366 ije19a monpoftjeZibene 2iííríbutel Chap.I 8 the next Life were fo extravagant, that what thePhila. fopher laid in general of Hope, that 'tis the Dream of wakingMen, is morejuftly applicable to the Hope of the Heathens, in refpet ofthe, future reward. For as the illufions ofa Dream have many times areal Subjet, but environed with fomany fantaftick Imaginations as fpoils all the proportions ofit ; fo their Opinion had a foundation in Truth, but was mixt with many Errours inconfiflent with perfet Felicity. Andas the pleafure of a Dream is flight and vanifhing, fo the uncertain ex- petation ofFelicity did but lightly touch their Spirits. Briefly, they_ no trueKnowledg, nor firmBeliefof Eternal Bleffednefs in the Vifion of God, nor of the endlefs Torments in Hell , and wanting thofegreat Principlesfromwhence the Rules and Power to live in a holymanner are derived, they fell (hors of that Purity which is a neceffary qualification to prepare Men for Heaven. They were in a confufed labyrinth, without true Light or Guide,intangled with miferable Errours, and Bumbled every lepwhil(t they fought after Happi- nefs : But the LordChrift hath inftruéted the World concerningthofe invifible futureRecompences. He bath exprefly threatned what-ever is to be feared by Man as arational or fenfible Creature,the Worm that never dies, and theFire thatfhall never be quencht, in cafe ofDifo- bedience; and he hath promifed what-ever is to be ho- ped for, in cafe ofObedience. The wrath ofGod is re- vealedfromHeaven, in theGofpel,againß allungodlinefs, and unrighteoufnefs of Men. And our Saviour bath z Tim; ti lc. brought Lightand Immortality to light. He hathdecla- red the nature andquality ofEternal Life : That it con- fifts in themoli perfet ads ofour railed and molt recep- tiveFaculties, upon themoti excellent objets ; That it contains perfet Holinefs and pure Felicity, being for everdiftant from the infirmities and defilements of Rom. r. 18. our
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