be done, and fuch as calls for our principal, (I could almost fay our whole) Care and Diligence. The great neceffity of which, for more Diftinctness fake, I fhall reprefent in a few Confiderations.

:

And Firft, it highly concerns us to be very careful concerning our final Intereft, because of the valt, the infinite Moment of the Thing. For certainly it can be no lefs, whether a Man fhall be Damn'd or Saved, eternally Happy, or eternally Miserable. No Man certainly that thinks at all, can think this an indifferent Matter; or if he does, he will one Day be fadly convinc'd of the contrary, when he fhall Curfe the Day of his Birth, and with for the Mercy of Annihilation. The lowest Conception we can frame of the Condition of the Damn'd, is an utter Exclufion from the Beatific Prefence of God. And tho' the Non-enjoyment of this be no great Pu nishment to fenfual men in this State and Region of Exile; who perhaps would be content that God fhould keep Heaven to himself, fo he would let them have the free use of the Earth; yet hereafter, when the Powers of their Souls fhall be awaken'd to their full Vigour and Activity, when they fhall have a lively and thorough Apprehenfion of true Happinefs, and of the infinite Beauties of the Supreme Good, there will arife fuch a vehement Thirst, fuch an intenfe Longing in the Soul, as will infinitely exceed the most exalted Languifhments of Love, the highest Droughts of a Fever. The Soul will then point to the Center of Happiness with her full Bent and Verticity, which yet fhe fhall find utterly out of her Reach; and fo full of Defire, and full of Despair, fhe fhall Lament both her Folly and her Mifery to Eternal Ages. And who is able to dwell even with these Ever

Fafting Burnings?

But Secondly, As an Argument for our great Care, we may confider, That as the Interest is great, fo a more than ordinary Care is neceffary to fecure it. And that upon feveral Accounts. 1. Becaufe our Redemption by Chrift is not our immediate and actual difcharge from

Sin, (as fome who are for an ́eafie Chriftianity feem to conceive of it) but only an inftating us into a Capacity of Pardon and Reconciliation, which is to be actually obtain'd by the Performance of Conditions; without which we shall be fo far from being the better for what has been done and fuffer'd for us, that our Condemnation will be fo much the Heavier, for neglecting to finih fo great Salvation. Finish it I mean by fulfilling the Conditions upon which it depends. So that the greatest care and concern is now neceffary, not only that we may be the better for what our Redeemer has done for us, but that we may not be the worse.

2. Because the Conditions of our Salvation, tho' temper'd with much Mercy and Accommodation to Human Infirmity, are yet fo difficult, as to engage us to put forth our whole Might to the Work. A great part of Christianity is very harsh to Flesh and Blood; however to the Habituated Difcipline, Chrift's Yoke may be eafie, and his Burden light. And accordingly, the Path that leads to Life is call'd narrow; and the Gate (tho' open'd by our Saviour) is yet fo ftrait, that we are bid to strive to Enter in at it. And the Righteous fcarcely are fav'd.

Again,because there is a ftrong Confederacy against us among the Powers of Darknets. We have a very potent and malicious Enemy, who envies Man fhould arrive to thofe happy Manfions from whence himself by Tranfgreffion fell, And accordingly, there is a great Woe pronounc'd by the Angel againit the Inhabitants of the Earth, because the Devil is come down among them, having great Wrath. And this is made by the Apostle himself an Argument for more than ordinary Care and Circumfpection. Be fober, fays he, be vigilant, because your Adverfary the Devil, walks about as a roaring Lion, feeking whom he may devour.

Again, Because we haye but a little Time for this our our great Work; and that too very precarious and uncertain. Our Glass holds but very little Sand, tho' 'twere to be all spent, and drawn out in the Running. But there are alfo feveral accidental Impediments that may

intercept its Paffage: And therefore as this was alledg'd as an Argument for Indifferency about the Things of this World, fo for the fame reafon, it concerns us to be eminently careful, in the grand Bufinefs of the Next. He that duly confiders how many perfons Dye fuddenly, how many more may, and that none can Engage for it that he himself fhall not, must needs confefs himself extremely concern'd to improve this fhort, this uncertain Opportunity, this only Time of Probation; and to work with all his Might while 'tis Day, before the Night come, when no Man can Work.

