of Happiness, in Indolence or an infenfible State, which is a neceffary Confequence of fuch a Deftruction. And then, fince good Men are not reprieved from an immature Death, being no lefs fubject to Sickness, Dangers, and Violence; what an horrible Confufion of Justice would it be, that both Good and Bad fhould undergo the fame Punishment, and not be diftinguished in their End? Or if the Punishment of the Wicked fhould be placed in infupportable Torments, continual Croffes, and dreadful Pains; what a flight Matter would this be to an infinite Guilt, which defervedly calls for eternal Torments?

The greatest Aggravation of the Pains in Hell will be, that the Wicked will be affured they shall have no End, and will be thereby caft into the most extreme Despair: Whereas in this Cafe the Sinners would comfort themselves with the hopes of approaching Death, which may end their Torments and their Life together. Nay, they will be able to rescue themfelves from Punishment, and escape the Divine Anger, by laying violent hands upon themselves; which they will not fear to do, when not awed with the Terrour of any enfuing Punishment after Death. And after all, Punishments in this Life can only respect precedent Sins; how then fhall a Sinner fatisfie for thofe more dreadful Sins, which will efcape him in the midst of his Pains; fuch as Blafphemy, Malice, and Unrepentance?

repentance? Shall God fuffer thefe to go unpunished, or not rather referve them to Judgment in another World?

But if Judgment cannot worthily be executed upon Sinners in this World; much less can the Righteous receive the recompence of their juft Deeds therein. What Happiness can be bestowed upon Man in this mortal Life, worthy either the Supernatural Gift of God, or conftant Endeavours of Men? Is it Riches or Profperity, fenfual Delights and temporal Conveniences? Alas! that God fhould conferr' no more noble Reward on his Servants and Followers: That for fuch Trifies only we fhould employ all the Faculties of our Soul and Body in a careful discharge of our Duty, and univerfal Obedience to the Divine Laws: That after our Labour and Study to procure the Pertection of our Nature by Vertue, Holiness, and Obedience, we fhould attain no other Reward, than what even brute Beasts are capable of, the Satisfaction of our Senfes and Eafe of our Bodies. Or if any voluptuous Perfon fhould be found fo degenerous as to place his utmoft Felicity in thefe carnal Enjoyments; he would fall infinitely fhort of his defigned Satisfaction, although heaped with all the temporal Bleffings of Heaven and Earth. The conftant thoughts of his approaching End, which may be deferred, but cannot be removed, will imbitter all his Pleafures, create a continual difquiet, and

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torment him with perpetual Fears. And then what an inconfiderable Happiness is that which an Ague or a Fever, a Mistake or a Casualty, may destroy?

So foolish is it for a pious Man to expect or defire the Completion of his Reward in this Life: And yet much more, if we confider that it would be as well impoffible, as unreasonable to exercise the most noble, and pleasing Acts of Vertue and Religion in fuch a State. If Riches and Profperity. were entailed on Juft Men only; there would be no room left for the exercise of Patience and Conftancy under Affliction; no occafion for Charity and Contentment; in a Word, all the Beatitudes of the Gospel would be deftroyed. What greater Demonftration of Religion can there be, than to conquer all the Temptations of the Flesh, and despise the Pleasures of the World? Yet this would then become not only indifferent, but even unlawful: Being in that Cafe a Renunciation of the Supream Happiness, and relinquishing the affigned Reward by God. What more certain Manifeftation of an ardent Love of God, than to lay down our Lives for his fake, or at least to forego all worldly Poffeffions when called to it? Yet this would be then no lefs foolish than impracticable; when God fhould fuffer no Perfecutions to arise, and dispense no Rewards after Death. It would then in Wisdom concern every Man to continue his Life and VOL. I.

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Poffeffions by all poffible means, and overlook all Interefts ftanding in Competition with them. Charity to miferable Perfons would be unlawful; for to the Good, who fhould be free from all Calamity, it would be unufeful; and to fhew it to the Bad, in whom Mifery were a Punishment, would be to reverse and overthrow the Sentence of God.

Nay, to proceed yet farther, no Vertue or Vice, Obedience or Difobedience to God, would then take place. For no Vertue is acceptable, no Obedince deferveth any Reward from God, any otherwise than as it is a free Act of our Soul, ftruggling with the Temptations of the World, the Flefh, and the Devil, or its own corrupt Inclinations; as it includes fomewhat of difficulty in it, fomewhat which evidenceth a mature Choice of right Reafon prevailing over the oppofition of Lufts and Paffions. Whereas if Rewards and Punishments be executed in this Life, nothing will be left wherein Free-will may interpofe, all will indifferently ftrive to be Good; and it will be no lefs difficult then to be Wicked, than it is now to be Pious; when the Commands of God, and the Temptations of the World and the Flefh fhall draw the fame way; and the means to gratify our carnal Defires, will be to yield our felves up to the Obedience of God. What wonder will it be if Men then ferve God, when it is even their

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Temporal Intereft; and believe him to be a Righteous Judge, when their own Senfes permit them not to disbelieve it? So that while the Nature of things remain, while the Notions of Good and Evil continue, while a real difference between Vertue and Vice is maintained, and room left for the laudable exercife of Free-will; we cannot judge it poffible or expedient, that the Fi nal Sentence of God upon all Men should be executed in this Life.

I will add but one Confideration more, which is, that Punishments cannot be in'flicted on Wicked Men in this Life, without making Good Men at the fame time miferable. It would be highly unreafonable to expect from God the benefit of a conftant Miracle in favour of Good Men, which may rescue them from the common Calamities of Peftilence, Sword or Famine. Or if fo great a difcrimination could be allowed, Good Men would neceffarily be invol ved in the fame Sufferings by their Compaffion, by the Lofs and Torments of their deareft Friends and nearest Relations, who being tormented for their Sins in this Life, would interrupt all the Pleasures of Pious and Compaffionate Men by their Shrieks and Clamours. It is impoffible to conceive what a Scene of Horror the Earth would then be, if God fhould choofe to execute his Vengeance upon sinners in this World. What a Face of Cruelty and Defolation would then P 2 appear!