A discourse of the Resurrection shewing the import and certainty of it / by William Wilson.

CHAP. III. The Resurrection consider'd, as it is an En∣tring us upon an Immortal Life.

III. I Come now to consider the Resurrection, as it is the beginning of an Immortal Life. We shall not only then begin to live a∣gain, and to live in these Bodies, which Death deprives us of, but to live an Immortal life. 'Tis the great reproach of that Life, we now live, that it is mortal; because by receiving it mortal, we receive it with the mark of God's displeasure upon it: And Mortality does de∣tract so very much from Life, that it leaves us very little Life to boast of. But when we rise again, we shall for ever be freed from that, which is so much the reproach of Life: And the Life, we shall then begin to live, will be the same, that Adam should have lived, had he not brought a Curse upon himself and us; i.e. It will be the Life, that God in our Crea∣tion design'd us for.

Was the Resurrection only design'd to re∣store us the Life we lose, when we die? I mean, just in the same imperfect condition we now enjoy it, we should be apt to rejoyce in it as a Blessing; and to fetch Arguments from thence to lay the Terrours of Death: because it is much better to be in a living than a dead

State: Better is a living Dog, than a dead Lion, saith the Wise-man, Eccles. 9.4. i.e. The most contemptible Creature, that has Life, is in a much better condition, than the most noble, that wants it: For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope; i.e. He that is a∣live, does by virtue of that principle of Life, that is in him, reap much comfort and satis∣faction from a prospect of all the good, he is capable of.

This Notion some have carried so far, as to persuade themselves, that the Damned, who undergo Everlasting Torments, are in a much better condition, than if they were in a state of Annihilation. Because though they live in the most miserable condition, yet they live. And they who live do enjoy some good; whereas they, who have no life, enjoy no good at all. Upon which reason they conclude it is much more Eligible to be, than not to be, and to live, though in the greatest misery, than not to live at all. But I must confess, that I don't apprehend the fineness of this kind of ar∣guing: Neither does it appear, that any Man does set such a value upon Life, as to be con∣tent to live the most deplorably wretched life, so that he can but live. For Misery, when there is nothing to allay it, does spoil the plea∣sure, and take away the very desire of living. But however, such a life, as we now live, is acceptable enough to us, though in the course of it we do meet with many troublesome Cir∣cumstances.

Our sensibility of this we make appear by that daily care we take, and that great expence we are at to find out Remedies to put off Death as long as we can. For though there be vexatious passages in this life, yet we generally feel they are tolerable; or when they swell to a bulk exceeding our strength almost, yet we often see, that the greatest of Temporal Evils are not very long, and upon that account we hope we may out-live them: So that although it was to no better a life than this is, that we should rise again, yet we should be well satisfied with the thoughts of a Resurrection: And the rather, because this is a life, that we are well acquainted with, and know the worst of; and by having made a trial of it, do know how to pass through it with some tolerable ease and comfort.

But yet there is one Evil, that attends this life, which nothing, that we enjoy in it, can make tolerable; and that is the Certainty of Death. So that were we only to rise to a Mortal life, this thought, that we must die a∣gain, would much abate of our esteem of a Resurrection. For the thoughts of a Resur∣rection can never be sufficient to fortifie our Minds against the Fears of Death, if after we are risen again, Death will still take its turn to carry us to our Graves: For in this case there is nothing after Death to bear up our Minds against so great an Evil.

But this is not the Life we shall rise to, but a Life that Death shall have no more power over: This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality; and then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory: O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor. 15.54, 55. And among all the other advantages of that Life, we shall then enter upon, St. John reckons this, That there is no more Death, Rev. 21.4.

