Sei-m. III. rather than a Kingdom. 2 5 an eternal Felicity ; and be willing to labour and take pains for a little while, that we may be happy for ever. And this is accounted Prudence in the account of the wifeft Men, to part with a little in prefent, for a far greater future Advan- tage. But the difproportion betwixt Time and Eternity is fo vaft, that did we but firmly believe, that we (hall live for ever, nothing in this World could reafonably be thought too good to part withal, or too grievous to fuller, for the obtaining of a bleífed Immortality. And upon this Belief and Perfwafion of a mighty Reward, beyond all their prefent Sufferings, and that they fhould be infinite Gainers at the laft the Primitive Chriftians were kept from finking under their prefent Sufferings, and fortified againft all that the Malice and Cruelty of the World could do unto them. And if we would confider all things together, and mind the invifible things of another World, as well as the things which are Peen, we fhould eafily difcern, that he who fuffers for God and Religion, does not renounce his Happi- nefs, but put it out to Intereft upon Terms of greateft Advantage ; and does wife- ly confider his own beft and moft falling Intereft, This is the Firfl. II. This will yet more evidently appear, if we confider the temporary Enjoy- ments of Sin, together with the Mifchiefs and Inconveniencies attending, and con- fequent upon them ; that as to theNature ofthem, they are mix'd and imperfect ; as to the Duration of them, they are fhort, and but for a Seafon ; and as to the final Iffue and Confequence of them, that they end in Mifery and Sorrow. I. As to the Nature of them, all the Pleafures and Enjoyments of Sin are mix'd and impeded. A wicked Man may make a Shew of Mirth and Pleafure, but even in laughter his heart isforrowful, and the end of that mirth is heavinef . There can be no true and fincere Pleafure in any finful and vicious Courfe, tho' it be attended with all the Pomp and Splendor of outward Happinefs and Profperity ; for wherever Sin and Vice is, there mutt be Guilt ; and wherever Guilt is, the Mind will be reftlefs and unquiet. For there are two very troublefome and tormenting Paffions, which are natu- rally confequent upon Guilt ; Shame and Fear : Shame, arifug from the Ap- prehenfion of the danger of being difcovered ; and Fear, from the Apprehenfion of the danger ofbeing punifhed : And thefe do continually haunt the Sinner, and fill him with inward Horror and Confufion in his molt fecret Retirements. And ifSin were attended with no other Trouble but the Guilt of it, a wife Man would not commit it, if it were for no other reafon, but meerly for the Peace and Quiet ofhis own Mind. a. The Enjoyments of Sin, as to the Duration of them, are but fhort. Upon this Confideration, Mofes fet no great Price and Value upon them, but preferred Afflidion and Suffering in good Company, and in a good Caufe, before the tem- porary enjoymentsoffin. Ifthe Enjoyments ofthis World were perfe& in their Nature, and had no mix- ture of Trouble and Sorrow in them ; yet this would be a great Abatement of them, that they are of fo fhort and uncertain a Continuance. The Pleafure of molt Sins expires with the A& ofthem ; and when that is done, the Delight va- nifheth. I cannot deny but that there are feveral worldly Advantages to be purchafed by Sin, which may perhaps be of a longer Continuance; as Riches and Honours, the common Purchafe of Covetoufnefs and Ambition, and of that long Train of inferior Vices which attend upon them, and minifter unto them : But even thofe Enjoyments are, in their own Nature, of an uncertain Continuance, and much more uncertain for being purchafed by Wired and ill Means. But if the Enjoy- ment of thefe things were fure to be of the fame Date with our Lives; yet how fhort a Duration is that, compared with Eternity ? Make the utmoft Allowance to thefe things, that can be, yet we can but enjoy themwhilft we are in this World. When we come into the World of Spirits, it will fignify nothing to us to have been rich or great in this World. When we fhall (land before that higheft Tribunal, it will not avail us in the lealt to have been Princes, and Great Men, and Judges on the Earth; the pooreft Man that ever lived in this World, will then be upon equal Terms with the biggeft of us all. E For
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=