scripture and reason have let in upon this dark and important subject.

" Compose thy thoughts, O my foul, " and imagine how it will fare with thee, " when thou goest a naked, unembodied " spirit into a world, an unknown world " of spirits, with all thy self-confciousness " about thee, where no material object " shall strike thine eye; and where thy " dear partner and companion, the body, "cannot come nigh thee. But where, "without it thou wilt be sensible of the " most noble fatisfactions, or the most " exquifite pains. Embarked in death, " thy passage will be dark; and the shore, " on which it will land thee, altogether " strange and unknown. It doth not yet

" appear what we shall be *"

That

* " Thou must expire, my foul, ordain'd to range Through unexperienc'd scenes, and mysteries

strange;

Dark the event, and dismal the exchange.
But when compell'd to leave this house of clay,
And to an unknown somewhere wing thy way;
When time shall be eternity, and thou
Shalt be thou know'st not what, nor where, nor

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That revelation, which God hath been pleased to make of his will to mankind, was designed rather to fit us for the future happiness, and direct our way to it, than open to us the particular glories of it; or distinctly show us what it is. This it hath left still very much a mystery; to check our too curious inquiries into the nature of it, and to bend our thoughts more intently to that which more concerns us, viz. an habitual preparation for it. And what that is, we cannot be ignorant, if we believe either our Bible or our reason. For both these assure us, That "that which makes us like to God, " is the only thing that can fit us for the " enjoyment of him."-Here then let us hold. Let our great concern be, to be " holy as he is holy." And then, and then

Some courteous ghost, the fecret then reveal; Tell us what you have felt, and we must feel. You warn us of approaching death, and why Will you not teach us what it is to die? But having shot the gulf, you love to view Succeeding spirits plung'd along like you, Nor lend a

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then only, are we fure to enjoy him, " in " whose light we shall fee light." And be the future state of existence what it will, we shall fome way be happy there, and much more happy than we can now conceive; though in what particular manner we know not, because God hath not revealed it.

CHAP. III.

The feveral Relations in which we stand to God, to Chrift, and our Fellow Creatures.

II. "SELF-KNOWLEDGE requires us " to be well acquainted with the " various relations in which we stand to " other beings, and the feveral duties that " refult from those relations." And,

(1.) "Our first and principal concern " is to consider the relation we stand into " him who gave us our being."

We are the creatures of his hand, and the objects of his care. His power upholds the being his goodness gave us; his bounty accommodates us with the bleffings of this life; and his grace provides for us the happiness of a better.--Nor are we merely his creatures, but his rational and intelligent creatures. It is the dignity

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nity of our natures, that we are capable of knowing and enjoying him that made us. And as the rational creatures of God, there are two relations especially that we stand in to him; the frequent confideration of which is absolutely necessary to a right felf-knowledge. For as our creator, he is our king and father: And as his creatures, we are the fubjects of his kingdom, and the children of his family.

1. "We are the subjects of his king"dom." And as fuch we are bound,

(1.) To yield a faithful obedience to the laws of his kingdom. And the advantages by which these come to be recommended to us above all human laws are many. They are calculated for the private interest of every one, as well as that of the public; and are defigned to promote our present, as well as our future happiness. They are plainly and explicitly published; easily understood; and in fair and legible characters writ in every man's heart; and the wisdom, reason and necefsity of them are readily difcerned. They are urged with the most mighty motives that can poffibly affect the human heart. -And if any of them are difficult, the most effectual grace is freely offered to encourage and affist our obedience. Advan

tages which no human laws have to enforce the observance of them. - (2.) As his fubjects, we must readily pay him the homage due to his fovereignty. And this is no less than the homage of the heart; humbly acknowledging that we hold every thing of him, and have every thing from him. Earthly princes are forced to be content with verbal acknowledgments or mere formal homage. For they can command nothing but what is external. But God, who knows and looks at the hearts of all his creatures, will accept of nothing but what comes from thence. He demands the adoration of our whole fouls, which is most justly due to him who formed them, and gave them the very capacities to know and adore him. (3.) As faithful fubjects, we must cheerfully pay him the tribute he requires of us. This is not like the tribute which earthly kings exact; who as much depend upon their subjects for the support of their power, as their subjects do upon them for the protection of their property. But the tribute God requires of us, is a tribute of praise and honour; which he stands in no need of from us. For his power is independent, and his glory immutable; and he is infinitely able of himfelf to fupport the dignity of his uni

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