, but those who by Intemperance have spent their estates in making provision for their Lusts? But above all others, that Incontinence, the 3d Species, described by chambering and Wantonness, is the Mother of great varieties of Injuries. If it runs out into Adultery it causeth the breach of Conjugal faith, which is the foundation of all Domestic Union, then Spurious heirs are thrust into inheritances not belonging to them, and instead of Love, that cements Families, they are harrazed with the sad effects of Hatred and Jealousy; which end commonly in Duels, poisons and such other Malicious Revenges. But if it run out into Fornication only, It brings in murder of Infants or their ill Education, the stains of Bastardy and 1000 other Inconveniences.  
Lastly, let us consider how dishonourable a thing it is for Man as Man, who is confessed to have a divine and rational Soul, to be made a slave to such bestial filthy lust. There is not a Man among the Heathen but apprehends himself made for better ends.  Os homini sublime dedit, Coelumque videre— Jussit— 
Saith one of their own Poets. Man was not made to be a sot, 
Quod si Pupillum tibi Deus commifisset, num iilum negligeres? Te vero cum tibi ipfi commendavit, inquiens, non habeo aliquem fideliorem cui te committam quam Teipsum Hunc volo ita mihi custodias, quemadmodum ipsius Natura postulat; scil. pudicum, fidelen altum, infractum, affectibus malis vacuum, moderatum, Sobrium etc. Apud Aria●um in Epictet.  or to intent no more than what all beasts intent and enjoy much more than he. No, man was made for the Exercise of virtue and contemplation of God and communion with him and hath (even as Heathen Philosophers have observed) a Soul apt for such Employments. How base therefore and dishonourable a thing were it for Man to wallow in the dirty puddle of his lusts; which makes him unfit not only for communion with God, but also for the exercise of Reason and virtue among Men.  
Who then but a fool would wish to live the life of sensual pleasures, when, as I have proved unto you, there is neither satisfaction, nor content to be had in the Enjoyment, nor safety either to the mind, Body or estate, to be had in the pursuance of those pleasures to which we are addicted by our Natural Lusts; besides that it is dishonourable and unworthy of a Man to be made a vassal and slave to such Enjoyments, as are commun to him with the beasts that perish.  
All this you will say you could have heard in the Moral Philosophy School; and it is probable you might. Morality is a great and acceptable part of God's service, and our Duty, and he useth his Reason well, who by it establisheth himself in Moral Reformation. St Paul himself presseth a Moral Argument against the use of these Intemperances', as 1 Cor. 6.18. where he telleth us, that he who committeth fornication sinneth against his own body, which is a Truth commended to us by all Moralists.  
It is true, we that are Christians have more high and spiritual Reasons to move those who value the honour and Interest of their professions. And therefore my third Conclusion was, That the pursuance of lustful pleasures was most of all Mischevous and dishonourable to Man as Christian. We cannot serve God and Lust.  Simul esse possunt, Simul regnare non possunt. 
Heaven and Hell are not more contrary in their Rules, designs and Ends than they. For let a man put on the strongest Resolutions of Piety, let him bind those Resolutions with the strongest vows, yet a Dalilah in his Bosom, a reigning Lust will quickly ruin and nullify them all. Seeing therefore we cannot serve God and our lustful pleasures at the same time, let us own our own Master, his servants we are to whom we obey, let us take heed we do not come under the Character 1 Tim. 3.4. of being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lovers of pleasures more than Lovers of God: For they which are so, have denied their first profession, which was to keep Gods holy Will and commandments and to renounce the sin full Lusts of the Flesh.  
Secondly, which is the other part of my Conclusion. The pursuance of all sensual pleasures is highly dishonourable also to Man as Christian. This may be learned from that Argument of St Paul 1 Cor. 6.19. Know ye not that your Bodies are Temples of the holy Ghost, that is, as Churches and Temples are honoured above other places by being consecrated to God's service, so are our Bodies honoured above the bodies of other Men by being consecrated to the service and Inhabitation of God's holy Spirit. Sometimes for the like honour done unto them our Bodies are compared to holy and consecrated vessels, and therefore the same Apostle telleth us that this is the will of God even our Sanctification, that every one should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, 
1 Thess. 4, 3, 4.  not in the lust of Concupiscence. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed, which we translate vessel, signifieth also any utensil or Instrument, and the body being the Instrument not only of the rational soul, but also of the holy Spirit, is therefore properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Its utensil or vessel, but then (as the Apostle intimates) the utensils of the soul or Spirit are to be used honourably, holily and cleanly; and if Philosophy hath condemned the pleasures of Intemperance, as unworthy the Aims of Men, much more will they appear to be below and unworthy of a Christian. It was the Strict command of God by the Prophet Esay, Depart, depart, touch no unclean thing ye that bear the vessels of the Lord. And if it be so strictly required that those should be clean that bear the vessels, much more Reason is it that those should be clean that are the vessels of the Lord. Consider, my Brethren, the filthinesses that are consequent to all manner of Intemperances', they are so very filthy they are not to be named in a Christian Assembly. Of what Judgement then shall we be thought worthy, if when we have consecrated our vessels unto God, we afterwards dishonour and pollute them? He acceps the gifts of our Bodies as well as that of our souls and Spirits, and hath preferred them to be vessels of sanctification, purity and Honour; what a Judgement fell upon Belshasser when he was taken in the act of profaning the Material vessels of the Sanctuary in his Luxury and drunkenness, Dan. 5. But the sin of the lose and debauched professor is worse than this. For he polluteth the Temple itself, the Sanctuary itself. For such is every Christians Body unto Christ. The Intemperate man may pretend much, but he cannot truly boast of any Religion or love to the Church, He hath a zeal it may be against the separatist, but he considereth not that even in the same kind the sacrilegious separatist is less profane than He; The separatist doth very ill when he profanes the material. Temple, but the intemperate Christian doth worse when he profaneh the spiritual. The separatist defaceth the pictures of the Saints, but the Intemperate Christian defaceth the very Image of God according to which he was created.  
