faith of things future, and were refolved in our minds of the reality and certainty of them, we would do in fpirituals, proportionably to what we do in temporals.

This is the great point of wisdom, and should be the over-ruling principle of life, to fubordinate all to the end, to serve the intereft of our fouls in eternity, of all affairs and transactions of time. For what exchange for the foul loft? Matt. xvi. 26. And the redemption of the foul ceafeth for ever, Pfal. xlix. 8.

It were incredible, but that we have too great experience of it done; that men fhould frequently force themselves, abuse their spirits, confound judgment of good and evil, lay waste their confciences by departure from the modefty of human nature, and the holy rule of life, in answer to every call, to gratify humour, comply with fancy, fatisfy luft, to live (as licentious perfons phrafe it) freely in the world; whereas there is fo great confequence of all moral motion; and also men, by the use of themfelves, frame themselves into a conftitution and fpirit and by their prefent determination, affectation and choice, lay foundation of a state to continue in another world, not confidering that an habitual difpofition is a fettlement not easily altered, a fortification not fo foon demolished, a poffeffion of tedious and difficult recovery by way of ejectment; which when it is done, a long course must be run, of law and reafon. Matt. i. 2, 29. Strength, armed in poffeffion, maintains itself against oppofition and attempt, and commands all within doors into obedience. Nor

is it easy to set on foot contrary practice.

In fuch a cafe, when men by bias and inclination are contrary bent, and confirmed by ufe, and custom; against which a refuge of lies, (tho' too many betake themselves to it) fudden remorfe of confcience, not ingenuously wrought, but enforced by the pain of a disease and sickness, a colourable repentance on a death-bed, when the pleasures of fin can be no longer pursued, may feem too weak, and not leisurely enough to prevail.

This indeed men reckon upon, to compensate for their ill fpirits and lives, but it hath little fatisfaction of reafon in it; and indeed, men in love with fin, do but dally in point of amendment, are not deliberate or ferious, and fo lay ftrefs fondly.

3. Then it is fairly knowable in this fiate, and by fomething thereof as a foregoing participation or fign, what our state and condition, for fort and kind, will be in the world to come.

For in this world, God doth erect a stage, bring creatures thereon, prepare materials, lay a foundation: hereafter he will not fall on a new creation, and abolish this; nor do altogether a new thing in kind, when he removes his great and large family into the other world; but will do the work of another day upon, and concerning the former fubject.

We will take the reprefentation of his work from fcripture. He will gather his wheat into his garner, and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, Matt. iii. 12. which in the fulness of it, is done in the upfhot of his kingdom; however in degree, it may begin before.

He

He will fort the good feed and the tares which grew in his field, by his permiffion, and patience till harvest; receiving his grain into his barn and remitting the tares to be burnt, Matt. xiii. 30.

He will take cognizance of his guests, rejecting those who trust themselves in, not having a wedding garment; entertaining those that are fitted, and fuitably clothed: Matt. xxii. 13, 4.

He will admit the wife virgins with their trimmed lamps; and fhut the door against the foolish, then found unprovided, and to feek, as we have it, Matt. xxv. 10, 12.

He will reckon with the trustees of his talents, and receive good and faithful fervants to the joy of their Lord, but caft the unprofitable into utter darknefs, Matt. xxv. 23, 30.

He will make difference, by everlasting punishment and eternal life, upon the account of neglect, and fervice, Matt. xxv. 46.

In all which variety of representations, we have an uniform relation both of ground and proportion : which doth fettle, and afcertain the reference of time to eternity, and of the state of the one respectively to the other. For we may observe, that he ftill goes upon what was before, and according to the difference of the fubject. Which alfo in fcripture not clothed with allegory, is clearly declared. 2 Cor. v. 10. We must all appear before the judgment feat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether good, or bad, 2 Theff. i. 8. The Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in

flaming

flaming fire; taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall be punished with everlasting deftruction from the prefence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his faints, and to be admired in all them that believe. And this to do, is faid to be a righteous thing on God's. part, and a worthy and fitting thing to be done on man's part, v. 5, 6, 11. For the state of the subject, the reafon of the things, ground and proportion are indifferently observed. Which being fo, we may have a fore-fight of things future, from what we now are, and feel; whereas, of things perfectly new and never before, or altogether arbitrary and fubject to will, there can be no fore-knowledge arifing from ought of the things themselves.

4. Then let us have faith and patience to go through the world withal; for the day draws on apace, for the ftating and rectifying of things; the proportioning of recompence and reward to action, and the compleating and confummating what is weak and imperfect for the prefent.

He is unreafonably impatient, and hafty, who will not stay and expect the feafon of the year, and what that brings; but mutters and complains of injury, and hard measures, because he cannot have harveft in feed-time.

Tho' an inheritance fall to a perfon not at years, or a parent will by benevolence to his child, antevert his own decease, and prepofterously make him heir per voluntatem before-hand, who is to be per naturam in fucceffion (as Charles the V. king of Spain

and

and the Netherlands, diftinguifh'd in his fpeech to his fon Philip, when he furrendered his kingdom's to him, having before furrendered his empire of Germany to his brother Ferdinand) yet the general law which in common looks at particulars, and only aims at minors advantage and fecurity, admits not an undoubted heir at law, the power, or liberty of difpofe in his incomplete ftate, left thro' immaturity, or inexperience, he consent to what after-wisdom would choose to have otherwise. Neither is this remora, or detention efteemed matter of tyranny, or a grievance, but meets with equal compliance, being a provision of security.

Scriptures and experience of ages fhew us, that ingentia dei opera magnam patiuntur moram. God takes a large compass to bring about his great works. Shall not we acknowledge God's priviledge, and yield to his pleasure, by being content to stay till the time appointed of our heavenly father, Gal. iv. 2.

'He deals very unequally with God, from whofe goodness and bounty we expect all things of faith and hope, for matter and substance; who will not permit to his liberty, circumftances of time and place. We are wont to fay, to perfons who gratify us, take your own time and we stay with patience, and receive with kind acceptance.

:

I doubt not, but as God in the world of nature, hath fitted one thing to another, as the wife man obferves, Eccl. vii. 14. whereby vanity, deformity and ineptitude to the end are excluded, which might extend to the maker's reproach, as failing in skill, or goodness; fo will he alfo in the intellectual world

of