Vol. II. Thus they ran, thus they conquered; this was the Influence which the Joy and Crown fet before them had upon them. Nor is this to be wondred at ; What can raise us above the Body, and above the World, if a Heaven cannot ? what can make us fet loose to Tranfitory things, if the Affurance of Eternal things cannot ? O bleffed state ! wherein my Understanding shall be advanced from this Childhood, as St. Paul fpeaks, Cor. 11. into Manhood, wherein my Will fhall be for ever moved by the brightest Flame of Seraphick Love, and my Body be a Spiritual and Immortal one, bearing the Image of our Lord from Heaven. O bleffed ftate! wherein I fhall Converse with Angels and Angelical Men, that is, with Wisdom, Love and Beauty ; wherein mine Eyes fhall behold the King of Glory in dazling and ravish ing Perfections; wherein, in a word, I fhall enjoy infinite more than the Heart of Man can conceive; all that is defirable and good, all that is great and lovely, all that Angelical Faculties are capable of, and shall enjoy it fecurely to all Eternity. While you reflect on these things, I am confident

that

that no way can seem rugged to you Vol. II. which leads to fuch an End; no Hardhip, no Self-denial, can feeth unreasonable to you, which will be thus rewarded. But there are feveral things which weaken the force of this Motive which I must briefly refute. Such are

1. Our Faith is weak, and we look upon this as a Matter we are not very certain of.

2. This Bleffedness is in Reversion, hot Poffeffion.

3. 'Tis too refined and spiritual.

i. We are not very thorowly perwaded that there is fuch a State; it is very strange to remark, how those who are willing to take up with any appearance of an Argument against Vertue and Religion, are content with no Arguments, no Proofs, how folid foever for it; and they that are content to build their Hopes and Projects for this World, on very uncertain Grounds, demand nothing lefs than Demonstration, and if it were poffible of Sense, with respect to another. Did I think I were to addrefs my felf to the Carnal and to the Worldly here, which I hope I am not, how natural were it N 2 for

Vol. II. for me to fall into this Expoftulation. Do you, who trade in nothing but Uncertainties, object Uncertainty against the Life to come? how unreafonable is this Objection in your Mouths; uncertain Honour, uncertain Pleasures, uncertain Profit, uncertain Friendship, and all built upon a Life more uncertain than the rest, is the Traffick, the Business, the Defign of fuch as you. To these things you Sacrifice your Reft, your Peace, your Honour, your Vertue, your Health, your Reputation,your Bodies and your Souls. And after all this Coft and Travel, 'tis uncertain whether you fucceed in what you aim at; and infinitely more uncertain how long you shall poffefs it: you then that venture fo much upon an uncertain World, will you venture nothing upon a Heaven, though there were fomething of Uncertainty in it: But, O fools, and flow of heart, to believe all that the Prophets, the Son of God, and the Apostles have Spoken; is it still uncertain, whether there be a Reward for Vertue, and a Punishment for Vice, after all the Proofs that God has given us? Is it uncertain that there is a Heaven, when

Christ

Chrift came down from thence, on pur- Vol. II. pose to affure us that there is one? Is it uncertain that Chrift fuffered for our Offences, and rose again for our Juftification? then is it uncertain,whether there be fuch Rites as Baptism and the Lord's Supper? Whether there be such a Custom among us as keeping the Lord's day holy? nay,whether there be fuch a Religion as Christianity profeffed amongst us? for 'tis evident almost, even to demonstration of Sense, that the latter are neceffary Effects of the former, and that the one could not fubfift without the other, is it uncertain whether there fhall be a Refurrection of the Dead? Then is it also uncertain, as St. Paul argues, whether Christ be rifen; and if fo, then were the Apostles false Witneffes of God; and then were they not only the most miferable, but the most stupid of all Men; for then, as they did propose nothing to themselves in this World, but Shame and Sufferings and Death, fo they could propose to themselves nothing in another, but the Punishments due from a juft and Holy God to vile Impoftors. A profound and fubtle Imposture doubtless this! and great

N 3

Vol. II. great Masters they were of Reason above other Sons of Men: who can discover it! for a handful of poor ignorant Men to cheat the whole World, the Learned and Unlearned, the Subtle and the Simple, the Mighty and the Mean, to cheat them, I fay, into Wifdom and Goodness, Vertue and Happiness, and this at the Expence of their Fortunes, Reputation and Blood in this Life, and Damnation in another.

To conclude, If Chrift be not af cended up on high, then was not the Holy Ghost shed forth upon his Followers; and if it were not, then were the Apostles not only the most fensless, but the most impudent, flagitious Wretches that ever breathed; and all that believed them were ftupid and infatuated to a degree that Humane Nature, as corrupt as it is, feems utterly incapable of? for no one can conclude lefs, if he read the Epiftles of St. Paul, and the other Apostles, particularly the Twelfth and Fourteenth Chapters of 1 Corinth, for in all these they make miraculous Gifts the proof of our Saviour's Afcenfion and Glory, the diftinguishing Character of Difciples and Children of God, the Pledge and

and