tations are to make Beneficial Impreffions upon us, the more ftrictly are we obliged to the Exercife of them.

The Circumftances of the Refurrecti on do not want to be recommended by the Ornaments of Eloquence; but are in themselves fuch, that, if they are. but Attended to, they will so effectually ftrike upon the mind, as to add very much to that Influence, which the Belief of this Article fhould have upon us. It feems fcarce poffible, that we fhould not be ftrongly Affected with the ferious thoughts of that great and terrible day of the Lord, when we shall fee Him, who took upon him the form of a fervant, that he might Redeem us, † coming in the clouds, with power and great glory; when we fhall fee Him, who was treated with the utmost scorn and ignominy by men upon earth, Attended and Honoured by all the Angels of Heaven; when every particular perfon, by the Divine power Raised from the dead, will diftinctly hear the found of the last

*

Philip. ii. 7.

t Matt. xxiv. 30.

trumpet,

trumpet, fome Signal voice, fummoning all Mankind, from the uttermoft parts of the earth, to the place of Judg

ment.

Thus in the Holy Scriptures, is that Wonderful Scene proposed to our Medi*tations, which will one day be presented to our View. And whofoever is fo Profligate, or fo Thoughtlefs, that he does either Explode, or Neglect the confideration of what God hath thus graciously Reveal'd, for our Advantage, concerning the Circumftances of the Refurrection, may justly dread the Confequence of it.

God

II. Secondly therefore, and more particularly; A ftedfaft Belief of this Article fhould be the foundation of great Fear and Terrour in Habitual finners. Almighty, who gives Being to all things, Capable of happiness, to the end that they may be happy, according to their feveral Capacities, will Raife Wicked men at the last day, with a Defign to make them Miferable. And how Severe must Their torments be, who have so highly provoked God, Infinite in Goodnefs, that

he

he will Reftore them to life for this very purpose, that he may Torment them.

Men of the worft lives are fometimes so Vain, as well as Impatient under AfAlictions, that they do freely wish for Death; as if That would Skreen them from the Vengeance of God, which will but Expose them to it, or, That put a Period to their Sorrows, which is but indeed the Beginning of them. They must not hope for shelter or fecurity from the Grave; which is no more than the Prifon, where they will be confined for a time, and then brought out to Condemnation and Punishment. And in the state of Separation, their Souls will be tortured with exceffive Mifery, and particularly, with the Fearful expectation of that time, when they fhall again, with the utmost Reluctancy and Averfion, be united to their Bodies; that their Sufferings, not yet Complete, though already Intolerable, may be made Equal to those fins, which the fear of fuffering could not prevent.

Fear is indeed an Uneafy paffion; but that Uneafiness fhould be readily Embraced

braced and Indulged, when the Fear of mifery is the means of Avoiding it. And though this be not fo Generous and Excellent a principle of obedience, as the Love of God; yet our Blessed Saviour and St. Paul have proposed it, as an Engaging motive. And wherefoever Reformation of life is One effect of it, the Love of God will certainly be Another. Thus may a due apprehenfion of Danger become the cause of Safety, Fear be turn'd into Hope, and Sorrow into Joy.

III. Thirdly, Those who are fincerely Religious fhould look forward to the Refurrection, as the fountain of Patience and Comfort under all Calamities, and of Refolution and Conftancy under the moft Difficult duties that Religion enjoyns. For the Worft circumstances in the Wilderness will eafily be difpenfed with, if the Promifed land is but kept in view. The Heavieft afflictions, that the Body fuftains here, will appear Light when put into the Balance with its Future Glory. Self-denial will be less troublesome, when attended with cer

certain hopes of the Enjoyments that follow. And 'tis a fufficient encouragement to Mortification, that it is the means of being Raised to eternal Life. Those may very well be Indefatigable in all the duties of Religion, who are Refresh'd with a Conftant and Lively sense of that place, where they shall not only reft from their labours, but receive the Ineftimable Reward of them.

IV. Fourthly therefore and Laftly, Since we shall certainly be raised from Death, we should not propose to our selves happiness in this life, as the End of our obedience. Indeed in the Old Testament, wherein a Future ftate is but Obfcurely reveal'd, Temporal bleffings are very frequently propofed, as an encouragement to the obfervance of God's Commands; but in the Gospel, wherein Life and Immortality are brought to light, they are very feldom mention'd, and are never to be the Principal motive to Religion; unless it can be Imagin'd, that our Hopes and Defires may Terminate in that, which we are forbid to Love. For thus

I