gratitude to the highest degree; for the due confideration of it leads on our thoughts to another particular comprehended in our redemption; our having been begotten again thro' God's abundant mercy, unto a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away, referved in heaven for us.

Ir is appointed unto all men once to die; now setting entirely afide the thoughts of what may happen to us after death, the very idea of quitting the prefent life is grievous to human nature. To think that the time will foon come when we fhall have no more a portion in any thing that is done under the fun; when the fun indeed will rife but not to fhine on us; when the ufual bufinefs of the world will be carried on, but with as little regard to us as if we had never been; when the generality of our acquaintance will have intirely forgotten us;

and

"

and thofe whom we now moft love, and who perhaps most love us, will feldom think of us, or if they do, with almost perfect indifference; when all that pleases the eye, charms the ear, and delights the heart, will be withdrawn, and these our bodies which we have fo dearly loved and fo carefully fupported, will be laid in the cold and dark grave, there to become a mafs of corruption, from which even our acquaintance and friends would turn afide with averfion-the food of worms. Alas! who can think of these things without melancholy dread? Who does not need fome affurances of comfort to support his foul under thefe fears of nature? But to imagine further that our very existence will ceafe, and our fouls too die with our bodies, carries with it fuch horror as no one could long endure.

GOD therefore has fo formed our nature, that tho' we cannot but fear death, we cannot at the fame time but hope to live after death, and our reafon is capable of furnishing fome arguments to encourage this hope of nature; but ftill, fear will at times prevail in moft men, and innumerable difficulties occur to ftagger at least if not to filence our reafon. The wifeft and best of the heathen world are evident inftances of this perplexity; at one time they appear convinced, at another full of doubt; at one time fupported by proofs, at another embarraffed by objections; one part of man at leaft, they faw, perished: how neceffary this part might be to the enjoyment, if not the existence of the other, who could prefume to determine? Befides, tho' they might be convinced of living again after their departure out of this world, yet what is that world into which they were to go? Is it a state of more happiness or more

mifery than this?

Is it to last longer ór

fhorter than this?

Is it to be the final determination of our existence, or are we still to go on thro' fucceffive ftates? These are queftions which reafon afks in vain: thefe are apprehenfions which nature suggests, but reafon cannot difpel.

SOME of these apprehenfions of nature we all feel; if we do not feel the rest, we owe this bleffing to our early acquaintance with what he hath taught us, who hath brought life and immortality to perfect light thro' the gofpel; and if we would find a cure for the apprehenfions we do feel, we have only to acquaint ourselves thoroughly with him and be at peace: he will tell us that the bufinefs of this world is only preparatory to more glorious employments hereafter; that its pleasures are not to be compared with those which eye hath not feen nor ear heard; that we are separated

M 2

separated from our friends only to meet them again, more amiable and more endearing; that then all our former love will be renewed, heightened, refined, and perfected; that these very bodies which we lay down in the grave fhall be restored to us again, exalted and glorious; and, what paffes all expreffion and thought, that we shall be transformed to a ftate of perfect happiness, no longer fubject to diminution, nor to interruption from time or change.

BUT to whom are we indebted for these invaluable bleffings? Innocent creatures can claim nothing from God but that their being shall be as good to them as not being, that they shall enjoy as much good as evil: meritorious creatures, were it poffible that any creatures could merit from God, can claim nothing further than that their reward fhall be proportioned to their merit; but that unprofitable fallen and guilty crea

tures