Darkness, a gnawing Worm, and unquenchable Fire. Now as all these Images convey not the fame Idea, it may be prefumed that they are rather figuratively than literally to be understood; they must however be confidered only as declarative of the worst State of Sinners; and in this Light we may charitably hope, that the Number of the Damned shall be small. And I apprehend we are justified in confidering these Expreffions in this Light, not only by the Reasonableness of the Hypothefis itself, but by many Paffages in Scripture which mention the future Punishment of wicked Men in negative Terms only, and dehort us from the Practice of many Sins of a flagrant Nature, as rather disqualifying us for ever for heavenly Enjoyments, than fubjecting us to an Eternity of corporeal Torments. Be not deceived, fays St. Paul, neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, fhall inherit the Kingdom of God. And again, For this ye know, that no Whore-monger, nor unclean Perfon, nor covetous Man, who is an Idolater, bath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of Chrift and of God. And that this difinheriting is both the Effect, and, in many Cafes, the Extent of Divine Wrath, the following Verse gives us good Ground of Conjecture :—Let no Man deceive you with vain Words, for because of these

thefe Things cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of Difobedience. Sometimes the fame Apostle afferts in general, that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption: And St. John, after declaring the Bleffedness of those who enter in through the Gates into the City of the New Jerufalem, acquaints us that without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, and whofoever loveth and maketh a Lie.In this View, the Doctrines of eternal Salvation and Damnation seem agreeable to every Idea we can form of them :—They will inspire us (if any thing can inspire us) with a noble Emulation to reach through Chrift to the highest Attainments of Glory; they will encourage us to firive to enter in at the ftrait Gate, as the Road leading directly thereunto; they will cherish the Hopes of the penitent Sinner, and embolden him to rely on the Merits of his Saviour; they will leave none comfortless but the Prefumptuous, the Impenitent, the Self-condemned. -Though therefore it is impoffible for us to ascertain the precise Nature, Proportion, and Degree of the Happiness, or the Mifery reserved for Individual in the World to come, yet the Conclufion of the whole Matter is evidently this, that to fear God, and keep his Commandments is not only the whole Duty, but the whole true Interest of Man; and the Reason is, becaufe, as the Preacher fubjoins,

every

L 2

fubjoins, God shall bring every Work into Judgment, with every fecret Thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

TH

SECT. IV.

HE Holy Scriptures are not more full and explicit with regard to the Revelation of a future State, and the Afcertainment of the Evangelical Terms of Salvation, than they are in the Encouragements which they offer to all fincere Chriftians in the Pursuit of it. Such are the manifold Promises of affifting and preventing Grace that are made in the Gospel, and affured to us upon a proper Application. If ye being evil, know how to give good Gifts unto your Children, how much more fhall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that afk him? And yet as comfortable as the Doctrine of our Sanctification by Divine Grace is, to all those who have a due Sense of their own Infirmities, the very Reality of it has been wickedly called in question by fome, and the Nature of it has been erroneously, 'tis prefumed, and pernicioufly contested by others. For while the Infidel afferts the Sufficiency of human Reafon for the great Purpose of Salvation, and denies the Neceffity of any fupernatural Affiftance; many pious, but, I conceive, mistaken Chriftians, appropriate and

4 See Luke xi. 13.

confine

confine that Affistance to the spiritual Wants of a selected Few, and in these Cases represent it to be irresistibly and necessarily efficacious to everlasting Happiness. In order therefore to give what Satiffaction I am able to those who are concerned in these Matters, I shall endeavour

First, to prove the Reality of the Impulses and Impreffions of the Holy Spirit upon the Minds of Chriftians.

Now as the Exiftence of the Holy Spirit, the Third Perfon in the Bleffed Trinity, and the many extraordinary Gifts and Graces with which he endowed the Apostles and first Preachers of Chriftianity, are fufficiently revealed and discovered to us by the express Words, and most circumstantial Accounts of Scripture, (which, I trust, has been sufficiently made to appear) fo we may have recourse to the fame Authority for the Ascertainment of those ordinary Gifts and Graces which are adapted to the spiritual Occafions of Chriftians to the End of the World. The Promife of the Holy Ghoft, fays St. Peter to fome of the first Converts to Chriftianity, is unto you, and to your Children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fball call. This Promise is very strong and explicit, and yet it has either not been verified at

• See Acts ii. 39.

all to them that are afar off; or it is verified only by the kindly Influences of the Spirit upon their Minds, quickning and exciting them to Works of Piety and Holiness. And that it is verified in this manner we may in all reafon conclude from the undoubted Completion of our Lord's original Promise to the Apostles in the wonderful Descent of the Holy Ghoft. The Power they were eminently endowed with from on high, was no more than was neceffary to enable them to execute the Commiffion they were honoured with to preach the Gospel to every Creature. Herein then was dispensed a Proportion of Ability adequate to their extraordinary Neceffities. But was no Provifion made all this while for the common Neceffities of Chriftians? Did the Holy Ghoft in a miraculous manner enlighten the Understandings of Men fimple and illiterate; and will he not in an ordinary way order the unruly Wills and Affections of finful Men? Or, are divine Favours and Bleffings partial and periodical? Are they confined to certain Ages, and particular Seasons? If not, the Gifts of the Holy Ghost have, no doubt, been always dispensed in such a Measure and Degree as is fuitable to the Exigencies of Mankind; and what thefe Exigencies are, will be questioned by none but those who cannot fee, or rather will not acknowledge, their own Frailty. Indeed many Apoftolical Declarations and Exhortations do ma

nifeftly