But the great Question is, How we can be said to begin to live an Immortal Life then, when the Soul that lives in these Bodies, is an Immortal Principle now, and does not lose its Life by being separated from the Body; but does continue to live, when the Body is re∣turned to Dust? To this I say, that though the Soul be Immortal, and does not cease to live, after it has left the Body, yet the Man, that consisted of a Body and a Soul, does: And the Life that the Soul lives, is not that Life, which a Man by Dying loses. For though the Soul be a principal part of us, yet it is but one part, and the Body is another; and it is in the vital Union of these two parts, that the Life of Man consists. And as it is this Life, that Death deprives us of, so it is this Life that the Resurrection will restore us; And this Life will then begin to be Immortal. It is not the Soul, that will then begin to be Immortal: For Immortality is the privilege of this part

of us, even while it is now in the Body: But the Immortal Life, we shall then begin to live, is the Life we now live only made Immortal: i.e. When the Resurrection has united the Soul and Body together again, this Union will never more be broken. So that an Immortal Soul shall then live in an Immortal Body for ever.

And it is in this sense we are to understand the Scriptures, when they speak of our putting on Immortality, and the Gospels bringing Im∣mortality and Life to light. For if we consi∣der the Immortality of the Soul, that was a Principle acknowledg'd and believed long be∣fore the Gospel was preach'd. So that it can∣not be the making our Souls Immortal, when it tells of our putting on Immortality: Now is it the Soul's Immortality that is brought to light by the Gospel; for that was known long before. But the Immortality and Life, that we owe our knowledge of to the Gospel, is that indissoluble Union of Body and Soul, which will begin at the Resurrection. And now from hence we may observe,

1. That it is then only we shall begin to live. We date our Lives from the time we come into the World, and reckon, that we have lived through so many Ages of our In∣fancy, our Childhood, our Youth, our Man∣hood, and Old Age, when we arrive to three or fourscore Years. This is a Life, that we account very long; and when so many Years

have not drawn it off, we reckon it deserves a great deal of respect and reverence. And yet all this Life, which makes such a noise a∣mong us, and is of such mighty repute with us, is only the Dregs and Relicks of that Life, which the Curse, that is come upon us, has taken from us. That liveliness and vivacity, that belong'd to innocent Man, is sinn'd away, and gone: And the Spirits, that are left us, are the very Refuse and Bottom of what we were once stored with. And because these serve to feed Life, and are not run off some∣times till three or fourscore Years, we persuade our selves, that we live a great while. And yet if we arrive to the utmost length of Life, the truest account, that can be given of it, is this; That we have been so many Years a Dying. For the first step, we take into the World, is toward our Graves. And though we live to see Thousands fall beside us, and Ten thousand at our right hands, before it come nigh us; yet all that can be said of us, is this, That we die a more lingring Death than others.

And besides; a Life of fourscore or a hun∣dred Years is so short, in comparison of that, which is Eternal, that it does not, in the style of Scripture, deserve the name of Life. It is styled Vanity, and compared to a shadow to instruct us; that it has nothing of Reality in it, And when it is once spent, what is be∣come of all those Years, that we are said to

live? Though Man be so strong, that he comes to fourscore Years, yet is his strength then but labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we flee away, Psal. 90.10.

But when the Resurrection gives us Life a∣gain, then it is, that we shall in the most pro∣per sense be born to live. For then we shall receive all that spirit and vigour, that we have lost; so much Spirit, that Eternity shall ne∣ver waste it. And if we account a Life of fourscore Years venerable, how much Reve∣rence ought we to have for a Life, that has no Death at the end of it.

Now this is the Life, we shall be born to, and begin to live, when at the Resurrection our Souls take possession of our Bodies again. And could we but with steadiness enough ap∣ply our Minds to the consideration and mean∣ing of Immortality, this Life would appear so much like a Vapour or a suddain Flash, that gives us no time to consider, whether it be any thing or no, as would abate of that re∣spect and value we have for it. For, 'tis sure, we can then only be said to begin to live, when we begin to feel our selves free from Corruption, and the Approaches of Death.