I think I may yet further follow my Apostle and step a little higher in expressing the honour that is done unto our bodies, against which we sin by these Intemperances'. For our Bodies are not only said to be the vessels, Temples, and Sanctuaries, unto Christ, but even Members of him also, because of the same Spirit that cohabiteth both in our Lord and us. St Paul presseth this Argument home against the 3d and worst sort of Intemperance, 1 Cor. 6.15. Know you not that your Bodies are the Members of Christ, shall I then take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot? Surely he that desires to be called by the name of a Christian, and would deserve that name, can never intent so vile an Act, or willingly consent so to dishonour the Members of his Lord.  
The truth is our Religion goes beyond Philosophy, and affords not only the best Rules of Sobriety, but the best encouragements to it and the best Dissuasives from the contrary. 
V Tacit. l. 3. Ann, Alexandium ab Alexan. l. 3. c. 11.  Yet as Tiberius spoke in Tacitus concerning the Laws anciently made in Rome against Luxury, Leges contemptu abolitas securiorem Luxum fecisse, that those Laws being once suffered to be despised made Luxury ride on more triumphantly and secure. This is our very Case. The Gospel of our Lord hath prescribed us good Medicines, but our Disease is grown so great, as to have the Mastery and to triumph over all our Medicines, vice is grown so powerful and impudent as to run down Religion itself from off the stage of this sinful World; when St John pronounced that dismal sentence in the Conclusion of his Epistle, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The whole world lieth down and sinks under the power of its own wickedness He excepted then the Christians out of that World; 
1 Joh 5.19.  But where is now the power of Christianity itself, where is there now even among Christians the Man that in St john's sense sinneth not? where is the Man that guardeth and keepeth himself so, that the Wicked one toucheth him not?  
Is it not an ill and a desperate case, my Brethren, that we can be contented with the empty name of Christianity and can suffer the Laws and power of Religion to be contemned? Is not the Word of God as sufficiently able now as formerly to hamper and toil the Consciences of profane and evil men? Methinks I have a mind to imitate St James, to make an Apostrophe to them and to call these wicked Men a little by their own names. Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses, those are the Apostles words, Ye Drunkards and riotous persons, ye that are a shame and scandal to your profession, ye that abuse the Members of Christ and continually dishonour and profane your Bodies, your Bodies said I? Nay they are not yours, those vessels I mean that your Lord hath made and bought; and which first in your Baptism and since in every Sacrament received by you, ye have dedicated to God, and he hath appointed to Sanctification and holiness; What will ye not stand to the Covenants ye have made with your God? Is it nothing in a Matter so sacred to give and to take, to offer and resume, to promise and prevaricate? Is it not a great profaneness and sacrilege to defile and pollute the vessels ye have dedicated? And do ye not fear to be overtaken in your profaneness as Belshazzar was in his? Or if you are not afraid of the Wickedness that is in it (for some indeed there are that are not afraid of any Wickedness) yet why are ye not ashamed of your folly, Thus Vetulam praeferre Immortalitali to prefer the filthy Harlottry of the world and flesh before the eternal glory of your Bodies and souls? Why do ye pretend to Christianity, if ye will not practise it? This we know that if you believe the Gospel you cannot think yourselves secure in the pursuance of these practices. O ye young Men why do ye not consider what Solomon hath foretold you, that when you have rejoiced your fill and walked till you are weary in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes, you must in the end be brought to a Reckoning and a Judgement for all the particulars of your lives, Eccles. 11.9. O ye that are Men of Age, ye that have been now for a long time professors of Christian Religion, why do you not consider what our saviour hath prophesied Mat. 4.36. That as when in the days of Noah Men were eating and drinking until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the son of Man be. It was nothing but his great kindness that made our Saviour give his Scholars that Caution, Luc. 21.34. Take heed to yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the Cares of this World and so that day come upon you unawares; As he is a faithful and wise servant that maketh it his business to do his Master's will, so he hath the character of an unfaithful evil and foolish servant, who puts off the evil day and saith in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and sinneth and wrongeth his fellow servants and eateth and drinketh with the drunken: For the Days of his particular Judgement shall come sooner than he thinks for; The Lord of that servant (as himself hath foretold) shall come in a day, when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not ware of, and shall appoint his portion with Hypocrites. And let me tell you the portion of Hypocrites is one of the worst Portions that is paid in Hell. That we may have a better Portion in a better place I shall conclude by pressing seriously upon you the very exhortation in my Text, That Exhortation that wrought so happily upon St Augustine. And if it wrought upon St Augustine why may it not by the gracious operation of the same Spirit work a like effect