Exact Retribution, when plac'd, as near as poffible, in Statu quo: For, poffibly, we cannot conceive how widely different an Unbodied Spirit, if any fuch were created, muft be, in its Faculties and Operations, from a Spirit Incorporate. However, we cannot well conceive it endu'd with Memory and Recollection, fuch as extends to a Former State; (for Memory is not folvable, either by Corporeal Impreffions only, or without these, but is a proper Result of the Union) and yet it is very agreeable to Reason that a Moral Agent, under the Senfe of Happiness or Mifery, fhou'd be confcious of thofe Facts, at least in general, upon which the Prefent Condition of it depends: And, accordingly, we find Dives bid to Remember (as an Addition to his Punishment, as well as a Vindication of the Sentence) that in his life time he had received his good things, and likewife Lazarus evil things; which we cannot difpute but that Lazarus alfo, to his greater comfort in Abraham's bofom, cou'd remember himfelf.

St.Luke,c.16.

v, 25.

But the Reunion will ftill appear more reasonable, if we reflect that, How far fo ever the Rewards of Virtue may tranfcend the Pleasures of Senfe, (fuch Souls being capable of much higher Pleasures; and this

is a good Reason for the Promise and Appointment of their Celestial Body) yet it is a Piece of Natural Juftice, that Corporeal Pleasures in Excefs, fhou'd be rewarded with Corporeal Pain; that the fame Instruments Men us'd in their Crimes, fhou'd become the Instruments of their Punishment; and that, in which they vitiously delighted, be made the Efficient Cause of their Grief and Mifery.

Laftly, it is no infignificant Reason, in Confirmation of this Doctrin, that it is moft admirably fitted to ferve the Purpose of God, in the Revelation of it; for by this the Promises and Threatnings of the Gofpel are render'd as effectual, as by any Motives they can be; the Completion of them being made perfectly intelligible, and moft fenfibly affecting to every Capacity. Thus is the Doctrin of a Refurrection of our Bodies, and Reunion of Body and Soul, highly agreeable to the Natural Notions and Apprehenfions we have of a Future State.

Upon the Refurrection follows, in the Christian Account, A General Judgment, and Sentence on Mankind; which is a Doctrin that establishes and improves, to the highest Degree, that Natural Notion, upon which is founded our Expectation of a Future State; viz. Of the Impartial Justice

and

and Equity of Providence. If the General Suppofition of this State, will account for the feeming Irregularities in the Prefent: It must be more fatisfactory to have an Affurance from himself, that The Judge of all the Earth will do Right; and not only fo, but that Heaven and Earth shall be made fenfible of, and bear Testimony to His doing Right. The Beauty of Providence must then appear in its Native Lustre, when the Laft Determination of it, fhall be given in the Face of the World; when there will be no more Room for Faith, as there will be no farther Use of it; when all the Anxious Scruples that have exercis'd Good Men, and all Vain Hopes that have deluded the Wicked, fhall be blown off at once, and every individual Perfon fhall carry with him, into his Unchangeable State, (as a Proper Ingredient either of his Happiness or Mifery there) a full Conviction, and a juft Senfe of an Unerring and Impartial Justice and Righteousness, extended to every proper Object of the Divine Providence. And thus we find the First Thing confiderable in the Chriftian Immortality is clearly accountable to our Reason, and falls in exactly with our Natural Notions of a GOD, a Providence, and a Future State.

2. The other Thing we are to confider, is our Continuance in that State; which, we are told, will be to all Eternity.

That it is reafonable to fuppofe a Creature made capable of Eternal Duration, by the Frame and Conftitution of its Nature, as is the Human Soul, fhou'd be dealt with accordingly, and enjoy the preferving Power of the Creator for ever, in its individual Subfiftency; will I prefume be cafily granted me, by thofe that believe Nature, or rather, the God of Nature never did any thing in vain; nor, therefore gave a Capacity, but what he will fill.

But that which is most considerable here, and peculiar to the Christian Immortality, is the Great Design of our Creator to make all Mankind eternally happy; of which none fhall fall fhort, but those who have obftinately incapacitated themselves for the Enjoyment of it. How far this is agreeable to our Reafon, as well as our Interest, will appear when we have confider'd,

1. What is the Proper and Adequate Happiness of Human Nature.

2. What Ground of Reason we have to hope for this Happiness.

I. In order to determin, what is the Proper and Adequate Happiness of Human Nature; we must confider, I. What Faculty of it is to be gratify'd; and,

2. What

2. What Gratification that Faculty requires.

I. The Faculty to be gratify'd, when we fpeak of the Proper and Adequate Happiness of our Nature, is doubtless the highest and most excellent Faculty, whatever that be, belonging to it. For I confider that our Faculties rife proportionably, and as they rife, are enlarg'd for the Reception of Happiness, somewhat like, tho' much beyond what is call'd Geometrical Progression increas'd; as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, &c. in which the last Number exceeds all the rest put together, so that we may fuppofe all the reft gratify'd to the last Degree; yet if we fuppofe the Highest left with a craving Emptiness, we may pronounce the Creature miferable in the main: It remains then, that we point out that which is the highest and most excellent Faculty of Human Nature; and it is, very obviously, the Rational Faculty; not only as the Seat and Center of all Human Happiness is Thought and Reason, ftill, even when misapply'd; but as it is the Supreme Faculty, and that which plac'd us in the Rank of Beings which we poffefs. Thus fuppofing, tho' not approving the ufual Divifion of Life, into Vigetative, Senfitive and Rational; if a Brute is in all the Perfection of Vigetation, but has loft his Senfe, or is affected with

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