2. We shall then begin to live that Life, we are appointed to. For a mortal and corrupti∣ble Life was not that, which God design'd and made us for; But it is the Curse, that Sin has let in upon us, the Punishment God has sub∣jected us to for Adam's Transgression: By one

Man sin enter'd into the World, and Death by sin, saith the Apostle, Rom. 5.12. i.e. The Mortal state, we are now in, is owing to Adam's Disobedience. For had not he disobey'd the Command, not to eat of the Tree of Know∣ledge, we had not known what Death meant. In his state of Innocency he was a Probationer for Immortality; and the Law, that threatned him with Death in case of his Disobedience, did implicitly at least assure him of Immor∣tality, if he did not disobey. For it implies, that as while he was innocent, he was not condemn'd to a Mortal condition; so on the other hand, he was not adjudg'd to Immortality; but that Life and Death were set before him to be the Rewards of his do∣ings.

Whether Immortality was a natural Privi∣lege of innocent Man, and the Mortality, that we are now subject to, was a natural Ef∣fect of his Eating the forbidden fruit, or no? i.e. Whether his Body, which was made out of the Dust, was naturally subject to those de∣cays, which at last turn ours into Dust again? Or whether it was so built, that no Time or Age could possibly have impair'd it, if he had not eaten of a fruit, that tainted his Vitals, is a question that we need not much trouble our selves about? For what-ever we believe in this case, yet it is certain, that Mortality and Death, even according to this nice Speculation, came upon him and us by his transgressing the

Law, that upon pain of Death forbad him to eat of such a Tree. Those who suppose he was made Immortal; i.e. That Immortality was conferr'd upon him in his very Creation, do understand no more by the Command not to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, but only a Caution to avoid a fruit, that would kill him of it self. Now as to this matter, it may seem reasonable enough to believe, that a Body, that was not created Corruptible, as Adam's was not, would not have dissolved to Dust again, as ours do, if he had not corrupt∣ed it by sin. For though his Body was made of the same matter, as ours are, yet it was in a far more perfect state. In us the Appetites of the Body are broken loose, and grown ex∣travagant; and the Principles of our Consti∣tution are not so equally pois'd, at to prevent those decays and languishings, which at last issue in Death. The rage of our Appetites of∣ten destroy us, by being the occasion of In∣temperance and Excesses in Eating and Drink∣ing and bodily Pleasures: And the predomi∣nancy of some of those Humours, that belong to our Bodies, is the occasion of Diseases in us, and a natural reason why we die. But while Man was innocent, though he did stand in need of Meat and Drink to nourish and sustain his Body, yet his Food was wholsome, and his Appetites so temperate, that he was in no danger of dying either through the illness of his Body, or by an extravagant Excess. And

since the several Humours of his Body were at peace, the good and sound Constitution of Body, with which he was created, did exempt him from those decays and infirmities, that let Death in upon us. He was, 'tis true, made out of the Dust, as we are, and needed the supports of Meat and Drink as we do: And on that account it is plain, that he was not Immortal, but that there was one way at least, that it was possible for him to die, though not so many as do destroy us. Hunger and a want of food would certainly have kill'd him, as well as it will us, or else there needed not such a provision of food have been made for him in Eden. But yet as he was so well provided for, that there was no danger of his dying this way: So his Body, though formed out of the Dust, was so well built, that Age and Infirmity would have made no Impressions up∣on it.

And besides, we are to consider, that the Ground being not under a Curse, as it is now, his Body could naturally be no more subject to Vanity, than the Earth out of which he was made. For why may we not suppose, that the Earth was not then, what it is now, as it is suited to the Condition of our Mortal sinfull state, no more than it will be the same it is now, when we come out of our Graves to live in that New World, that will be prepared for us, when we have shook off our Corruption. And as the Renovation of our Bodies does re∣quire,

that there should be New Heavens and a New Earth for us to live in: So the Earth, in which innocent Man lived, was such as was proper for him to inhabit. It was not surely such as now it is, since a Curse has come up∣on it for the sake of Man; i.e. Even out of Charity to Man, that he who is under a Curse might have a proper Habitation to live in. And when the Earth out of which Adam was taken, was not subject to the Bondage of Cor∣ruption, under which it now groans, his Body, though framed out of the Dust, was not for that reason to resolve into Dust again.

