Let us proceed then to enquire into the Propriety of our either living on still in the prefent State, or being removed into fome other without fuch a Change as Death produces.

As to the former, 'tis plain, that in what State foever Mankind were originally made, they could not have fubfifted always in the prefent World; at leaft, not been fupported in fuch Numbers, as now take their Turn there, and fupply each others Places in fucceeding Generations: the Inhabitants of this Globe then must have been confined to a few, or thefe been frequently removed, both to make room for others, and by way of advancement to themselves, without any of that Pain or Perturbation, Anxioufnefs or Dread, which ufually attends the Conclufion of their prefent Life.How far this might have been the Cafe, had Man continued, as he came out of the hand of his Maker, holy and innocent, we cannot eafily fay; but are very fure, that when this Innocence was loft, when Sin had entered, and evil Habits spread and propagated themselves in the World, Men were neither fit to live on in it as long as they pleafed, nor to be removed out of it in fuch a way as might prove moft agreeable to them; but rather were to be held in a more rigorous State of Duty and Dependence, in order to induce them to preferve themfelves and others, their due time, in Being here, as alfo put them on the moft effectual means of attending to, and making fome Provifion for a better State.

If after a long time spent idly in this World, each of us were fure of being lightly removed into fome other Region, we thould in all probability

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be no more concerned about it, than at taking a Journey into fome foreign Country: Or could we at any time, without either Pain, or the Apprehenfion of any, quit our Abode here, and convey ourfelves to the Realms above, how ready on every flight occafion would each be to difpatch himself or others thither! How rafhly would they rufh into their Maker's Prefence, however unqualified and unprepared to meet him! Or must the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth be obliged to fend his Meffengers (as he did to Elijah) for our Conduct, whenever we may be difpofed to change our Station? How highly indecent and incongruous this! moft unworthy the Divine Majefty, and ill fuited to the Nature of Man: who though he be endowed with large Capacities, confidering whence he fprang fo lately; and placed in high rank in the order of Creatures, fo many Claffes of which are entirely fubject to him; yet is he at his beft Eftate of but a very limited Understanding, and by no means qualified to have the abfolute difpofal of himself, or to be fully let into the manner how he is to be difpofed of in a future State; which if he were at prefent able to comprehend, he would perhaps be like to make no proper ufe of: It may be neceflary therefore to bave fuch a Vail drawn över it, as is done by Death; while Man is fixed here for a time in a ftate of Difcipline and Probation, under general Laws to be forefeen, and in fome Meafure influenced by himself; and of which therefore he may avail himself fo far, as to enjoy a good Degree of Happinefs, as well as fit himself for fome fuperior Station when he shall be called to it. Here he is

first produced, and formed to act a part upon the prefent Stage; a fhort one indeed, but fuch as may in general be fufficient to conftitute a real Character, and lay a juft Foundation for Eternity: then the Scene clofes in fo fevere and folemn a manner, as muft, if any thing can poffibly, alarm him, and excite fome more than ordinary vigorous Endeavours to prepare for his Appearance in the next; which is of infinite Confequence, and opens with a public Trial; when all Perfons shall be gathered from all Quarters of the World, and fland together before the Judgment-Seat of Chrift, at once to receive their final Doom for all Things done in the Body, at what distance of Time foever; and to which their refpective Deaths confign them.

Farther; fuch a Difpenfation as this of Death, however difagreeable, is yet in our prefent Circumftances of great Service, and the Apprehenfion of it abfolutely neceffary for Mankind, confidered either, 1ft, in a State of natural Culture, or of training up for any tolerable Society with one another here; or, 2dly, in order to prepare them for a higher State of moral Happiness, and mutual Fellowship of Saints and Angels hereafter. The frequent Warnings of it are of no lefs ufe to check the enormous Growth of Wealth and Power in any one particular; and thereby cut off the extenfive Views, and curb the hardy attempts of arbitrary and afpiring Men ;-to keep the Balance even among the feveral Orders, more especially the higher ones, and prevent that Tyranny and Oppreffion which would naturally attend the long projected Schemes of overthrowing it; - to re

ftrain the exorbitant Degrees of Vice and Villany in thofe of lower Stations, by the various Terrors of it, and its vifible Infliction; to correct the Sallies of Intemperance and abandoned Luft, by bringing their Effects fo frequently to view ;by being the moft powerful means of breaking wrong Affociations, and reforming evil Habits in general; fince this is the very strongest and most general Alarm raised and collected from all Quarters of our Conftitution';— by putting us upon roufing ourselves from Sloth and fupine Negligence, and recollecting what an uncertain State. we are in;-by preventing our being ever wholly immerfed in the low Cares, and funk under the load of any Croffes and Afflictions of this tranfitory Life;-helping us to raise our Thoughts and Expectations to a better, and enabling us to keep them more intent upon it; to fix our Hearts there, where our real Treafure lies, and whither we are in fo fenfible a manner daily haftening.

• See Dr Hartley's Effay on Man. V. 1. p.466,

In general, to all Mankind Death is no fmall Benefit, as it increafeth the Vanity of all earthly things, and fo abateth their force to tempt and delude; hath a tendency to excite fober Reflections; to induce us to be moderate in gratifying the Appetites of a corruptible Body; to mortify Pride and Ambition; and to give a Senfe of our Dependence upon God. And when Death at too great a diffance was' ⚫ not fufficient generally to gain thefe important Ends, when Mankind abused a Life prolonged near a thousand years to univerfal Excefs and Violence [ Gen. 6. 12, 13.] God was d pleafed, after the Deluge, to vary this Difpenfation, by fhortening our Days, and gradually reducing them to threefcore and ten, or fourfcore years. And if the corrupt Morals of the Antediluvians was the occafion of this reduction of human Life (as feems most probable) then it will be true that as DEATH entered into the World by Adam's Sin, fo the

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These are very obvious moral Confiderations, and feem to be of fome weight towards justifying this branch of the Divine Oeconomy in fuf fering Death, and the general Apprehenfions of it to prevail in fuch a World as ours. Nor are there perhaps others of lefs moment, which make it naturally fit and neceffary for fuch difordered and corrupted Bodies as we bear about us, to be totally diffolved, in order to eradicate thofe Tra ces which may have been formed by irregular and inveterate Ajociations, and which could not o therwise have been reverfed, even on the most fincere Repentance and Refolution of returning to a better Conduct; that fo Sin might not be Immortal in our Bodies, but thefe being molded anew and thoroughly refined and rectifyed, might

HASTENING of Death, or Shortness of Life, entered intọ the World, and came upon all Men, by the Sin of that vicious Generation; and by their Difobedience we are all again fo far made Sinners; not as a Punishment for their Sin; but we may well fuppofe, in Mercy and Goodness: That the wild range of Ambition and Luft might be brought into narrower bounds, and have lefs opportunity of doing mif* chief, and that Death being fet ftill nearer to our View, might be a more powerful Motive to regard lefs the things of a tranfitory World, and to attend more to the Rules of Truth and Wifdom.-Thus I judge of the prefent short• nefs of Life, and we cannot err much, if at all, if we think that God, upon occafion of Adam's Sin, appointed our Life frail, laborious, and forrowful, and at length to be con cluded by Death, not to punish us for another Man's Sin, but to leffen Temptation, and to promote our fpiritual Good: For in feveral Places the Scripture directly affirms, that Affliction and Suffering is the Chaftifement of our Heavenly FATHER; and particularly applies our common Mortality to the forementioned good Purpofes. See Pf. 39. 49.90. Ecclef. 1. 2, &c. Tayler's Script, Doctr, of Orig. Sin, p. 67, &c.

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