are very unwilling to own, that the Belief of a future State of Judgment and Retributions obtained among the good Men who lived under the Old Teftament Difpenfation.

But what I chiefly defign in this Difcourfe, is to prove, that it is a Principle highly agreeable to Reafon, that there is a Time coming in a future State, in which God will certainly judge the righteous and the wicked, and will render to them proper Retributions of Rewards and Punifhments.

For illuftrating which, I fhall first offer fome general Confiderations tending to fhew that this prefent Life is not the whole of Man's Existence, and that it is defigned by Providence only for a probationary State, or a State of Trial and Difcipline, and not of final Judgment or Retribu

tions.

And then I shall proceed more diftinctly to prove, that the proper and principal Rewards of the righteous, and Punishments of the wicked, are not difpenfed here on Earth, but are referved for a future State.

First, Í shall offer fome general Confiderations to fhew that this prefent Life is not the whole of Man's Existence, and that it is defigned for a probationary State,

Bb 2

a State

a State of Trial and Discipline, and not of final Judgment or Retributions.

That this Life is not the whole of Man's Existence, or the only State he is defigned for, may be fairly argued from the very Frame of his Nature, compared with the prefent State of Things here on Earth. The Brutes foon arrive at all that Perfection for which their Natures are defigned. They are provided with Enjoyments fitted to fatisfy the utmost of their Defires and Capacities. Nor is there any Likelihood, that if they had a much longer Life afforded them, they would become more perfect, or arrive to higher Degrees of fenfitive Happiness, the only Happiness they are capable of, than now they can attain to. But Man hath Faculties of a fuperior Nature, whereby he is capable of making immortal Proficiencies in intellectual and moral Improvements; and it is but a fmall Progrefs comparatively that he can make in thefe Things within the fhort Compass of this frail and tranfitory Life. Nor are any of these present earthly Enjoyments adequate to the Capacities of the human Soul, or capable of filling and fatiating its infinite Defires. And can it be thought then that Man was endued with fuch vaft and fublime Capacities, only that he might take a few Turns on this earthly Stage,

and

and then disappear for ever, and be lost in an utter Extinction of Being, without having Time or Opportunities given him for ever arriving to the proper and ultimate Felicity and Perfection of his Nature? To fuppofe Man to be made for no other Life than this, would be to fuppofe him to be one of the most unaccountable Compofitions in all Nature. It would be to fuppofe the most admirable Powers given him with an Intention to cut him off before they can arrive to their proper Maturity; an excellent Work begun without any Design of ever compleating it; a grand Foundation laid promifing a glorious Fabrick, and no Care taken to carry on and finish the Structure. A Way of proceeding which would be unworthy of a wife Man, and therefore not to be charged upon the infinitely wife and good God.

To enforce this Way of reafoning it may be observed, that Man alone of all the Creatures in this lower World, hath a Power of looking forwards to Futurity, and of carrying his Expectations and Views beyond the Grave. He alone is capable of feeling the Force of Arguments and Motives drawn from another World, from a future State of Happiness or Mifery. Of this the Brutes are incapable, which fheweth that they are not deBb3 figned

figned for a future Exiftence, and that this is the only Life they are made for. And if Man had been defigned for no other State than this, it is reasonable to believe, that his Profpects, like those of the inferior Animals, would have been bounded within this present Life, and that he would not have been made capable of looking farther; nor would the wife Parent of his Being have framed his Faculties fo as that he fhould be governed by the Hopes or Fears of an hereafter. It ftrengtheneth this, when it is confidered that the Defire and Hope of a future State of Immortality, is the strongest in the most excellent and virtuous Minds, and in Proportion as it prevaileth, furnisheth powerful Incentives to the most worthy and laudable Actions and Pursuits, and may therefore be justly regarded as deriving its Original from God himself.

Thus the Frame of our Nature, if duly attended to, plainly fheweth, that Man was not intended merely for this present tranfitory Life, fince he is exactly fo conftituted, and hath fuch Faculties and Powers given him, as would have been given him, if he had been defigned for Immortality. And therefore we may justly conclude, that the wife Author of his Being defigned him for it. And confequently

that

that this present Life is not the whole of his Existence, but only the first Stage of it. And if fo, it is reasonable to think that this Life is intended by Providence for a probationary State, a State of Trial and Difcipline, and not of final Judgment or Retributions. And accordingly to a careful Obferver it will appear, that here are but as it were the firft Rudiments of Virtue; excellent Difpofitions are in an immature State, and are carried on from small and very imperfect Beginnings. We have many Appetites and Paffions which need to be governed, and kept within proper Bounds. And we have now a great deal to do in point of Self-government, and for the forming of our Tempers.

To

which it may be added, that the present Course of Things, and of the divine Difpenfations towards Mankind, is precifely fuch as may be expected in a State of Trial, and is wifely fuited to it. For in fuch a State it might juftly be expected, that a great Variety of Methods of Trial and Culture should be employed; that Men should be placed in different Circumstances; that there fhould be a Mixture of Good and Evil, of Pleasures and Pains, of Profperity and Adverfity. For each in their feveral Ways are proper for trying and exercifing Mens Virtues, for correctBb 4

ing