But though he was not naturally Mortal, neither was he naturally Immortal. For a Creature, that is made Immortal, does not stand in need of Meat and Drink, that he may live; neither could it have been in the power of the forbidden fruit to have kill'd an Immor∣tal Creature; because, what-ever is naturally Immortal, cannot die; And therefore is not in danger of being hurt by Poyson, or the Sword, or any other Instrument of Death. So that it is not good sense to say, He was natu∣rally Immortal, and yet that the Fruit he was forbidden to Eat of could naturally kill him. For what can kill that, which cannot die?

And besides; Why was the Tree of Life planted in the Garden, if Adam was created Immortal? It was not surely for show only, but for use, as all the other Trees, even that of Knowledge undoubtedly were? For though

there was good Reason to prohibit a Tree of Knowledge to a Creature, that was by his own industry and endeavour to improve himself in Knowledge and Vertue; yet perhaps he was at last to have been allowed the liberty of Eating that Fruit as the Reward of his Labour, and for the highest improvement of his know∣ing Faculty, if by Care and Diligence he ap∣plied himself to that which was his great Du∣ty and Business. It is not to be thought sure∣ly, that God planted the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden merely for the hurt of his Crea∣ture, or to become a Temptation to him to ruine himself; but rather for his good, had he waited the time, that God in his Wisdom had appointed to reward him with that fruit, whereby all his further search after Knowledge should have been ended, by having this Wis∣dom and Knowledge, he by his own Industry had acquired, secured and perfected. But when by a hasty step he endeavour'd to gratifie his Appetite of Knowledge by becoming like un∣to God, knowing Good and Evil at once, with∣out any labour of his own, his Appetite be∣came vicious; and his Attempt was such a Breach of the Order, and a Transgression of the Method that God had appointed him, that he denied him the benefit of the Tree of Life, and condemn'd him to a Mortal condition.

And therefore the subtil Serpent, when he tempted Eve to Eat of this Fruit, spoke a Truth, when he told her God does know, that in the

day you eat thereof, your Eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil, Gen. 3.5. He knew the vertue that was in this Tree; and therefore it is said, that when they had eaten, their Eyes were opened, v. 7. But the mischief of the Temptation lay in this, That they were prevailed upon to Eat of it before their time, before they were prepared and qualified for it, or fitted for so great a Be∣nefit as was designed them in it. And there∣fore it was that God turned them out of the Garden, lest they should Eat likewise of the Tree of Life, and live for ever: i.e. Lest they should make themselves Immortal, when by setting their Appetites at liberty they had made their improvements in Vertue more difficult than they would have been; and when in the Condition they were in, Immortality would have been no Blessing. For I don't suppose, that the Tree of Life was planted in Eden to repair the decays of a mortal Body; but that by Eating of it they might be made Immor∣tal, when by a course in Vertue and Piety they were become fit for a Translation to that place, where they should no more need Meat or Drink to support their Lives. And therefore St. John tells us, that in the New Jerusalem, that glori∣ous City, we shall after the Resurrection dwell in for ever; There is the Tree of Life, whose Leaves are for the Healing of the Nations, Rev. 22.2. i.e. Whose Fruit shall make us Immor∣tal, as the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradise,

should have made Adam, had he not disobey'd the Divine Command.