upon some of us? Let us, my Brethren, cast of the works of darkness, and let us put on the Armour of light, let us walk honestly as in the day, Not in ryotting and drunkenness, not in Chambering and Wantonness, not in strife and Envying, but let us put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provisions for the flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof. Let us know that our Religion ought to extend to every action of our Lives, even to our eating and drinking and every part of our Conversation. Let us remember whose we are, who hath made us, and who hath bought us with a price. And since he hath made both and redeemed both and we have offered and given both, Let us glorify him with both, Both with our bodies and with our Spirits, for they are his. Let us hold to that Rule of the Apostle which is or aught to be the great Rule of every Christians life, whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do, let us do all to the Glory of God, so shall we never do amiss, but the peace of God shall be with us and preserve us for ever.   
Gloria Trinuni Deo.   

ΠΑΡΑΚΛΗΣΙΣ AN Exhortation to the pursuance of the CHIEFEST GOOD, WITH A brief Review of the Opinions concerning it.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Rom. 12.  

MATH: VI 19, 20, 33. 
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon Earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where theives break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.  to which add, v. 33. 
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness.  
IT is a certain truth, that in every Man there is an innate desire of good; and it is as true that very few attain to the Good that they desire. For as Maximus Tyrius in his 19th Discourse hath ingeniously expressed it, It happeneth to us, in this dark and muddy Region of the lower world, as it doth to those who scramble for gold or silver in a dark night: who while they want a light to distinguish what they seek after, and only guess at it by deceitful circumstances fall together by the Ears for they know not what. For he that hath gotten any thing will not part with it, for fear he should have already gotten the  thing, neither will he abstain from further scrambling for fear it should be yet to seek. Here is all the Tumult and the strife, the Clamours and the noise, the sighs and the groans, the rapine and the suits, and all the hurry of the overbusy world. This is the same thing that is intimated by K. David, in his fourth Psalm, There be many that say, who will show us any good? Not Many only, but All; even the whole world pretend to be and really are in the pursuance of this good. But as St Paul observed concerning the Jews that they obtained not to Righteousness because they sought it where it was not to be found: So the Mass of Mankind attain not to the Possessron of Happiness because they seek it where it is not. They search for the living among the Dead. The Psalmist had observed concerning the Joy of the vulgar that it was such a delight as did always ebb and flow, according to the increase or decrease of their Corn and Wine and Oil. For in these lay their Treasures and upon their Treasures they laid their Hearts, but he had settled his Eye upon the true Joy, His hope was the hope of Heaven. His expectation was the Expectation of the beatific Vision, His desire was to have the face of God eternally reconciled to Him, The light of God's countenance was more to Him then was the Joy of the Worldly man, When his Corn and his Wine and his Oil increased. Psalm. 4.6, 7, 8.  
This was the Happiness of David, the Man after Gods own heart, who had an understanding whereby He was enabled to call Good Good and Evil Evil, and was guided by the Spirit of God to have his Will and affections rightly placed; which the greater part of the world neither had then, nor have to this Day. Philosophers, Historians, Poets and all observers of human Manners and Nature have taken notice of a vast variety in human inclinations. All pretend, and all seek: yet in all this variety of Pretenders and seekers, few have designed, few have sought the greatest good. Some place their happiness in Luxury and Riot, others in Parsimony and thrift, The Merchant in his gold, the Drunkard in his Wine, the effeminate in his Loves, The witty Man in pleasant Conversation; the Orator in fine and well adorned speech, the Martial man in fights and triumphs, some sportive men have been so vain as to think there could be no greater Happiness upon Earth then to be a renowned Victor in the Olympic Games, and to get a branch of Olive as a Trophy of Mastery in those feats of Activity. Sardanapalus, I'll watrant you, thought himself a pretty Man, and a Prince indeed when he was curled and dressed, and richly clothed and shut up in his Palace among his concubines; but few others have thought that a design of life well chosen for so great an Emperor. Xerxes' thought himself little less than the God he worshipped, if indeed his pride then allowed him to worship any; when he 〈…〉 his fetters upon the Sea, and joined Europe and Asia with a bridge, not considering how short should be the Glory of that Action and that it should suddenly end in being utterly overthrown; There are no things done from the great Atcheiuments of Alexander and Caesar, to those little Arts that are not worthy to be named in a pulpit, that are not practised with some design of good: But this is the misery of our Condition that in all this variety, the Ends we design are generally if not Base and Wicked, yet poor and mean; and yet though poor and mean and eagerly pursued are seldom notwithstanding sufficiently attained.  
