The Immortality of the Soul. ~ reward. Por, firO:, beftdes the inward- fatisfuCl:ion that naturally refults from the praChap- Ir. cbfe of Venue, there is an excellent _Good, thatisproperlythe reward of the fupream ~ Governour of the World. We have an example of this inHumane Jullice, which i• an Image of the Divine.. Forthofe who have been eminently ferviceable to ~he State, beGdes rhe joyful fenfe anfing from the performance of Heroick ACtions for the good of their Country, are rewarded by the Prince with great Honours and Benefits. 2. This inward Joy is not here felt by all Holy Perfons. In this militant O:ate, after vigorous · refill:ance of carnal Lu{(s, they may change their Enemies, and be a1bulted with v.io~em Fears, and inf1ead of a fweet calm and fcrenity fall into darknefs af.ld ctlnfufion. The Soul and Body in t he prefem conjunCl:ion mutually fympathize. As two things that arc umtons, 1f one be roucht and moves, the other untoucht, yet moves, and trembles. The 11 caufe is from the Vibration the found makes in the Air, and impreffes on folid Bodies, moving them according to the harmonious proportion between them: Thus the Soul and the Body are two O:rings temper'd to fuch a correfpondence, that If one be moved, the other refents by an impreffion from it. If the Body be Sanguine, or Cholerick, or Melancholy, the Soul by a O:range confent feels the motion of the humors, and is altered with their alterations. Now fome of excellent vertue are oppreft with Melancholy. Others are under fhong pains that diO:urb the free operations of the Mmd, th1t 1t cannot wtthout fupernatural O:rt ngth delightfully contemplate what 1s a JUfl: mauer ofcontent. The StOical Do&nne, that aw1fe Man rejoyces as well in torments, as in rhe midfl: of \l pleafures, that 'tis not in the power of any External evil to draw a Sigh or Tear from him, that he is fufficent in himfelf for happinefs; is a Philofophical Romance of that fevere Sefr, an excefs unpral.ticable, without Cordials of a higher Nature than are compounded by the faint thoughts of having done what is agreeable toReafon. All theirMaximsareweak fupports offuch triumphant Language. 'Tis true in a Body diforder'dand broken with Difeafes and Pains, the Mmd may be ereCt and compos'd, bm ' tis by vertue of Divine Comforts ftom the prefent fenfe of God's Favour, and the joyful hopes of Eternal felicity in his Prefence hereafter. 3· Thofe who fuffer the Jofs of ~ll that is precious and dear in theWorld, and witha chearful confidence fubmit to Death, that, lingly conlider'd, is very terrible to Nature, but attended with Torments is doubly terrible, and all to advan<e the Glory of God, cannot enjoy the !atisfaetion of Mind that proceeds from the review of worthy actions, if their being is determined with their life. Now that love to God expreO: in the hardeO: and nobleO: fervice fhould finally deflroy a Man, is not conceivable. To render this Argument more fenlible, let usconlider the vaO:multirudeoftheMartyrs in the firO: times of Chrinianity, more eafie to be admir'd than numbred. It would be a HiO:ory, to defcribe the lnftruments of their cruel fufferings, invented by the fierce wit of thei r Perfecutors, the various Tortures to defl:roy Life with a f1ow Death, fuch as were never before infliCl:ed on the guiltieO: MalefaCtors. All which they willingly endured, with an invariable fereniry of Countenance, the fign and effeCt of their inward Peace ; Nay with triumphant Expreflions of Joy. Now to what Original !ball we attribute this fortitude of Spirit? Were fuch numbers of all conditions, ages, feets, induc'd by rafh counfel, by frenzy of pafiion, by a defire of vain-glory, of any like caufc, to part with all that is precious and amiable in the World, for Swords, and Fire, and Croffes, and Wheels, and Racks, to torment and deftroy their Bodies? No humane ~eafons, neither the Vertue nor Vice of Nature, Generofity nor Obfiinancy could poilibly givefuch O:rength under fuch Torments. T his was fo evident, that many Heathen SpeCtators wereconvinc'd of the Divine Power miraculouOy fupporting them, and became Profelytes of ChriO:ianity, and with admirable chearfulnefs off red themfelves to the f.1me puni01ments. Now this is an extrinfick teO:imony incomparably more weighty than from a bare affirmation in words, or a meer confent of judgment, that there is an unfeen O:ate infinitely berter, and more durable than what is prefent, the hopes of which maae them eO:ecm the pHting with all fenftble things, meafur'd by time, not to have the fb1dow of a lofs. And tlus was not a meer naked view of a future Bleffednefs, but joyned with an impreffion of that fweetnefs and O:rength, that confolation and force of Spirit, that it was mamfeO:, Heaven defcended to them, before they afcended to Heaven. From Hence tbey were ftarlefs of thofe who could only kill the Body, but not touch the Soul. As the breaking a ChriO:al in piecos cannot injure the light that penetrated and filled it, but releafes it from that confinement. So the moO: violent Death was in their efl:ecmnot hurtful to the Soul, but the means to give it entrance into a happy Jmmor~ tality. Now is it in any degree credible that when no other Principle was fullicient to produce fuch courage in tboufands, fo tender and fearful by Nature, that the Divine Hand did not !i1pport them, invifible in operation, but moO: cl early difcovered in the effects ? And can it be imagined that God would encourage them to lofe the moO: valuable
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