Sethi CXXI V. Of the Certainty of a Future7uutgnient. 1,41 ing does not fall under the cognizance of any Human Court or Tribunal, nor is lia- ble to any Cenfure or Punifhment from any Human Authority ; yet for all that, they have many flings and /allies from their own Minds, feel many checks and re- bukes from their own Confciences, when they do any thing which they ought not to do, tho no Man can charge themwith it, or call them to an acconntfor it. Now thefe Hopes and Fears do argue, if not the firm Belief and Perfwafion of-a future Judgment, yet great fufpicionsand mifgivings of it in bad Men ; and in good Men, fecret and comfortable Apprehenfions concerning it. Fromwhence elfecan it be, that good Men, tho they find that Virtue is difcountenanced, and Goodnefs ma- ny times fullers, and is perfecuted in this World, and that the belt Affirms and De- figns are often unfuccefsful 5 whence I fay, is it that good Men, notwithftanding this, bear upand perfift in their ccurfe, but becaufe they have this inward Apprehen- fion and Perfwafion, that there will be a time, when Virtue and Goodnefs will be confidered and rewarded, thonot in this World ? And whence is it, that bad Men, tho they profper in their Impiety, are yet guilty and fearful and timorous, but be- cattle they (land in awe of a Being, greater and more righteous and more powerful than themfelves ; but becaufe they have fome fecret Apprehenfions of an invifible Judge, and inward prefageof a future Vengeance, which fooner or later will over- take them; and becaufe they believe therewill be a time when all the Wickednefs they have done tlal.l be accounted for ? infomuch that when they have done what they can, they cannot (hake off thefe Feárs, nor quit themflees of there Apprehen- fions of Divine Juftice, threatniagandpurfuing them for their evil Deeds. All which - are plain Acknowledgments of a natural Apprehenfion and Perfwafionborn with us, and riveted in our Minds, concerning a future Judgment. H. Tnis will farther appear from the natural Notions which Men have ofa God, and hisProvidence. This is effential to the Notion ofa God, that he is Good, and Holy, and Jufl ; andconfequently, that he loves Goodnefs, and hates Iniquity ; and therefore it muff be agreeable to his nature, to countenance the one, and to difcountenance theother, in fuch a manner as becomes the wife Sovereign and Go- vernour of the World. Now this cannot be folemnlyand openly done, but by a publickdiftribution of Rewards and Punithments ; and this we fee is not done in this World. The Difpenfations of God's Providence in this World, toward good and bad Men, are many times very promifcuous, and very crofs, and contrary to what might be expe&ed from the Wife and Juft Sovereignof the World, frm one whomwe believe to love Righteoufnefs, and to hate Iniquity. For Virtuous and Hilly Men are often ill treated in this World, grievoufly haraffed and afflicted, and that for Righteoufnefs fake: and bad Men many times flourilh and are profperous, they arehilt in trouble like otherMen, neither are theyplagued like other Men. And this is a very great Objeh`.tion againft the Providenceof God; if there were no other con- fideration had ofVirtue andVice, no other kind of Retribution made to good and bad Men, but what we fee in this World. And therefore the Juftice of the Divine Pro, idence feems to require, that there fhould be a day of Recompence, and a fo- lemn and publick diftribution of Rewards and Punithments to the Righteousand to the Wicked. For this is plainly a ftate of trial and probation, of patience, and for- bearance to Sinners, and of exercife to good Men ; and being a flute of trial. it is not fo proper a feafon for the diftribution of publick Juftice. But fnce the Juftice of God doth not appear in this World, it feems very reafonable to believe, that there will be a time when it will be made manifeft, and every Eye wall fee it; that God will one day fully vindicate his Righteoufnefs, and acquit the honour of his Juftice, and that there (hall be a general Affize held, when all Men thall have a fair and open tryal, and God will renderto every Man according to hislvárks. Now the Juftice of God's Providence is in a great meafure hid and covered, but therewill, come iu,hx äaro,aA6,1,ac (as the Apoulle calls the day ofJudgment, Rom. 2. 5.) a day of the Revelation of the righteous 3udgment of God, when be will bring forth his Rghteoufnefr as the Light, and his Judgment as the Noon-day, and every mouth (hall be flopp'd, and every Confcience and Heart of Man acknowledge the righ- teous 3udgment ofGod. And in the meantime God contents hind-elf to giveTome particular and remarka- ble initancesof hisrewarding and punifhing Juftice, in this World, which may beto us anearneft ofa future and general Judgment ; he is pleafed fometimes in the Dif- penfations ofhisProvidence, clearly to feparate and diftinguith the precious from the vile,
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