But it is more worth our Notice and Admiration that Philosophy itself, the great Mistress of Curiosity, should profess to correct the Aims of the Vulgar, and to design so Wisely and yet should fail, as notoriously as any other profession of doing any thing worthy of all her anxious Disquisitions. That it should challenge so great a Name, and procure so little Good, that they should err so widely in their searches after the Summum Bonum, or chiefest Happiness. For I do not find that they had the good luck to attain to any thing that might give them just Occasion to cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have found it, I have found it: And those who seem to be the adepti and to have gotten most considerable attainments contented themselves generally with a very mean Quarry. 
a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Maximus Tyrius Dissett 19 ad Finem. Ad vos nunc refero quem sequar● etc. Cicero Academ. Q. l. 4.  It hath been anciently observed that Pythagoras his Learning ended in a few Musical jingles, Thales' Wisdom in some uncertain Astronomical Fancies, Heraclitus' Contemplations concluded in solitude and weeping, Socrates his renowned Philosophy led Him to the practice of unnatural lust. Diogenes his sharpness of wit, to use his Body to endure all manner of nastiness and course labour; E. picurus Inventions and Discourses, of which he boasts so proudly, set Him down contented with any kind of Pleasure. We shall do Aristippus no wrong at all if we join Him with the more renowned Epicurus. And why may not the Stoics and Peripatetics Club also? who are both represented to make the bare Action or virtue its own Reward. Such are the Ends and so great is the variety in the Aims of these singularly learned Men? Whom then shall we follow? or shall we follow none? shall we join issue with Maximus Tyrius in the Discourse above commended and say what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. That God hath blown the expectation and desire of Good, as a living spark into the heart of Man but hath hidden from him the Way to find it out. No by no means. This were no better then blasphemously to cast man's fault upon his maker. God indeed for Reasons hidden from us, and wrapped up in the abyss of his own secret knowledge, formerly as St Paul speaks, winked at the Errors and vanity of mankind, imparting true wisdom and the knowledge and desire of the chiefest Good to very few. But since Christ the light of the world appeared among us he hath publicly preached these Truths. First that the Enjoyment of the kingdom of Heaven is the chiefest, and indeed the only considerable good. Secondly that there is no way to attain this Kingdom of God without first attaining his Righteousness, and submitting ourselves according to our Sacramental Obligations to the Rules of the Gospel. Now these being laid down first, as principles of eternal and unalterable Truth; Our saviour giveth us in the next place the only safe advice, Namely that abandoning all other foolish and idle Counsels, we should give ourselves to be his Disciples: we should addict ourselves to Christianity, as to a Discipline of true Wisdom, we should design no less than Heavenly Glory which is no doubt the chiefest Good. 
Omnis sapientia hominis in hoc uno est ut Deum cognoscat & colat; Hoc nostrum Dogma, haec sententia est. Quanta igitur voce possum, testificor, proclamo, denuntio. Hoc est illud quod Philosophi omnes in tota sua vita quaesierunt, nec unquam tamen investigare ● comprehendere, tenere valuerunt: quia Religionem aut pravam tenuerunt, aut totam penitus sustulerunt. Facessant igitur illi omnes qui humanam vitam non instruunt sed turban. Quid enim docent aut quem instruunt qui seipsos nondum instruxerunt? Quem sanare aegroti, quem regere caeci possunt? huc ergo nos omnes quibus est curae sapientia, conferamus an expectabimus donec Socrates aliquid sciat? aut Anaxagoras in tenebris lumen inveniat? aut Democritus veritatem de puteo extrahat? aut Empedocles dilatet animi sui semitas? aut Arcesilas & Carneades videant, sentiant, percipiant? Ecce vox de caelo veritatem docens, & nobis sole ipso clarius lumen ostendens. Quid nobis iniqui sumus & sapientiam suscipere cunctamur? quam clari homines contritis in quaerendo aetatibus suis nunquam reperire potuerunt. Qui vult sapiens ac beatus esse, audiat dei vocem, discat justitiam, sacramentum Nativitatis suae norit, humana contemnat, divina suscipiat, ut summum illud bonum ad quod natus est, possit adipisci. Lactantius lib. 3. de falsa Sap. cap. 30.  We should sell all that we have rather than to mille the buying of this pearl, And when we have fixed our Eye aright we should then pursue wisely that Happiness that we have in our Design, we should endeavour after it in that way by which it is only attainable which is declared to be the way of Righteousness. Nor is it any Righteousness that will lead us to this Kingdom. The Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees will not do it. Our Saviour hath told us in the beginning of his Sermon in the Mount that Except our Righteousness exceed their Righteousness we shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Original Righteousness we have none at all. We lost it, God knows, assoon as we were entrusted with it.  