The Sum of all is this; Adam was created in so sound and healthfull a State, that Age and Infirmities could not Naturally have pre∣vail'd over him: But as he was not Naturally subject to Death, so neither was he Created in an Immortal Condition. But Life and Death were set before him; and as he was a Proba∣tioner for Immortality, so God having created him Innocent, left it to his own choice, whe∣ther he would live or die: i.e. Whether by Obeying he would procure to himself, when the time of his Tryal was over, a grant to Eat of the Trees of Knowledge and of Life, or whether by disobeying God he would be debarr'd of this privilege; and instead of be∣ing translated to a state where he should live without Food, as the Angels do, be doom'd to a Life of Sorrow and Labour. So that as Mortality was the Judgment, that came upon him for his Sin; so Immortality was the gift God would have bestow'd on him for his Obedience, had he improved him∣self for it.

This then being that perfection of Life, that God, when he made Man innocent, design'd him for. The Resurrection, 'tis plain, is de∣sign'd to restore us to that way of living, that God in our Creation fitted us for. For al∣though Man was not created Immortal, yet it is plain he was created for an Immortal Life;

because God put an Immortal Principle into these Bodies of Clay, which now are Mortal. For why should he unite two such Principles together, and make it Natural for an Immor∣tal Soul to live in a Body, if he did not design they should live always together? And if this was the way of living, that Man was intended for in his Creation; the Life, that the Resur∣rection is designed to give us, is the same Im∣mortal Life, that we were Created for: For he that over-cometh; i.e. maketh those Improve∣ments in Vertue, as Adam should have done, shall, after he is risen again for the confirming of Life to him, eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, Rev. 2.7. i.e. We shall be made Immortal as Adam should have been.

The Life we now live, which is subject to Diseases and Death, is not the Life, that God gave us; but the sorry Remains of that Life, which he appointed us to. It is only so much as has been left us: But at the Resurrection we shall begin to live like Men. For then our Immortal Souls shall be united to Immortal Bodies. And the Life, we should have lived, if we had never sinned, will then Commence, when Corruption and Mortality, which are the Punishments of Sin, shall be changed in∣to Incorruption and Immortality, which are the glorious Privileges of the Sons of God.

3. We shall then be freed from the Reproach of Mortality and Corruption. The Reproach I call it; for there can be no greater Reproach to a Creature, that was made for Immortality, than to die: And especially when we consider, that Death is the Punishment of Sin, and that we die for our Disobedience to our Creator and Soveraign Lord. In this case Death puts us to open shame in the sight of all the World. We seem to have a Natural sense of the fault, that is the occasion of it, when we lament the Funerals of our Friends and Relations: And the natural dread and horror of Death, that is in all Men, does express a mighty Regret, that such a thing as Mortality and Corruption should belong to us, who have an Immortal Principle within us.

We go out of the World like Criminals; and can any thing grate more upon an inge∣nuous Mind, than to think we die, because we are under an offence, and we condemned to die? And had not our gracious Redeemer born our Shame for us, and appeas'd the Wrath that is come upon us, and made it a more easie thing to enter upon another state, with what shame and horror, with what confusion and disorder can we imagine that our Souls would have crept out of these Bodies? For in this case they would have been dragg'd like Apprehen∣ded Malefactors, to that separate state, whither they go, when they leave the Body, as to a Gaol, over which the Devil has the power:

For, according to St. Paul's Expression, he has the power of Death, Heb. 2.14. i.e. Death would have deliver'd our Souls into his hands, as a condemn'd Criminal is put into the hands of an Executioner: They would have been consigned over to him, who has the power over that State whither Death sends us. And oh, with what Vexation and Anguish would they have been tormented, to think that all this was come upon them by the just Judg∣ment of God! Think with how much shame a Man, that was born to a plentifull Estate, ap∣pears among Men, or is haled to a Prison, when by his Folly he has reduced himself to Beg∣gary and Rags; and the common Reproach of all, that knew him, is, See the Man that has undone himself by his Extravagancies. And how much more grievous would it have been to us, had not Christ by dying and rising a∣gain taken away our Reproach, to have been pointed at by Angels, when we had gone into the other World without the Bodies, that by the Law of our Creation we were appointed to live in? and when we had fall'n under the Power and Dominion of Evil Spirits, to have had it said of us, That we were the Spirits of Men, and had brought our selves into that Condition by our own Folly, and want of Consideration? But Christ by Death has destroyed him that had the power of Death; and by going to the place of separate Spirits, has taken posses∣sion