Laftly, It concerns us to use a more than ordinary Care and Diligence in fecuring this our great Interest; because after all our Care and Vigilancy, all our Strictneffes and Severities, we don't know the juft and precife Measures of Qualification; and how much Trimming of our Lamps is requifite, to fit 'em for the Sanctuary of God. For tho' we are well affured in general, from the Terms of the Evangelical Covenant, that if we Repent we fhall be forgiven, yet there is a great Latitude in Repentance; and what Degree in fome Cafes will be available, is a Secret God has kept to himself. For we don't know the full heinoufness of our Sins, nor how far God was provoked by 'em; nor confequently,by what degrees of Sorrow and Amendment he will be appeas'd. And 'tis most certain there is a mighty difference. To Simon Magus 'twas almost a defperate Cafe: If peradventure the thoughts of thy Heart may be forgiven thee, Acts, 8. 22. And fome are faid to be fav'd with fear, and as it were pull'd out of the fire. And we know what the great Apoftle has faid, I know nothing by my felf, yet am not thereby justify'd. All which argues a great Latitude and Variety, even in neceffary Preparation; and how to state the matter exactly we don't always know; and therefore as far as we are able, fhould be fure to do enough; for we may eafily do too little; and can never do too much in, a Matter of fuch high Impor

tance.

From

I

From all which I conclude, First, That thofe who withdraw themfelves (as far as is confiftent with Charity and the profecution of the Public Good) from the noife, hurry and bufinefs of the World, that they may apply themselves more ferenely and entirely to a Life of Devotion and Religion, and more freely and undistractedly Attend upon the grand Concern of another World, act very wifely and prudently. For this is Wifdom, to take a right Eftimate of Things; to proportion our Care to their Value; and to mind that moft, which is moft concerning. This is what the Apofile commends, to lay afide every weight, that we may be the furer to win the great Prize, and fo to run as to obtain. This laftly, is the very Part which Mary chofe; and which our Lord affures us fhall never be taken away from her.

Again I conclude, That all thofe who are either wholly negligent of this their grand Intereft, or that do not principally regard it; and as our Saviour fpeaks, in the first place feek the Kingdom of God; that are more intent upon this World than the next; that will venture to play the Knave for a little Preferment; that make use of Religion as an Inftrument for fecular Defigns: In one word, That in any kind forfeit their great Intereft in the other World, for a little in this, are the greatest Fools in Nature. This Measure I confefs, will take in a great many; and fome perhaps, who would think it a great Affront to be reckon'd of the Number. But it can't be help'd, the Charge is moft unquestionably True; and they themfelves, however conceited of their Wit and Parts now, will once be of the fame Opinion, when they fhall fay, We Fools thought his Life madness.

God grant we may all fo number our Days, and fo compare our two Interefts, as to apply our Hearts to greater Wisdom.

A Me

A Metaphyfical Effay towards the Demonftration of a God, from the Steddy and Immutable Nature of Truth.

How difficult a thing 'tis to demonftrate a God by any new Medium; and how far the prefent Effay may pretend to do so.

1.

I

T has been the curious Employment of fo many and fo excellent Pens to demonftrate the Existence of a God; and this they have done with fuch variety of Argument, Moral, Physical and Metaphyfical, that however eafie it may be to contrive new Poftures, and Ring other Changes upon the fame Bells, 'tis yet almost as difficult to find out an Argument for the Proof of a God that has not been used already, as to refift the Cogency of those that have. So that here, if any where, that of Solomon is more than ordinarily verify'd, The thing that has been it is that which shall be, and that which is done, is that which shall be done, and there is no new thing under the San, Ecclef. 1. 9.

2. The newest indeed that has of late Years appear'd to the World, is that of the celebrated Def-Cartes, taken from the Idea of God, confider'd both abfolutely in its felf, as including all kinds and degrees of Perfection; and confequently, Existence, and as 'tis subjected in the Mind of Man, which (as he contends) could never have had fuch an Idea, were there not fomething which had all that Perfection in it Formally or Eminently, which is in the Idea objectively.

3. Now tho' this Procedure of his be extraordinarily Fine and Subtile, and fuch as (to the first part at least)