Actual Righteousness we have none of out own. We must speak of all our Righteousness as the Man to the Prophet concerning his Axe, when the head of it fell into the Water. 2 Kings. 6.5. Alas Master for it was borrowed. We must have a Righteousness without us called by our Saviour Matt. 6.33. God's Righteousness, that is a Righteousness given and imputed. And we must have a Righteousness within us and that is God's Righteousness also, a Righteousness given though inherent: A spirit of Righteousness, a new Spirit and a new heart. This inherent Righteousness giveth us an assurance that we have a title to the other The other, the Righteousness without us, that of our Saviour is indeed only meritorious. In the argument of merit O Christ we will make mention of thy Righteousness, even of thy Righteousness only, And yet we know that without holiness, without inherent holiness no man shall see thy face. No man shall have the benefit of thy Passion or any part of thy Righteousness, that hath not thy Spirit. For whatsoever hath not the Spirit of Christ, they are none of his. It is not the calling of our Saviour Lord Lord that will give us any title to his merits, without our sincere endeavour to do the will of our father which is in Heaven. This I take to be a sufficiently orthodox and sense of those words, seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness.  
Now if these are the principal of our Master's precepts, surely we have no reason to think his Yoke uneasy or his Commandments grievous, this is the sum of the burden that he layeth on us. He hath provided an Estate of unconceivable Glory and Happiness for us. And hath commanded us to seek it, And further lest we should err and mistake the way that leadeth to this Estate, He hath declared unto us that it must be sought in the Way of Righteousness, for the Robe of Glory can no more become an unrighteous man, than Honour can be seemly for a fool. He hath commanded us for our own sakes to seek this Kingdom of Glory, but to seek it in that just, proper and humble way and method that Himself hath prescribed. And when you recollect and consider the Nature and Excellence of that Estate you will confess it an Estate beyond all others infinitely worth your seeking.  
Reflect then but with one glance of your Mind upon it as it is described in the certain Oracles of eternal Truth. David first in the 16th Psalm and the last verse assureth us that in the Kingdom of Heaven, or, which is all one, in the presence of God, there is fullness of Joy, and that at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Now in these words there is a description of the greatest happiness that can be or can be imagined: There is nothing for its nature more  than Joy or delight; there is no measure (or proportion) better than fullness, There is no Duration better than Eternity. And therefore he that hath Joy for the kind, and fullness of that Joy for the Measure and joys or pleasures which for the duration of them shall last not for a day, or a year, nor only for ten years, or ten-thousand years, but for evermore, He surely can have no further Happiness to wish, nor greater enjoyment to design.  
And St Paul from that Text 1 Cor. 2.9. Where it is said that Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor hath it ever entered into the Heart of Man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him, intimateth thus much, That if you could gather together all the riches of Nature, and could add to the heap, whatsoever Human Fancy could further Imagine, For example! Let there be presented the best and Clearest Beauties for the Eye, The most Ravishing Musiks for the Ear, the most delicate meats for the palate, let the choicest entertainment be found out, for every Fancy and every Appetite, that Nature improved by Human art and study can supply us with; Join and place in one and the same person, all the wealth of the City, the Grace, the Gallantry, the Glory of the Court, the learning of the University, the most  conversation of learned and good Natured Men; Add to these the prudence of the Wisest Counsels, the Courage, conduct and success of the most famed commanders, all the Regalia that Princes and Emperors enjoy in the fullness of their Majesty and power, and last of all add also which is infinitely of more worth than all these, the enjoyment of Virtue and the inchoate Grace of God, Then make all these enjoyments of the greatest imaginable duration, and extend them to his dearest Issue, and nearest Relations yet all this is still below the Happiness good Christians shall enjoy in the life of Glory. For all this may be conceived, But the state of Glory is so Glorious that St Paul (who saw it) saith it cannot be conceived. It cannot enter into the Heart of Man.  
Do you now, believe all this to be true? Do you receive this Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles nay of Christ Himself? Or do you deny that Article of the Christian Faith that affirms the being of such a life everlasting after Death? If you do believe it, can you think such an Estate not worth the seeking after? Do you think yourselves wiser than Abraham and Moses and all the worthies of the former ages, who quitted their greatest temporal Interests that they might seek this Inheritance.  
Examine yourselves my Brethren and first see whether there is not a fault in the very spring: whether there be not somewhat defective in your very faith. Suppose now that with St Paul you had been rapt up to the third Heaven and there had taken a view of those unspeakable Glories, that were then and are now enjoyed by the Spirits of Just men made perfect. Would you not think that the obtaining of that Estate and to be made one of those glorified beings, would be worth, (nay infinitely more worth then) all the pains you could take and all the labours you could undergo during the Remainder of your short uncertain lives? you are Christians, and your being so implies that you believe there are such Joys, your faith (if you have any) gives you a confidence of them and makes the existence of them evident unto you though you have not seen them as St Paul did. For faith, as it is defined by the Author to the hebrews, is the confidence of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen.  