of it as his own Kingdom in right of his Conquest over the Devil. And the Resurrecti∣on he has assured us of, will free us from our shame: For then Death will be swallowed up of Victory, and we shall appear in the World, and live like our selves again. This will be the day of our Triumph and Joy, when that, which is sown in dishonour and weakness, shall rise in glory and power. And because we go out of this World with the expectation of a Resurrection, we may appear before the Inha∣bitants of the invisible World without any dread or shame, because we shall there live in hope under the protection of a mercifull Re∣deemer.

4. This may inform us of the Difference between this Life, and that we shall then live. We shall live in the same Bodies indeed, but not in Bodies, that carry such marks of disho∣nour and shame in them, as now they do, nor such a Life as now we live. For the great dif∣ference between them is this, That now our Bodies are frail and brittle, and we carry the great valuable Treasure of Life in Earthen Ves∣sels, that are subject to decay; and which ere∣long will be broke to pieces and lose the Trea∣sure, that is put into them. But then they will be purified to a Heavenly frame, and no longer subject to those innumerable Chances, that beat upon, and at last break them down. Here it is only that little scantling of Life,

which Sin and the Divine Wrath have left us, that we enjoy; but there we shall have that full portion, that God in our Creation set be∣fore us, and what through the Redemption of his Son, we are restored to the Hopes of. Here we live subject to a thousand Miseries and Infirmities, and are put to daily trouble to repair the decays of a corruptible Nature; and at last, after all the supports and refresh∣ments of Meat and Drink, or the Remedies of Physick, our Spirits run off, and the Grave becomes our Habitation. But then we shall have a Life, (unless by our own folly we trea∣sure up so much Wrath, as will not suffer us to live, and we our selves carry Misery along with us;) a Life, I say, that no Sorrow shall embitter, no Wants weary and disquiet with Labour and Solicitude, and which will be able to sustain it self for ever without any of those Succours and Remedies, that our present Ne∣cessities call for. There will be none of that thoughtfulness for to morrow, which now of∣ten breaks our Rest, and embitters our Lives; no sweating for Bread to maintain Life; nor any of those Anxieties, which here the fears of losing, what we have, do perplex us with. For there the Reason of all this will be taken away, because we shall then enter upon a World replenish'd with all, that Humane Na∣ture can desire; and the Life we shall live, will have none of those Exigences, that suppose im∣perfection in us.

That which makes this Life so full of vexa∣tion and sorrow is the Curse that is come upon our selves, and that which is come upon the Earth for our sakes. For it was but fit, that the Earth should be changed, when Sin had alter'd the Nature of us, that were to live upon it. And since a Mortal and Cor∣ruptible Creature must live a Life of Sorrow and Labour, it was requisite the Earth should be despoiled of that fertility, that gave inno∣cent Man an easie Maintenance, and be Cur∣sed to bear Briars and Thorns for a Creature, that was to fetch his Food out of it with Sweat and Sorrow. Now what wonder is it, that the Life of Man, which is not to be su∣stain'd but by his own Labour, should begin to be over-run with Cares and Solicitudes, when that fertility which fed him with Ease, began to leave the Earth; and instead of the Fruits of Paradise, he saw Briars and Thorns spring up all about him. 'Tis Natural when our Bread fails, and we see a scarcity of Pro∣vision begin to appear to have our Cares heightned, and our Heads fill'd with Thought∣fulness. So that our Solicitudes and Anguish for the things to sustain Life, are but like the scramblings of Children, when they are a∣fraid the things they value, should all be snatch'd from them. For when the Earth be∣gan to fail Man of that plentifull and easie Provision, with which in Innocency he was

fed; it is no wonder that, like Men afraid, lest the whole World should fail us, our Desires grew impatient, and made us restless and thoughtfull.

