Mark

xxii. 14. Blessed are they which do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life. the phrase, they have a right to the trea of life, by being in this ftate, by being in this temper, reconciled to the divine law.

2. From the judgment of God, and thofe declarations which he hath made of himself in the fcriptures; which every where declare, that he will render to every one according to right. Rom. ii. 6, 7, 8. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, feek for glory and immortality, eternal life, But to them which do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteoufnefs, indignation and wrath. So that in this cafe God doth not ufe an arbitrary, power, or do that 'which is not fuitable and agreeable to the reafon othings; but that which is fit in itself, and doth naturally follow, every way fuitable and correspondent to the reafon of things and the right of the cafe. It is but juft and fit that thofe who live in an evil fpirit, and exercife themselves in ways of wickednefs, that thefe fhould be miferable. So far are they mistaken, who think that men in a way of evil and fin, might be happy, if God pleased: for this cannot be there is a repugnancy in the cafe; wickedness cannot but end in mifery. And on the other fide, it is natural for goodness to bring men to happinefs. An evil-doer, unless he repent, comes not within a capacity of becoming happy; but by repentance, his state is recoverable: but, faving in this way, it is neceffary that he should perish. fhall now make an inference or two.

1. Then

I

1. Then let men look well to their mental difpofitions, and to their moral actions: this is of a mighty ufe in religion, to understand the true notion of moral actions. All thofe are moral actions which ought to be governed by the reason of the mind and understanding; fo that you exclude acts of non-attendancy, as if a man, when he is earneft in difcourfe, fhould take up a ftraw, without any confideration this were the action of a man, but not an human action: for he doth not attend to this, nor ought to do it. But that which he doth attend unto, and is an action of reafon and judgment, this is a moral action; and every fuch action either is an action of virtue or fin: for if it be voluntarily committed, contrary to the right of the cafe, it is down、 right finful. Or if a man be careless and negligent in what he doth, it may be finful, because it did not proceed from the judgment and understanding, directing and governing a man's will and choice. And this we may take for granted, in divinity from all the moralifts, as well heathens, as others; in this explication we have the confent of all the world. For though there may be things in their kind, of an indifferent nature, yet, when they come to be in particular, they are either good or evil, as they proceed from the judgment and understanding, and liberty of the will. Only we do exclude actions that are merely natural, and of non-attendance, as concoction, diftribution, and the like: these are not subject to the government of mind and underftanding and therefore there is no morality, or immorality in these actions. Men in walking toge

ther

ther, are not guilty of fin by looking backward, or forward, being intent upon difcourfe; for that is but by the by; but what they fay one to another ; what they engage in, and undertake; how they behave themselves towards one another; for thefe things they are accountable; because herein they do well or ill. Thus having taken a liberty to make an explication of moral actions, and to free it from actions purely natural, and of non-attendance; let us therefore look well to all moral motions, because thefe are the foundation of our future condition. For though a moral action be in itself tranfient, as any other action is, yet it hath a virtual continuance; as you fee a felon, if he be taken many years after the fact, he may be arraigned and fentenced, as well as if he had been taken immediately upon the fact. And therefore, though the action pafs away with time; yet there is a continuation of it, and will hereafter be the foundation of reward or punishment. The pfalmift faith of good men, they have difperfed, they have given to the poor ; their righteoufnefs endured for ever, their horn fhall be exalted with honour, Pfal. cxii. 9. But for a finful action, there is no other way to make it null, and void, but by repentance; and he that doth not repent, may be said to live in it, to stand to and justify it: and being in the same spirit, and temper, will do the like again, if he have opportunity. Neither can we expect from God, that he should forgive any inan's fin, that joins impenitency, and contumacy to it. Therefore it is highly advisable for us, not to do that upon any temptation whatsoever, that will

bring us to mifery if we do not repent and revoke it. Tho' it is true indeed, the penitent may fay, I am not the man I was; I am not of the same mind and spirit I was; and were that to do again that I have done, I would not do it for ten thousand worlds.

DISCOURSE XX.

The true Valuation of MAN.

LUKE xvi. 25.

But Abraham faid, fon, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedft thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

2.

W

E from what hath been faid, learn may how much they deceive themselves who hope to be hereafter in another flate for kind, than they are here. I acknowledge, we shall be all in another state for degree; but verily, we shall be all in the fame ftate for kind. He that is in a good Spirit, reconciled to God, and the rule of righteousness, shall most fully harmonize with the nature, mind, and will of God, and with the rule of righteousness, goodness, and truth. But he that is in the Spirit of the devil, and filled with malice, hatred, rancour, and ill-will, fhall have more of the fame.

For

For you read in the Rev. xvi. 9. that they in mifery blafphemed God which hath power over these plagues. À man in the other state, will be more of the fame, or the fame more intenfely. Those that are in happinefs, will be more fully, according to the nature, mind, and will of God, in more perfect reconciliation with him, more perfectly fubject to his will, and full conformity to him; will find no difficulty to comply with him. For it is the fame thing we call grace and holinefs here, and happiness hereafter, when God fhall be all in all. And because this is a mighty truth that I have infifted upon, I will fhew it you from divers fcriptures, which will warrant all that I have faid, Matt. xvi. 27. For the Son of man fhall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works, Pfal, lxii. 12. Unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy for thou rendereft to every man according to his work. Rom. ii. 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds. To the like purpose, you have 1 Pet. i. 27. Rev. xx. 12. 13. Rev. xxii. 12. God will bring every work into judgment, Ecclef. xii. 14. Rom. ii. 16. 2 Cor. v. 10. Every man fhall be judged according to that which he hath done in the body. From the words of the text, I shall observe briefly two things more.

First, That worldly profperity is no certain fore-: runner of future happiness; for this is a thing heterogenial, and is from diftinct and quite other caufes. The providence of God which governs the world, and the laws of the kingdom of Chrift, are quite differing things. And we expect happiness VOL. I. according

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