But if it be not from any want of faith but from a certain Carelessness or Retchlessnesse as some call it that you are lazy and neglect the seeking this your greatest Interests. Consider I pray a little further, that if you will not concern yourself to be thus very happy; you then must take the just contrary lot and submit yourself to be very miserable. If you will not take pains to attain that Glory that is the crown and reward of the just, you must expect to fall into Hell even into the Nethermost Hell with the wicked. Do you think the Rich Luxurious Glutton mentioned in the Gospel, who in his life time cared not for Heaven nor the concerns of the world to come, who pampered Himself and suffered Lazarus to starve before his door. Might such a Man as he (I say) have the liberty granted Him of a second Trial and to live over his life here on Earth but once again, Would he not rather spend his days neatly and soberly, in frugality, and Temperance, (which are the Virtues that our Religion commendeth to us) and give away the superfluities of his Estate in Charity to the poor, then be sentenced the second time for his Cruelty and Riot (Vices ill put together) into that place of Misery and Woe where during the vast duration of Eternity he may not procure one drop of Water to cool his Tongue: Would you know what that death is that they incur who are not preferred unto that Eternal life that Christ hath purchased for His? Flames and Brimstone and Worms, the painful worm of conscience and that Hideous noise of Tophet, that, is of Continual howling, burning and drumming, These are the parts of the second Death. Now is it worth no pains to secure yourselves from so endless, so easeless, so Remedy less a misery and torment? Where is your sense my Brethren where is your Faith? Your Faith, or at least the consideration of the Articles of your Faith, is commonly out of the Way when it should be doing you any good. Let me ubraid it as Eliah ubraided the false God. 1 Kings. 18. Peradventure it is in a journey or else it sleepeth. It sleepeth surely and must be awakened. Bestir your minds and consider, Is not the very avoiding the Torments of Hell of more consequence than the Enjoyments of all the present Honours or estates, that we are capable of in this world, of more consequence then either to avoid the miseries of this life, or even Death itself. Which though it be a most dreadful thing to flesh and blood, yet (to use the phrase of the devout Church Poet) it is but a Chair, a ready easy conveyance into another Estate over which Death itself shall have no power.  
But if you are of that Nice and Curious temper that you must be led only by the silken threads of Example, not stratned by Council nor goaded on by precept; Read I pray St Paul's writings and consider his Acts, as they are recorded in the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Was his life like the life of a Man that had but a little understanding? Do you think yourselves wiser than He was? If not, why do not you, why do not we all imitate Him? Why have we not all his Zeal and his Resolution? Can Tribulation or Distress or famine or peril or Sword, Nay could either life or Death, Angel or Devil, principalities, or powers, things present or things to come, could either height or depth or any other Creature hinder him from pursuing his well chosen Aims, from seeking the life of Glory and from fight against his Spiritual Enemies that he saw ready to obstruct him and to hinder him in his Race thither.  
But you will say what I before intimated, that St Paul had the advantage of us. For he had been Rapt up into the third Heaven and had seen this Glory. Well then, if he saw it we have an Eye witness at least that confirms the existence of it to us: But had Abel, had Enoch, had Noah seen the objects of their Faith? By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen prepared an Ark to the saving of his house and so became heir of the Righteousness that is by Faith. 
Heb. 11.7.  And if we will be heirs of Righteousness we must believe God concerning things to come which we never saw, we must condemn the world also, and prepare an Ark even the Righteousness of Christ to convey us to that Kingdom Blessed are they, saith our Saviour to St Thomas who have not seen and yet have believed Consider the whole Army of Martyrs mentioned in the eleventh chapter to the Hebrews who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness, 
Joh. 20.29.  obtained promises stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the Edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens, Women received their dead raised to life again, others were tortured not accepting of deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection, This better Resurrection, though unseen by them as yet was the Anchor of their Hope, and the spring of their Courage, They were stoned, they were sawed asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword, They went about in sheep skins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts and mountains and hid themselves in the dens and caves of the Earth. This they did, this they suffered, though they were never rapt up into the third Heaven, They endured all these hardships through Faith even the common faith that we profess and it was this Article concerning the better Resurrection, and the life of abundant Glory, that upheld them.  
Where then is our Zeal and our strength? Do we not in every public service, in every assembly that we make, like this, profess that we believe the same resurrection of the Flesh and everlasting life after death, And yet have we no regard to any thing but what is present? Are things in Reversion of no value with us. Do not all men among us that have any Reputation for Wisdom take care to secure their estates in all kinds of secular Tenors that are to commence to others after their own deaths? And should not Charity begin at home? Is this our fashion, or, if it be, is it agreeable to the Rules of Wisdom and prudence, that we should provide so studiously for the welfare of our surviving Friends and should take no care of our own eternal welfare even after our departure hence? Is our present estate for so long a term, is it so certain, so permanent so secure that we need not be concerned, no not for so vast a futurity? Whosoever thinks himself so perfectly settled, Let him above all other dread that sentence Luk: 12.20. Thou fool this night even this night shall thy Soul be required of thee, and then whose shall these things be that thou hast provided. For so is he, thus shall it be with Him, This shall be his lot from the Lord, who layeth up treasures to himself and is not rich towards God: He shall also suddenly be taken from the wealth wherein he trusted.  
