beast, which is but a material form, and so wholly depending on, that it must need perish with matter. But it is not so with us : Ours are reasonable spirits, that can live and act in a separated state from the body, Eccles. hi. 21. " Who knoweth the spirit of man, " that goeth upward ; and the spirit of a beast, that goeth down- " ward to the earth ?" For if a man dispute whether man be ra- tional, this his very disputing it proves him to be so : so our dis- putes, hopes, fears, and apprehensions of eternity, prove our souls immortal, and capable of that state.
Inference 1. Is there an eternal state, into which souls pass after this life ? How precious then is present time, upon the improvement whereof that state depends. O what a huge weight hath God hanged upon a small wire ! God hath set us here in a state of trial : " According as we improve these few hours, so will it fare witli us " to all eternity *." Every day, every hour, nay, every moment of your present time hath an influence into your eternity. Do you believe this ? What ! and yet squander away precious time so care- lessly, so vainly ! How do these things consist ? When Seneca heard one promise to spend a week with a friend that invited him, to recreate himself with him ; he told him, he admired he should make such a rash promise ! What (said he) cast away so considera- ble a part of your life ? How can you do it ? Surely, our prodiga- lity in the expence of time, argues we have but little sense of great eternity.
Inference 2. How rational are all the difficidties, and severities of religion, which serve to promote and secure a future eternal hap- piness? So vast is the disproportion betwixt time and eternity, things seen, and not seen as yet, the present vanishing, and future permanent state, that he can never be justly reputed a wise man, that will not let go the best enjoyment he hath on earth, if it stand in the way of his eternal happiness. Nor can that man ever escape the just censure of notorious folly, who, for the gratifying of his appetite and present accommodation of his flesh, lets go an eternal glory in heaven. Darius repented heartily that he lost a kingdom for a draught of water ; O, said he, " for how short a pleasure have I sold a kingdom !" It was Moses1 choice, and his choice argued his wisdom ; he chose rather " to suffer afflictions with the people " of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin, which are but for a " season,11 Heb. xi. 25. Men do not account him a fool, that will adventure a penny, upon a probability to gain ten thousand pounds. But sure the disproportion betwixt time and eternity is much greater.
Inf. 3. If there certainly be such an eternal state into which souls
Ab hoc momento pendet crtcmitas.
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pass immediately after death ; How great a change then doth death make upon every man and woman ? O what a serious thing is it to die ! It is your passage out of the swift river of time, into the boundless and bottomless ocean of eternity. You that now con- verse with sensible objects, with men and women like yourselves, enter then into the world of spirits. You that now see the con- tinual revolutions of days and nights, passing away one after ano- ther, will then be fixed in a perpetual NOW. O what a serious thing is death ! You throw a cast for eternity when you die. If you were to cast a die for your natural life* O ! how would your hand shake with fear, how it would fall ! But what is that to this ?
The souls of men are, as it were, asleep now in their bodies ; at death they awake, and find themselves in the world of realities. Let this teach you, both how to carry yourselves towards dying per- sons when you visit them ; and to make every day some provision for that hour yourselves. Be serious, be plain, be faithful with others that are stepping into eternity ; be so with your own souls every day. O remember what a long word, what an amazing thing eternity is ! especially considering,
Doct. 2. That all believers are, at their death, immediately re- ceived into a state of glory and eternal happiness.
This day shalt thou be with me.
This the Atheist denies : He thinks he shall die, and therefore resolves to live as the beasts that perish. Beryllus, and some others after him, taught, that there was indeed a future state of happiness and misery for souls, but that they pass not into it imme- diately upon death and separation from the body, but shall sleep till the resurrection, and then awake and enter into it. But is not that soul asleep, or worse, that dreams of a sleeping soul till the resurrection ? Are souls so wounded and prejudiced by their sepa- ration from the body, that they cannot subsist or act separate from it ? Or have they found any such conceit in the scriptures ? Not at all. The scriptures take notice of no such interval ; but plainly enough denies it, 2 Cor. v. 8. " We are confident, I say, and " willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the " Lord." Mark it, no sooner parted from the body, but present with the Lord. So Phil. i. 23. " I desire to be dissolved, and to " be with Christ, which is far better.,,, If his soul was to sleep till the resurrection, how was it far better to be dissolved, than to live ? Sure Paul's state in the body had been far better than his state after death, if this were so ; for here he enjoyed much sweet
SEltM. XXXII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 399
communion with God by faith, but then he should enjoy no- thing.
To confirm this dream, they urge, John xiv. 3. " If I go away, w I will come again, and receive you to myself." As if the time of Christ's receiving his people to himself, should not come, until his second coming at the end of the world. But though he will then collect all believers into one body, and present them solemn- ly to his Father ; yet that hinders not, but he may, as indeed he doth, receive every particular believing soul to himself at death, by the ministry of angels. And if not, how is it that when Christ comes to judgment, he is attended with ten thousand of his saints, that shall follow him when he comes from heaven P Jude 14. You see then the scripture puts no interval betwixt the dissolu- tion of a saint, and his glorification : It speaks of the saints that are dead, as already with the Lord : And the wicked that are dead, as already in hell, calling them spirits in prison, 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. assuring us, that Judas went presently to his own place, Acts i. 25. And to that sense, is the parable of Dives and Lazarus, Luke xvi. 22.
But let us weigh these four things more particularly, for our full satisfaction in this point.