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These are the Inferences, this is the Ufe and Application we ought to make to our felves of this great Point; and which will appear more reasonable, if we attend a little, in the fecond Place, to the mighty and invaluable Bleffings that are contained in that Life and Immortality, which Chrift bath brought to Light thro' the Gospel.

II. What is this Life and Immortality? Certainly it is not barely living for ever without any Danger of dying any more; for, in truth, if the immortal Life hereafter were not better and happier than the mortal Life is, generally speaking, in this World, I know no fuch Reason why we should be so very defirous of it, or follicitous about it. But God hath made better, infinitely better, Provifions for us. The Truth is, the Life we here lead, tho' we call it Life, may rather, for the most part, be called a continual Dying; because the moft of us feel and experience a great deal more of Pain, and Uneafinefs, and Reftlefsnefs, and Vexation in it, than we do of true folid Joy, and Pleasure, and Satisfaction. But to live truly, is to live happily. 'This is the Senfe of all Men, and this is the Language of Scripture. We may as justly draw a Comparison between the State of Infancy and the State of grown Men, between Sickness and Health, between Poverty and Nakedness and the greatest N 2 Plenty

Plenty and Affluence of the most profperous Condition, as we can, between the Life we now lead, and the Life that good Men fhall live in the World to come.

The Life and Immortality which Chrift hath brought to Light, and which he bath promised to all his faithful Difciples, is a Comprehenfion of the greatest Bleffings that the Tongue of Man can exprefs, or the Heart of Man conceive. It is to be tranflated from a State of Dulnefs and Anxiety, Trouble, Affliction, Disappointments, Vexations, real Grief, folid Cares, and but imaginary Pleafures, to a State of true Happiness and Content, and manly and rational Pleafures; Pleasures not interrupted by Sickness or any fad Accidents, not dull'd by being weary of them, or cloy'd with them, not difturbed either by the Infults of our Enemies, or the Concernments for our miferable Friends, or our own Inequality of Temper.

It is to have all the Powers and Faculties of our Souls advanced to the highest Perfection that they are capable of. So that our Understandings will be perfected by the Knowledge of the best Things, and our Wills by the Love of them. And we fhall live in perfect Eafe and Peace, in perfect Freedom and Liberty, in a perfect Enjoyment of ourfelves, and the greatest Good we can be Partakers of, and that in the most perfect Ways.

It is to have our Bodies that flept in the Duft raised again and united to our Souls; no longer gross, fleshly, corruptible Bodies, but fpiritual, heavenly, immortal Phil.3.21. ones, fashioned like unto Chrift's glorious Rom.8.24 Body in which he now fits at God's right

Hand.

It is to live in the City of the great King, Mat.5.35. the heavenly Ferufalem, a Paradife of Plea-Heb. 12. fure, a Country of perpetual Light and 22. Blifs, where the Glory of the Lord fills the Place, and where every Object that prefents itself adds a new Beauty to it, and contributes to the Increase of our Delight. It is to spend our Days in the most noble and agreeable Employments, in viewing and contemplating all the various Works of God, in admiring the wonderful Contrivance of his Providence in all Ages, in adoring his infinite Love to the Sons of Men, in reflecting upon our own inexpreffible Happiness that arifeth from his Communications to us, and in finging Hymns of Praise, and Joy, and Triumph to him, and to our Lord Jefus upon Account of all thefe Things.

It is to dwell in a Place where there are no Objects of Pity or Compaffion, of Anger or Hatred, or Diftruft, every Perfon there being as happy as we can wish, and all increafing the Happiness of each other, by the entire Love, and Kindness, and Friendship that is maintained among them. N 3

Laftly,

Laftly, It is to be with Jefus Christ, and to behold all his Glory, and to live for ever feeing and enjoying the great God AlPf.16.11.mighty, in whofe Prefence is the Fulness of Joy, and at whofe right Hand there are Pleajures for evermore. These are the Things, in fhort, which go to the makeing up that Life which Christ hath brought to Light by his Gofpel.

I have nothing to add more to this Description, but what the Term of Immortality, that is here added to it, doth naturally bring to our Thoughts. Let us therefore confider a little what that Word contains in it.

Our Life, if we be fincere Chriftians, fhall be unspeakably glorious and happy. But that which adds the Crown to all the reft, is, that it shall be an immortal Life; a Life without Danger of dying; a Happinefs without Danger of lofing: As it will be Blessedness in Perfection, so it will be Bleffedness without End. For this is the everlasting Life that our Saviour hath fo often promifed. This is the Inheritance, immortal, undefiled, that fadeth not away, 1 Pet.1.4. referved in the Heavens, as St. Peter fpeaks. It is a Kingdom which cannot be shaken; a Building of God, not made with Hands, eter2 Cor.5.1. nal in the Heavens, as St. Paul fpeaks. Innumerable Ages fhall never put a Period to it; But after all the Ages we can conceive; nay, tho' we were Millions of Ages

adding Numbers to Numbers, yet, after all thofe Ages fo numbered or past, good Men fhall be then as glorious, as happy, as full of Love, Joy, and Peace, as they were the firft Moment they entred upon that State; nay, and very probably a great many Degrees more happy, more glorious, more wife and knowing, more full of Love, and Joy, and Peace, than they were at the Beginning. For God is an infinite Good ; and we can never come to the End of his Perfections, because they are infinite, like himself. But the longer we live, and we fhall live for ever, the more we shall difcover of them; and the more we do difcover, the more we fhall understand; the more we understand, the more we fhall love; the more we understand and love, the more we shall enjoy, and the greater will our Happiness be, and fo from Ages to Ages.

Oh! what shall we return unto the Lord for all his Benefits! Let us love him heartily, ferve him diligently, devote ourselves entirely to do the Work that he hath fent us into the World to do. Let us mortify all our carnal, worldly, vicious Affections, and at laft grow out of Love with the infipid, dull Gratifications of this fenfual Life, and breathe and pant after that glorious Life and Immortality that awaits us in another World. Let us think from whom we came, and what we came hither for; and what a noble

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