Seim. XXIV. and the Danger of denying him. i 79 Life after this, andhath any tolerable Confideration of, and regard to his Eternal Intereff. Indeed, if we were fare, that there were no Life after this; if we had noex- peétation of a Happiuefs or Mifery beyond this World:; the w-ifeff thing that any Man could do, would be to enjoy as much of the prefent Contentments and Sa- tisfaëkions of this World, as he could fairly come at. For if there be no Refur- retlion to another Life; the Apoftle allows the Reafoning of the Epicure to he ve- ry good, Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die. But on the other hand, if it be true that we are defigned for Immortality, and that another State remains for us after this Life, wherein we (hall be unfpeakably Happy, or intolerably and eternally Miferable, according as we have behaved our felves in this World ; it is then evidently Reafonable, that Men thould take the greateft care of the longeft Duration, and be content to bear, and difpenfe with force prefent Trouble and In- convenience, for a Felicity that will have no End; and be willing toLabour and take Pains, anddeny our prefent Eafe and Comfort for a little while, that we may be Happy for ever. This is reckoned Prudence in the account of this World, for a Man to part with a prefent Poffeffion and Enjoyment, for a much greater Ad- vantage in Reverfion : But furely the difproportion between Time and Eternity, is fo vet ; that did Men but firmly believe that they (hall live for ever, nothing in this World could reafonably be thought toogood to part withal, or toogrievous to fuffer, for the obtaining of a Bleffed Immortality. In the Virtue of this Belief and Perfuafiop, the Primitive Chriftians were forti- fied, againft all that the Malice and Cruelty of the World could do againft them; and they thought they made avery wife Bargain, if through many Tribula- tions they might at.laft enter into the Kingdom of God; becaufe they believed, that the Joys of Heaven would abundantly recompence all their Sorrows and Suf- ferings upon Earth. And fo confident were they of this, that they looked upon it as a fpecial Favour and Regard of God to them, to call them to fuffer for his Name. So St. Paul fpeaks of it, Phil. I. 29. Unto you it is given, on the behalfof Chrifl, not only to believe on him; but alfo to fufferfor hisfake. Yea, they accounted them Happy, who upon this account were miferable in thisWorld. So St. games_ exprefly pronounceth of them, yam. t. 12. Bleffed is the man that endureth tem- ptation; (meaning the Temptation of Perfecution and Suffering) for when he is tried, he Pall receive the crownof life, which the Lord hath promifed to them that love him. And this Confideration was that, whichkept up their Spirits from finking under the weight of their greateft Sufferings. So St. Paul tells us, 2 Cor. 4. 14, 16. Knowing that, he which raifed up the Lord Jefus, (hall raife up us alfo by Jefus. For which caufe wefaint not but tho' our outwardman perifh : yet our, inward man is renewed day by day. The Sufferings of their Bodies, did but help to raife and fortifie their Spirits : Nay, fo far were they from fainting under thofe Afflietions, that they rejoyced and gloried in them. So the fame Apoftle tells us, Rom. s. 2, 3. that in the midft of their Sufferings, they rejoyced in hope of the Glory of God; and that -they gloried in tribulations, as being the way to be made .Partakers of that Glory : And Heb. to. 34. That they took joyfully the, fpoiling of their goods ; knowing in themfelves, that they had in heaven a better and an en- during fubflance. And for this Reafon, St. James, Chap. i. 2, exhorts Chriftians to account: it all joy, when they fell intodivers temptations; (that is, various kinds of Sufferings) becaufe of the manifold Advantages which from thence would re- dound to them. Now what was it that infpired them to all this Courage and Chearfulnefs ; but the Belief of a mighty Reward, far beyond the proportionof all their Sufferings, and a firm Perfuafion that they fhould be vaft Gainers by them at the loft ? This Confideration St. Paul urgeth with great force, a Cor. 4. 17, 18. Our light af}lifti- ón, which is but fora moment, worketh for us afar more exceeding and eternal weight of glory : whilft we look net at the things which are Peen; but at the things which are not Peen : for the things which are feen, are temporal; but the ,thingswhich are not feen, are eternal. If we could compare things, juftly, and attentively regard and confider the invfble Glories of 'another World, as well as A a 2 the
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