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to do, which renders our Obedience poffible and eafy; but the Motives of Obedience from the Rewards of Virtue, and Punishment of Wickedness, must be fetch'd from a Future Judgment; for these unseen and absent Rewards and Punishments are the only Object of Faith, which is the Substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not Jeen, 11. Heb. 1. And Faith is the only true Principle of Gofpel-Obedience: Present Rewards and Punishments were the Motives of the Mofaical Covenant, and this is a legal Spirit to serve God in expectation of a prefentReward,or for fear of fome Temporal Punishment; but Future Rewards and Punishments are theMotives of the Gofpel, the Exercise of Faith, and the true Spirit of Sons; the not observing which was the occafion of that foolish Miftake, That to ferve God for a Reward, is a legal and fervile Spirit; which is true, if we speak of present and Temporal Rewards, but not of those which are Spiritual and Eternal. And if we will be true and fincere Chriftians, here we must fix our eye, and with Mofes have refpect to a future Recompence of Reward; for no other Motives will fit all times, nor conquer all Temptations, nor extend to all Acts of Religion.

Those who serve God for a present Reward, to make their Fortunes in this World, muft quit his Service when Religion exposes them to Sufferings in Perfecutions, and to the lofs of all things for Chrift's fake: Those who abftain from Sin for fear of fome Temporal Punishments muft commit fuch Sins, when they fhall fuffer more by not committing them; when Men ferve God for Temporal Hopes or

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Fears, whenever the World promifes greater Profperity, or threatens more terrible things, they muft neceffarily change their Mafter, for they must take that fide on which the prefent Advantage lies.

Good Men fometimes meet with a Reward in this World; Virtue may in fome Junctures make Men Rich and Honourable; but whoever courts Virtue for Riches and Honours, will never court a poor and defpifed Virtue; that is, he does not indeed court Virtue, but Riches and Honours; and will rather take as much Virtue with them as is neceffary to that purpose, than go without them; but Riches and Honours, with or without Virtue, are always welcome: Whoever makes the Advantages of this Life his Reasons and Motives to Virtue, will do no more good than will advance his present Intereft, and will be good no longer; and this is a very forry Virtue, it had need have fome Reward in this World, for it will have none in the

next.

Thofe Temporal Promises which are contained in the Gofpel, were never intended by our Saviour as the Rewards or Motives of our Obedience, but only to encourage and fupport us in our Pilgrimage in this World, that if we feek firft the Kingdom of God, and his Righteoufnefs, if we give up our felves to the Obedience of the Gofpel, and live upon the Hopes of unfeen things, and lay up Treasures in Heaven, all other things fhall be added unto us; God will provide what is needful for our paffage through this World, whatever Difficulties and Difcouragements we may meet with from Men.

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The design of the Gofpel is to take our Hearts from this World, to teach us not to lay up for our felves Treasures on Earth, but in Heaven; not to love this World, nor the things that are in the World; and therefore it is impoffible that Temporal Bleffings fhould be a Gofpel Motive; nothing in this World can be a Motive, unless we love the World, and therefore this can be no Motive of the Chriftian Religion, which teaches us not to love the World; unless the love of the World can be a proper Motive and Argument to make us despise it, and live above it.

And therefore I confefs I have fometimes wished that there had been lefs ftrefs laid upon the Temporal Rewards and Advantages of Virtue, to perfuade men to Religion; and upon the Temporal Evils and Miseries of Sin, to discourage men from it; for this is not always true; and if it were, it is an Argument which will perfuade no man; and if it did, it cannot advance them to the heights and perfections of a ChriftianVirtue, and therefore is no Gospel Motive. As for Inftance :

Some Virtues are very healthful, prolong our Lives, and prevent a great many painful and mortal Diseases, which the contrary Vices expofe men to; fuch as Temperance and Chastity; other Virtues are very proper methods of thriving in the World, fuch as Diligence, Prudence, Justice; others give us Reputation and Honour, advance us to Rule, and Empire, and Publick Trufts: Now this is fometimes true, and fometimes not, as the State of the World now is, as I fhewed you before, that whatever natural efficacy Virtue may have to make men happy, or Vice to

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makes them miferable, this may be in a great measure defeated by the external Circumstances of our Condition in thisWorld; and therefore this can never be a Motive, that is, it cannot be a reason why we fhould chufe Virtue, because it is not always a reafon; nay, it is as often a reafon for Vice as for Virtue; and if it be a good reason for one, I cannot fee why it should not be a good reafon for the other; for if it be a reafon at all, it is a reason for that fide on which at present it is, whether that beVirtue orVice: Indeed thefe Temporal Advantages of Virtue are not fo much Reasons for Virtue,as againft Vice, and that too only against fuchVices, or fuch Degrees and Inftances of Vice, as are deftructive to Mens Health, or Fortunes, or Reputation: However, this reafon, be it what it will, will reach no 'farther than to fuch a degree of Virtue as will contribute to a happy and profperous life in this World, and therefore will not raise us above this World, will not teach us to despise Riches and Honours, and Bodily Pleasures, nay, is not confiftent with a mean value, and great indifferency to prefent things, and therefore it cannot make us Chriftians; and is a very improper Argument to perfuade men to be Chriftians; it never made a Chriftian yet, and never will do.

And therefore let us not think to conquer the Deceits and Flatteries of theWorld and the Flesh, with fuch Arguments as thefe, which have no ftrength in them, which are more apt to make Men fond of this World, than to conquer it: But this is our Victory which overcomes the World, even cur Faith; the hope and fear of unseen Things, or a Future Judgment, when

God

God will eternally reward good men, and punish the wicked. This is an Argument in all Times, and in all Conditions: it will make us defpife the World when it smiles and flatters, and fcorn its · Frowns: Here are hopes too big for thisWorld, and fears too great and powerful for its fears; fuch hopes as can fupport us under the greateft Sufferings; fuch fears as can imbitter all the fweets of Sin; and therefore let us keep the Future Judgment always in our eye; let us fetch our Supports and Comforts from thence; let us oppose these Hopes and Fears against all Temptations, for here is our ftrength; all other Arguments are easily baffled, but nothing can answer the Argument of Eternal Life and Death.

SECT. VII.

Third Inference: To refer all Judgment to GOD.

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III. TF GOD will certainly judge the World, let us refer all Judgment to God; or as St. Paul Ipeaks, Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifeft the counfels of the heart; and then shall every man bave praife of God, I Cor. 4. 5. Nothing is more indecent nor more dangerous, than for men who must be Judged themselves, to take God's Work out of his hands, and to affume a Prætorian Power to Judge, Acquit, and Condemn whom they please, without expecting the Judgment of God: To Judge is God's Prerogative, and he will Judge the World: And what hast thou to do to judge another man's fervant? to his own mafter he shall stand

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