But now in the other World, when we live again, we shall not want the things that are needfull to us now; and all that we shall need to make that Life perfectly Happy, will be abundantly provided for us. Then the Curse, that took away our Blessings, will it self be taken away; And the New Heavens, and New Earth, that God will then create, will no more be an occasion to us of those vexatious Solicitudes, that the Poverty of this World begets in us, than any Exigencies in our Nature will. We shall rise with Bodies renewed; i.e. Freed from all the ill Conse∣quences of our first Apostasie, and we shall live in a World renew'd too; i.e. Freed from the Effects of that Curse, that brought forth Briars and Thorns in it; I mean, which is the Cause of all the Miseries and Sorrows of this Life. For they who shall be accounted wor∣thy to obtain that World, and the Resur∣rection from the Dead, can die no more, for they are equal unto the Angels, Matt. 26.36. What that means, we cannot tell, because it is little, that we know as yet of the state and condition of the other World. But this it teaches us, That we shall be Immortal, and live just such a Life as they do: Not such a

Life of Labour and Toil and Misery, as now we do, because the Curse, that is the cause of it, will then be taken off.

5. Let us consider how much Reason we have to prepare our selves for another Life. Life is so valuable a thing to us, that we judge it worth all the tiresome Journeys we take, and the irksome Labour we are at to lay up something for the sustaining of it. 'Tis for the sake of Life that we even chuse to Drudge our Bodies in continual Toil, and to expose Life it self to very great Dangers. For had we none of those wants, that put us to pain, and create Thoughtfulness in us, could we live without Labour and Industry, we should chuse to sit still and to enjoy Life with ease.

And if we are content to undergo so many Hardships for a Life, that is Mortal; if we believe there is a Necessity upon us to follow our Callings, and to be intent upon our world∣ly Interests, that we may provide those Ne∣cessaries of Life, without which we shall cer∣tainly die; and which when we have them, will not long preserve the Lives, we labour for: With how much greater care ought we to lay up for the Life to come, a Life that nothing can destroy but our own Folly and Negligence? Do we judge him an improvi∣dent Man, who takes no thought at all for to morrow; but expects that Providence with∣out

his own industry and fore-cast should sup∣ply his Necessities? And do we make no Re∣flections upon our own foolish Improvidence, when while we are thoughtfull, and labour for food and raiment to preserve a Life that we must part with, we leave all the care of an Immortal Life to the Goodness and Mercy of our heavenly Father without any serious Considerations, what we are to do to qualifie our selves for it.

Immortality is, 'tis true, the Gift of God; and all that at last he bestows it upon, must acknowledge, that it is owing to his Goodness and Mercy. But he has no-where told us, that he will give it to those, that are unwor∣thy of it. St. Paul tells us, That it is to those, who seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, that he will give Eternal life, Rom. 2.7. And in this consists his Revealed Mercy, that he will raise and give Life again to a Creature, that his Justice takes away Life from. But then it behoves us to take care, that when we have it, we don't lose the Benefits and Ad∣vantages of it: And by neglecting those Im∣provements, whereby we are to prepare our selves for it, to put us out of a condition of living happily, when we have it.

'Tis Holiness alone can qualifie us for a glo∣rious Immortality; and this we may be sen∣sible of, because the Mortality and Misery we now labour under are the fruits of Sin.

And there can be no way to make our selves Immortal and Happy, but by abandoning that which at first made us Mortal and Mise∣rable. So that if we still go on to corrupt our selves by the illess of our doings, though we do rise again after Death, Misery will fol∣low us; and a more dreadfull Condemnation than that which in Adam we fell under, will come upon us.