Serm. CXXI. asdafcoveY'd1y Nett,úl.èandby Revelation. .Ti 19 lt. The Immortality of theSoul is very agreeable to the natural Notion. which we have ofGod, one part whereof is, that he is effentially good and juft., (r.) For his Goodnefs. It is very agreeable to that, to think.that.God, would make fome Creatures for as long a duration as they are capable of. The wifdom of God hath chofen to difplay it felt, in creating variety of things of different Degrees and Perfe&ions; things devoid of Life and Senfe; and feveral.degrees and ordersoffenfìtive Creatures, ofdifferent Shapes and Figures, of:different mag- nitude, tome valtlygreat, others extremely little, others of amiddle fort between thefe. And himfelf being a pure Spirit, we have no reafon to doubt, but he could make Creatures of a fpiritual Nature, and fuch as fhould have no principle of felf-Corruption in them. And feeing he could make Creatures of fuch Perfè- &ion, if we believe him tobe effentially good, we have no reafon to doubt, but that he bath done fo. For it is the very nature of Goodnefs, to communicate and diffufe it felt, and to delight in doing fo; and we cannot imagine, but that the fame Goodnefs which prompted and inclined him to give Being to thefe, Crea- tures which areofan inferior degree of Perfeftion, would move him likewife,<,go make Creatures more perfe&, and capable of greater degrees of Happinefs, and of a longer Enjoyment of it, if it were in his Power to make fuck ; and noMan that believes the Omnipotency of God can doubt of this. For he who by a pure A& of his Will can command things to be, and in an infiant to Pratt out of nothing, can as eafily make one fort of Creaturesas another. Now the Power of God being fuppofed, his Goodnefs fecures us of his Will: for we cannot imagine any Inch thing as Envy in a Beingwhich we iuppofe to be perfealy good; nothing being more inconfifient with perfe& Goodnefs, than to be unwilling to communicate Happinefs to others, and togrudge that ethers fhould partake ofit, Now this being fuppofed, that God could and would make Creatures of .-s Cui- ritual and immortal Nature, and the utmoft imaginable Perfe&ionsof fuch Crea- tures being Knowledge and Liberty, wherever thefe Perfe&ions are found, we have reafon to conclude that Creature to be endowed with a Principle that is of a Spiritual and Immortal Nature. Now thefe Perfe&ionsof Underftanding and Will being found in Man, this argues him to be endowed with fuch a Principle, as is in its own Nature capable of an immortal Duration. 'Tis true indeed, this fpiritual part ofMan, which we call hisSoul, is united to a vifible and material part, viz. his Body ; the Union of which Parts conflitutes a peculiar fort of Creature, which is utriufque mundi nexus, unites the material and immaterial World, the World ofMatter and ofSpirits. Andas it is very fuita- ble to the Wifdom of God, which delights in variety, that there fhould be a fort of Creatures compounded of both thefe Principles, Matter and Spirit; fo it is very agreeable to his Goodnefs to think that he would defign fach Creatures for as long a Duration and Continuance as they were capable of. For as it is the ef- fe& of Goodnefs tobring Creatures forth into the poffeffìon ofthat Life and Hap- pinefs which they are capable of; fo to continue them in the Emjoyment of it for fo longas they arecapable. The filmof all this is, that as it is agreeable to the Wifdomof God, which made the World, to difplay it felfin all variety of Creatures ; fo it is agreeable to his Goodnefs, to make force of as perfed a Kindas Creatures are capable of be- ing. Now it being no repugnancy nor contradi&ion, that a Creature Ibould be of 'a fpiritual and immortal Nature, we have no reafon to think, but than the fruitfulnefs of the DivineGoodnefs bath brought forth fuch Creatures; and if there be reafon to conclude any thing to be of a fpiritual and immortal Na. tore, certainly the Principleof underuianding and liberty, which we are confclious ofinour felves, deferves to be reputed filch. (2,) It is veryagreeable to the Jufticeof God, to think the Souls of Men, main after this Life, that there may bea fiate of Rewardand Recompence.inano.- ther World. If we believe God to be Holy and Jut}, we cannot but believe that . he lives Righteoufnefs and Goodnefs, and hates Iniquity ; and that as he is Go- vernour.,andpublickMágiftrate ofthe World, he is concerned tocountenance and encourage the one, and todifcountenanceand difcourage the other. Now the Prot vidences of God being ina great Incafure promifcuoufly admihifter'd in this World, y fo
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