Ver. t 3. the 8th Chapter to the ROM ANS. 141 thefe Two things. t. Mens vehement addit`lednef to their carnal caurfes, that they will ra- ther die, than part with them. 2. That this life, which the Promifes of the Cofpel offer, is an unknown thing, it being to be injoyed in the other world : Both are truths, yet the Motive is (fill forcible. 1. How addilled foevir men are to any outward thing,yet topreferve life, they will deny themfelees, Job 2. 4 Skin for skin, and all that a man bath will he give for his life. it was a truth tho it came out of the Devils Mouth. Nothing is fo dear to a man as his own life; men will fpend all that they have upon the Phy(itian to recover their health, Luke 8.43. Yea, they will hazzard the members of their own body, cut off a Leg or an Arm for preferving life; and Ihall not we part with a tuft to get life i Who would fell his precious life, at fuch a cheap rate, as the pleafing of a vain and wanton hu- mour ? 2. Bet this life, which is not a matter of fenfe, -Lilt of faith, is not likely to be much va. hued. Anfwer. There is fome inclination in the heart of man to eternal life ; nature gto- peth and feeleth about for an eternal good, and an eternal good in the enjoyment of God, Ail. 17. 27. as blind men do in the dark. Tho man by nature lyeth in groB ig- norance of the true God, as our Lord and Happinefs ; yet the fenfe of an immortality is not altogether a Granger to nature : filch a conceit bath been rooted in the minds of all Nations, and Religions, not only Greeks and Romans, but Barbarianr,and Peopleleaft civilized; they have thought fo, and been folicitousof a life after this life ; Herodotus telleth us, that the ancient Goths thought their fouls perilhed not,but went to Zamblaxis the Captain of their Colony, or Founder of their Nation ; and Diedorns Siculus,of the Egyptians, that their Parents and Friends when they died, went to Come eternal ha- bitation : Moderate Heathens,when they are asked about Eternal Life, and Judgment to come ; as to Judgment to come, they know it not ; but this thing they know, that the condition of men and beafts is different; but what their condition after this life is, they cannot tell ; whether they live above or below the earth ; but that they fubfift and have a being, is their firm perfwafion ; and therefore are wont to affign to the dead, part of the goods which they policffed ; if they lofe any thing, they think Come of their friends in the other world have taken it to fupply their wants there.TheL hinefes are ful- ly.perfwaded of a Ikate of happinefs and torment after this world. Acofia telleth us, in Peru they were wont to kill fonte of their llaves, to attend the dead in the world to come; and fo Mexico, and other places. 'Tis enough for us,that be it an inbred notion, or tradition received from hand to hand by their Anceftors, filch a conception is not a firanger to humane nature; and the nearer any lived to the Mil Original of Mankind, the more clear and prelling hath been the opinion hereof ; lapfe of time, which ordina- rily decayeth all things, hath not been able to deface flout of the minds of men ; who tho they have been gradually depraved and degenerated, according to the diftance by which they have been removed from their firlt originals yet they could never wholly blot out the fenfe of an Immortal Condition after this life ; nor could any Co- lid, and undubitable reafons he brought againft it, to convince it of falaty. Well then, this períwafron being fpread through the üniverfe,and with extreme forwardnefs received by all nations, and bath born up againft all encounters of time, and conffantly maintain- ed its-felf in the miditof fo many revolutions of humane affairs, even among them with whom other truths are loft, and in a great degree have forgotten humanity its Pelf: Cer- tainly this motive bath its ufe, for the reduceing of man to God, efpecially of thole who have been bred in the bofome of the Church. 2. The argument is of great force in regard of our fears. We delire life, but guilt maketh us fear death. Sin impreffeth this torment upon the confciences even of thofe which little know what fin meaneth : Rom. I. 32. They know the judgment of God, and that thofe who commit fach things as they do, are worthy of death. Natural conscience look - eth upon fin as mortal and baneful, and know not how to be delivered from this fear; nature owneth a dillin &ion between good and evil; and for evil, fearetha punifhment; becaufe of thofe natural fentiments which we have of God, as an Holy and Juft God. Therefore now this tender of life is made to them that not only defire happinefs, but are in bondage through fear of death, and by the Chriftian doctrine involved in the cud; of the law, and obnoxious to the flames of Hell. Therefore for (inners to hear of life, mutt needs be an inviting motive : Mortifle fin, and it (hall not hurt you, you (hall live. The fling of fm, which fo torments you, (hall be plucked out,Ezek 18. 13. repent, t
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