purposes in the fcheme of providence: Wherefore, an abfolute and impatient defire of death, or peremptory prayers for it, are not commendable in good men ; but all lawful means to preserve and prolong life' ought to be used by them.* INFERENCES. 1. How ought a sense of univerfal mortality to humble the pride of man; and efpecially that arifing from birth, honor, power, wealth, riches and nobility? We have furely no reafon to be vain or proud of any thing, of which death can rob us. 2. How vain and ridiculous, yea, and unhappy a thing would man be, if he were wholly under the dominion of death, and had no claim to immortality? 3. From the confideration of death, the greatest of all natural evils, and from its universality, we may infer the great evil of fin, from which it took its rife. 4. From the fhortnefs and uncertainty of life, and the importance of it, as a state of probation for eternity, we fhould learn the importance of improving our time, and the great guilt and folly of lavishing and fquandering it in foolish and vain, and much more in finful amufements and plea fures.t 5. If death be fo important in its con. fequences, how dreadful a thing is murder? Philip. i. 21,-26. Pfal. xc. 12. ———— -xxxix, 4, 5. and how cautious and circumfpect ought judges and juries to be in matters of life and death? 6. How defperately mad is the wretch who is acceffory to his own death, by which, he not only deprives himself and the world of all the benefits and advantages of his life, but plunges into an awful eternity, under all the irremiffible guilt of fuicide. ESSAY XX. The RESURRECTION of the DEAD. 1. THIS is a doctrine of pure revelation, ΤΗ feeing there is no principle or appearance in nature, from whence it can be rationally inferred. 2. The inftance of a grain of corn dying. in the earth before it fprings, and like inftances, are good illustrations of the doctrine already revealed, and fhew that the thing is neither impossible nor absurd; but cannot prove it. 3. Though it appears from many passages of the Old Teftament fcriptures, that this doctrine was believed by the Old Teftament faints ; * yet the full, clear and cir* See Sam. ji. 6. 2 Kings iv. 35-- -xiii. 21.—-xvii. 21. 22. Pfal. xvi. 10. Ifa. xxv. 8. Hof. xiii. 14. Compare 1 Cor. xv. 54, 55, Luke xx. 37, 38. Conpare Exod. iii. 6. Job xix. 25,-27. Dan. xii. *, Heb. xi. cumstantial revelation of it was referved to be brought to light by the gospel. Chrift raised three dead bodies in the courfe of his miniftry, and raifed himfelf. He terms himself the resurrection and the life ;* and declares, that he is commiffioned by GoD to raise up all his people at the last day.† See this doctrine established from the refurrection of Chrift, and beautifully explained, 1 Cor. xv. 4. The bodies both of the righteous and the wicked fhall be raised: For, as the body has been a partner with the foul in this state of probation, it feems equitable, that it fhould fhare with it in a state of retribution. 5. The refurrection body will be the same in substance with that which died, but will have far different qualities, fuited to the state and place of retribution: For, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom. of heaven; neither is it conceivable that they fhould long endure the torments of hell, unconfumed, without a perpetual miracle. The bodies of the faints will be raised spiritual, incorruptible, and glorious, like the glorified body of Chrift; and probably those of the wicked, spiritual and incorruptible, but hideous and deformed. * John xi. John vi. 39, 49. Matth. xxv. 31, &c. Rev. xx. 12, 13. Matth. . 28. Luke xii. 25. 6. The objections raifed against the refurrection of the same body, are so futile, when we confider the power and wisdom of GOD, and the true nature of things, as not to deferve a serious answer. 7. The bodies of thofe who fhall be found alive on the earth at the last day, fhall be inftantaneously changed; in which change there will be the nature and effence both of a death, and a resurrection. ESSAY XXI. Of a FUTURE JUDGMENT. 1. IT is appointed for all men once to die, and after that the judgment, Heb. ix. 27. 2. Many of the arguments for the immortality of the foul, equally prove a judgment to come; fuch as the moral agency and accountableness of man; the operations of his confcience and moral fenfe; his unaccountable hopes and fears refpecting an invifible power and a future ftate; the unequal diftribution of rewards and punishments according to men's moral characters in this prefent ftate, and the like. 3. It is remarkable alfo, that a belief of a judgment to come, and a future state of rewards and punishments, according to men's prefent behavior, has been as universal, as the belief of the foul's immortality; and is indeed grounded on the fame general principles. 4. The holy fcriptures fully, clearly, and circumstantially establish and teach this doctrine.* 5. GOD will judge the world by Jesus Christ, by whom he made and governs it, and by whom he has redeemed it. There is a great and evident propriety in this, from many reafons too tedious here to mention. This alfo tends powerfully to prove the real divinity and infinite perfection of our Redeemer.f 6. Chrift at the day of judgment, will defcend from heaven, in vifible pomp and fplendor inexpreffible; clothed with his own glory, his Father's glory, and attended ' with all the fhining retinue of heaven ;will feat himself on a glorious white throne in the lower heavens, and having summoned before him, the whole rational creation, angels, men, and devils, will judge and fentence them according to their respective works and characters.‡ 7. The important confequence of this judgment is, that the righteous will immediately enter into a state of endless happiness, *See Jude 14. and Ecclef, xii. 14. Matth. xxv. Rev. xii. and xxii, &c. As xvii. 31. Luke ix. 26. 2 Cor. v. 10, &c. Matth. xxv. 31. I Thes. iv. 16. 2 Thes. i. 7.-10. 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude 6, 14, 15. Rev. XX 11, 12,--Xxii. 12. 2 Cor. v. 1o. 1 |