The lmmorta!itj of the Soul. 49 ' ur~' :t~~i:1~ob~~~:ea~u~~rJ rr~~~;~~· M~~e;'t;~n)IJ~gf;g~~~0~h:0b~~e% 0~l r~~el~~!h; ~; bur the confeqnences are clear and fenfible to all that will duly confider thmgs. If in ~ ~~ei~~~~i t:F~~:~i t~,e~~:J~!8~1~ ~~1 ~~!r~~~ ;~~~Jl~[h~~t fr~c:lt uass ~~~tft~~:~~~ ~e~~gn~ from Life, rbat is, than a lighted Candle from bemg ~!own out that IS expoled to all the Winds, 'tis abfolntely nec<;fL1ry to regulate our felves 111 the r;efen t flare by a commual re(pellto the futnre. i\srhe Travellers m theDelartof Ar"b'" (rhatJS all Sand, moveable by every blafl, fo that no vifible path remains to pre~ent thei: wandrmgs) obferve the Stars to d!Cell: them m their Journey to the place they mtend. Th111 we mufllool;not to the things that are fcen; but to things that an; 1~ot fceu, Eter11al_ ab(,ve, to conduct us fafely rhorow this material mutable World to FehCJty. More pa.rncularly, . . r. This!houldreaulateour Judgment of all Temporal thmgs. Worldly happmefs JS but a Pil111re, thatfeen by fence, the falfe Light of the prefen.t rime has an alluringapl"'arance, but if looked on by Faith, the true LightofEternny, It 1S d1fcovered to be a dJsliaur'd and unamiable confufion of fpots. Thts unbmds rhe Charm, and difcover; the va- ~iry and ill ufion of whatever is admirable in the Eyes ofFle!b. Can any carry the leafl: mark of Honour, one farthing of rhetr Trca[ures, any !hado~ of their Beauty, one drop oftheir Plea[ure with them to another World? As m the N1ght all Colours are the fame the Crimfon cannot be dif!inguiOt'd from Black, nor Purple from Green : When the Lioht -is \Vithdrawn that gave them life, they ceafe to be vifible, and are buried in the fame ;~different obfcurity. So in the fl:ate after Death, the moO: remarkable differences of this Vvyorld are no more. Andisthatworthy.ofour efteem tltat art.ends us for a little time, and leaves us for ever? Can that be our happm~fs that when we dte and ceafe to be mortal ceafes to be ours? If Man did only live to d1e, and there were au abfolure end of him, pr~fent things were more valuable in the quality of an. earthly Felicity, as being his All ; but if he dies to live m another World, and all that m the language of the Earth (full of Improprieties and moral Solrecifms) we call ours, mufl: be left at the Gates of Death, the Entrance of Eternity, they cannot be the materials of our happinefs. Sweca, contemplating the beauty and )';reatnefs of thofe Orbs of Light above, cafl:down his Eyes to find out the Earth hardly vifible at that dif!ance, and breaks forth into a Philofophical difdain : Is it thisto which the great defigns and vafl: defires of Men are confin 'd? Is it for this there is fuchdifl:urbanceofNations, Wars, and !bedding of Blood? 0 folly, 0 fury of Deceived Men ! to imagine great Kingdoms in the compafs of an Atome, to raife Armies to divide a point of Earth with their Swords! 'Tis jufl: as if the Ants !hould conceive a Field to be feveral Kingdoms , and fiercely conte~<d to enlarge their Borders, and celebrate a Triumph in gaining afoot of Earth, as a new Province to their Empire. And from hence he excites Men toafcend in their thoughts, and take an inrellellual poffeffioa of the Material Heavens, as moO: worthy of their Minds. But the Soul that raifed by Faith looks beyond the Starry Heavens, how much more jufl:ly is it fill'd with noble wonder at the Divine and truly Great things in the Spiritual World, and looks down on the lower Scene of things, and all that has the name of felicity here, as fordid and vile ? The forefight that within a little while this World fhall be dilfol v'd, and time Omll be no more, makes it not feem to be in the Eyes of a Believer that great thing, as 'tis reprcfented to the reO: of Men. He looks upon thole wbo fhine in Pomp, and How in Pleafure, and think themfclves Happy, tQ be as a Beggar in a Dream, that thinks himfelf rich in T rea(ures: For prefent things are only colour'd with the appearance of felicity, and are as vani!hing as the Fictions ofFancy. While Carnal Men will believe nothing butwhattheyfee, fecl and enjoy by their Senfes, and embrace meer Shadows as folid Fe!Jaty, he confiders them with compaffion. For 'tis with them, as with one that in the rage of a Fever, Laughs, Sings, Triumphs. Tell him that be is nor himfelf, he thinks you are Mad for faying fo. Tell him whenhisfierySpiritsfballbe waf!ed, and t~lat heat of Blood that makes him fo lively and fl:rong, !ball decline and cool, he will be m extream danger of Death ; he replies he was never in better healrl.J. But who envies. him that Happinefs which he feems to enjoy? None but one that 1saMad-man hkeh1m. Nay, a Father, a Brother, a Friend look on him with a mourning Eye and Heart : For he is only happy in his own conceit, and that conceit proceeds from his Dif\raetion. Thus the Power of Truth is ViCtorious in fober Men, and does not fuffer them to be cheated with the falfe !hew of good that refpeets the Body. )'locredit is given to the appearance of Senfe, when Reafon difcernsthe Deception, and JU~ges otherwife.. And thus the clear infallible Light of Faith direll:s the Judgment of thmgs prefent wtth refpell: to the Eternal lntere{\ of the Soul. This makes a Believer preH ferr
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