Understand ye brutish among the People! O we fool's when shall we be wise? Do we part with the life of Glory, Do we part with the Kingdom of God to seek we know not what? Or do we think to have saul's fortune to find a Kingdom while we are seeking Asses? Why is the heart of the world set upon that which is not? So short are the continuance of pleasures, honours, life itself that they are scarcely to be accounted things that are: Every man seethe that the pleasures of this world, are quick and short, and pass away like lightning from us. Honour's are but Feathers which the breath of other men may discompose every Moment: Riches the more substantial and more general Idol, are good for nothing, if we well observe it, but to make the Wing the larger, to make a Man soar higher, and fly with the greater sweep, and thus no sooner are they but they make themselves wings and fly away. And what is life, the Ordinary life of Nature, Extend it to its length it is but as a day saith Cicero in comparison of Eternity. Were it not full of Trouble, Sorrow and disease, Were there nothing otherwise to be excepted against but the shortness and Uncertainty of it, It were not a possession that for its own sake ought at all to be esteemed. 
Quae vero aetas longa? aut quid omnino homini longum nonne modo pueros, modo adolescentes in cursu a tergo insequens nec opinantes affecuta est senectus! Sed quia ultra nihil habemus, hoc longum dicimus: Omnia ista perinde ut cuique data sunt pro parte aut longa aut brevia dicuntur, apud Hipanim fluvium qui ab Europae parte in Pontum influit Aristoteles ait bestiolas quasdam nasci quae unum diem vivant, ex his igitur hora octauâ quae mortua est, provecta aetate mortua est, quae vero occidente sole, decrepitâ, eo magis si etiam folstitiali die. Confer nostram longissimam aetatem cum aeternitate; in eadem propemodum brevitate quâ illae bestiolae reperiemur. Cicero Tusc: Quaest; lib. 1.  And therefore it is a most reasonable counsel of tke Psalmist in the 146t Psalm Trust not in Man whose breath is in his Nostrils. Trust not in thy Patron, in thy Friend, in thy Brother if his breath be in his Nostrils. Trust not in thyself if thou hast no better tenure in thy being then that. Man's breath ceaseth suddenly by a thousand Occasions; And when that breath's gone, where is the Man you trusted in, or wherein is he to be accounted of? We may make a blaze in our life. But this life burns all the while, as uncertainly as a Taper, There is nothing surer than that this Taper will soon be blown out or burnt out. Lord teach us so to number our days and the shortness and Uncertainty of this present life, that we may apply our hearts to the highest, truest, noblest Wisdom.  
There is nothing in natural life considerable but this one thing, that therein we have an Opportunity to purchase to ourselves that life of abundant Glory, that estate of eternal happiness that I have been now commending to you. If we apply ourselves to this then indeed we apply ourselves to the truest Wisdom, we have a prize set before us and liberty to run a Race: But if eventually it be found that this price is put into the hand of fools, Our life will be unto us but Occasion of eternal Misery and it would have been better for us never to have been born.  
Will any Man then whose faith is not asleep or in a journey will any Man I mean that believes and considers the existence of Heaven and Hell and the other doctrines of our Faith, venture to commit a sin or to provoke his judge, or to do any thing that may endanger the damnation of his Soul to eternal Death to save so poor a thing as this uncertain life, much less to get Riches or Honour or any other worldly acquirement? Let us not therefore halt between two Opinions. If the Gospel be Gospel Let it have the power of the Gospel. Fear its threaten Entertain its encouragements. Receive its Dictates. If you receive not these, stay no longer here to be a scandal to the best Religion, Go rather to the Font where you were initiated and there publicly Renounce and disclaim your Faith. Turn professedly Julian's or Judas' and instead of the Apostles creed take up the lose discourse of the wicked Atheist or blasphemer, as it is expressed in the Second chapter of the book of Wisdom and boasted upon Occasions with a little Variety by our modern pretenders to profane Wit; we are (as the ungodly wretch in that place most Cursedly expatiates) born at all adventures: he means by chance, as if Men were not at all designed or form by the providence of God, and we shall be hereafter as if we had never been. For the breath of our Nostrils is as smoke or (which comes very near the Philosophy of our Modern Atheist) A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little spark in the moving of the heart. Which being extinguished our Body shall be turned into ashes, and our Spirit shall vanish into the soft Air, And our name shall be forgotten in Time and no Man shall have our works in Remembrance. For our time is a very shadow that passeth away, and after our End there is no returning. If you are prepared now to renounce your Religion and to agnize these Aphorisms of Atheism to be the articles of your Faith, If you are contented to be reckoned not with the sheep but with the Goats and to have your portion with these wretches hereafter, you may from the same place take the Counsel of the wicked Reasoner, It is a fit Application for such a doctrine, Enjoy the good things that are present and regard not the world to come. Fill yourselves with costly Wine and Ointments and let none of you go without some part of his voluptuousness, Contemn the laws of God and Nature. Oppress the poor righteous man, spare not the Widow and (which is perfect Hobbisme) Let your strength be the Law of Justice and what is feeble count it little worth. Lay wait for the Righteous Man (The man of great and just principles and resolutions he must be rid out of the way) because he is not for your turn, he will be sure to expose your baseness, to oppose your designs of Villainy and wickedness, Examine him with Despitefullnesse Try him with Contumely, thus know his meekness, thus prove his Patience. Do not only make your scoffs at Virtue, but which are acts worthy a perfect Brave; destroy it and root it out and then fear not to adventure upon any acts of Impiety or Insolence.  
