I 24 01 the Immortahty of the 600l, )'17,01111.. when a Mari, is not ? Whatis the Happinefs which Men can promife to them- felves, when they are out of Being, when they can enjoy nothing, nor be.fenfible of any thing, becaufe they are not ? So that-the Spring of all thole brave and gallant A&ions, which the Heathens did with.the hazard of their Lives, out of delire of after-Fame and Glory ; I fay, the Spring of all thofe A&ions, could be no other than the hopes ofanother Lifeafter this, in which they made account to enjoy the pleafure of the Fame, which they purchafed with the expence and lofs of this prefent Life. But this ardent define and impatient thirfl after Fame, concerns but a few of Mankind in comparifon. I shall therefore inilance in fomething which is more commonand general to Mankind, which plainly argues this hopeof Immortality. What is theground of that Peace, and Quiet, and Satisfa&ion, which good Men find in good and virtuous A&ions, but that they have afecret perfwafion andcom- fortable hopes that they {hall force time or other be rewarded ? And we find that theymaintain thefe even when they defpair ofany reward in this World. Now what do thefe hopes argue, but a fecret beliefof a future Rate, and another Life after this, - wherein Men thall receive the &eward of their A&ions, and inherit the fruit of their doings? Whence is it elfe, that Good Men, tho they find that Goodnefs fuffers, and is perfecuted in this World, and that the belt defigns are many times unfuccefsful ; what is it that bears them up under thefe difappoint- ments, and makes them confcant in a virtuous courte, but this hope of another Life, in a betterfiate ofthings hereafter? They have force fecret prefage in their own minds of a Life after Death, whichwill be a time of Recompence, as this is of Tryal. 2. The fame may be argued from the natural Fears of Men. Whence is the fe- cret fhame, and fear, and horror, which feizeth upon the mindsof Men, when they are' about a wicked A&ion ; yea, tho no Eye fee them, and tho what they are doing do not fall under the cognizance of any human Court or Tribunal ? Whence is it that they meet with Poch checks and rebukes in their own Spirits, and feel loch a difturbance and confufion in their minds, when they do a vile and unworthy thing; yea, altho it be fofecretly contrived and fo privately manag'd, that noMancan charge themwith it, or call them to account for it ? What art thouafraid of, Man, if therebe no Life after this ? Why do thy Joints tremble, and thy Knees knock together, if thou be'ft in no danger fromany thing in this World, and haftno fears of theother ? IfMen had not a natural dreadof another World, and fad and dreadful prefages of future Vengeance, why do not Men fin with affurance, when no Eye fees them ? Why are not Men fecure, when they have only imagined a mifchief privately in their own Hearts, and no Crea- ture is privy and confcious to it? Whydo Mens own Confciences lath and fling them for thefe things, which they might do with as great impunity fromMen in thisWorld, as the molt virtuous A&ions ? Whence is it that cogitare, peccare eft, as Min. Felixexpreffeth it, ernon folnm confcios timet, fed È`N confcientiam ? whence is it that a wicked Man isguilty upon account meerly ofhis thoughts, and is not only fearful becaufe of thofe things which others are confcious of but becaufe of chafe things which no body knows but his own Confcience ? Whence is it, that, Scelua intra fe taciturn qui cogitat ullum, Falti crimen habet, That he that does but imagine and devife fecret mifchiefin his heart is guilty to him- felf, as if thefall had been committed ; and when no Man can charge and accule him for it, yet, NoF&e diequefiuumgeftat in pebre teliem, Ile carries hisAccufer inhis breaft, who does night and day inceffantly witnefs again him. And that thefe Fears are natural, the fudden rife of them is a good Evidence. They do not proceed from deliberation, Men do not reafon themfelves into thefe fears, but they fpring up in Mens minds they know not how ; which thews that they are natural. Now a Man's natural A&ions, I mean filch as furprize us, and do not proceed fromdeliberation, are better Arguments of the intimate fenfe of our minds, anddo more truly difcover the bottom of our Hearts, and thofe No- tions
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