These are the Counsels of the confirmed Reprobate in the second of Wisdom, shame and Woe unto us that this noise should be heard in our streets, that these Counsels should at this day be put in practice among us. And you, my Brethren, if you have not come into the Council of these cain's and Nimrods', if these Theorems of Ranting and Hectoring do yet affright you, if you dare not deny the truth of the Christian doctrine that is not only countenanced by the Analogy of other certain Truths but hath also been confirmed by Miracles from God and gifts of the holy Ghost Then as ye expect the light and life of God ye must live as children of that light, as heirs of that life, ye must profess and practise just contrary to the belief and practice of these reprobated Men: Ye must believe that there is an eternal Wages reserved for Temporal Righteousness, and an everlasting Reward to blameless Souls. And that (for all the Raillery of these blasphemers) Man was not so wonderfully made by chance, Nor born at all adventures, but that God created Man to be immortal, and to be the Image of his own Eternity, as the Author of the book of Wisdom there declares (in confutation of that wicked Reasoning which according the Epicurean Hypothesis he had so lively represented) you are of those my Brethren, that have not as I hope stood in the way much less sat down in the seat of those insolent Scorners at all Religion and Goodness. You believe that our Lord Jesus Christ shall one day come to judge the quick and the dead, when as St Paul writeth to his Colossians, those that have done well shall receive the Reward of an Inheritance, and those that have done wrong shall receive for the wrong that they have done and there shall be no respect of persons.  
Those who have chosen to be patroness and practisers of Atheism and given themselves over to the suggestions of the Evil Spirit and to the Vanity of their own hearts, those who have contemned the Gospel, which as St Paul observes is not hid to any but those that are lost, and slight the Righteousness that is commended to us, though they are lofty now and full of their Grandeur, how will their countenance fall when the sun shall become black as Sackcloth of hair and the moon shall be as blood, and when the stars of heaven shall fall to the Earth as when a figtree casteth her untimely figs. With what boon grace will they carry themselves, when they shall see the Heavens departed, as a scroll that is folded together, and every mountain and every Island (and this of ours among the rest) shall be visib'y moved quite out of their places. St John telleth us what will be their condition at that time who are wanting in Religion and good Manners though otherwise exalted in secular dignity and Estate. Revel. 6.15. The Kings of the Earth and the great Men, and the Rich men and the chief Captains and the bond and the free Men and all that whole Gang of wicked Men and Unbeleivers shall hid themselves in the dens and rocks of the mountains, and shall say to the Mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hid us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. He whose first Advent to us was humble and mean and he that in his passion for us shown the meekness of a Lamb will then appear as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah: He shall then come no more as a Priest to atone for us, nor as a Prophet to Preach unto us the way of life, but then only as a Judge to acquit or condemn us And the man that hath made no advantage of the first advent shall not need to wish the second. There shall be no Place nor means for Redemption then. But the fearful and Unbeleiving and Abominable and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and Liars and other such sinful Men shall have their part in that lake of fire and Brimstone where (whatsoever Socinus or Mr Hobbes have thought to the contrary) the smoke of their Torment shall ascend up for ever and ever and they shall have no rest, day nor night. Those on the Contrary who have believed the Gospel of our Saviour and by the power of their Faith have overcome the Temptations of the world, and so by reason of their Inherent Grace have a title to plead the merits of Christ and his Righteousness for the Remission of their sins they shall inherit all things even all the Glorious unconceivable Happinesses of Heaven.  
To which Kingdom of Glory God Allmighty bring us through all those means and methods that he hath sanctified to that purpose Now to the King of Heaven and to the Lord our Righteousness by whose merits only we have entrance into that Kingdom, and to the Spirit of holiness who can only give us title to those Merits and bring us within the conditions of the Covenant of Grace, to the Whole holy and ever blessed Trinity in Unity be Glory Honour and Adoration for ever.   
FINIS.