XII.

dies that feel the periodical Rack of the Gout, S ER M, and the more conftant Rack of the Stone, that fay in the Morning, would God it was Even, and at Even,would God it was Morning; the feeble Conftitutions and unbraced Nerves, that fink under perpetual Languishments, without tafting any Pleasures of Life, and can hardly be faid to live; all these Incurables have no other Hope and Refuge but in the Resurrection of the Juft, when these vile and diftemper'd Bodies shall be changed, and new moulded at once into vigorous and healthful, and never decaying Conftitutions. For God fhall then wipe a-Rev. 21. 4. way all Tears from their Eyes, and there fhall be no more Death, neither Sorrow, nor crying, neither fhall there be any Pain; for the former Things are paffed away. All these uneafy Companions will be dropt at the Grave, together with their mortal Bodies-for if they are fown in Weakness and Infirmity, they shall be raised in Power and Vigour.

4thly, This Doctrine of the Refurrection may inftruct the Rich and the Great not to defpife worthy Men upon Account of their

XII.

SER M. mean Condition in this Life, who will be fo highly honour'd by the great God at the Day of Judgment.

In the meer Judgment of Reason, no Man is to be despised but for his Vices and Follies, and no Man to be esteemed but for his Virtues and good Qualities. Riches, and Honour, and Power are exterior Diftinctions only, that are as often poffeffed by the Worthless, as the Worthy, and are the Idols of none but the Weak, ill-judging, and felf-designing Part of Mankind. But Virtue, and Wifdom, and a benevolent Mind have a Sterling and inherent Value, that will not the lefs attract the Ef teem of a wife Man for being found in an humble Cottage. Solomon represents this in Eccle 19. a lively Parable. There was, fays he, a little City and few Men within it, and there came a great King and befieged it, and built Bulwarks against it. Now there was found within it a poor wife Man, and be by his Wisdom delivered the City, yet no Man remembred that fame poor Man. Then faid I, Wisdom is better than Strength, nevertheless the poor Man's Wisdom is defpifed, and bis Words are not heard. When their Turn was ferved, this wife Man was no longer regarded,

garded, because he was poor, tho' he was SEM, really a better and greater Man than that great King whofe Power he defeated.

XH.

And if the Preference is given to Merit in the Judgment of Reafon, Revelation carries it ftill further; for there we read that God hath made of one Blood, all Nati- Aets 26, 10p ons of Men. So that the higher Men carry their Pedigrees, the lefs they are distinguished. This new Piece of Hiftory St. Paul gave out to humble the proud Greeks, who defpifed the rest of the World as Barbarians, and People below their Regard..

And there is yet a ftronger Argument in this Cafe taken from the new Relation which, all Chriftians bear to each other as Fellow-members of the fame Body; in re gard to which it is as abfurd for one Chriftian to defpife another, because he is in a lower Condition of Life, as it would be for the. Head to defpife the Feet, or the Eyes the Hands, fince they have a mutual Dependence, upon each other. But the Refurrection will level all these vain Foundations of Pride and Contempt. For the Kings of the Earth, and the great Men, and the rich Men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty Men, as well as every Bondman and every Freeman, Cc z Sinners

SER M. Sinners of all Ranks and Stations, are among

XII. thofe, who fhall hide themselves in the Dens Rev. 6.15. and in the Rocks of the Mountains. The

only Preference that will be given then, will be to Superiority in Virtue and Goodness, for the great Judge is no Refpecter of PerJons. Then fhall obfcure Virtue, that was fown in Dishonour, and buried in worldly Contempt, be raised in Glory, whilft illuf trious Vice that once fhone in Gold, and Jewels, and fplendid Equipage, fhall arife to everlasting Shame and Contempt.

And how should it mortify the Pride of Grandeur and Wealth, to confider that when the Scene fhall be thus fhifted, and this fhort Farce of Vanity is over, every Man muft arife in his true Character, and be judged by his Merits, and not by the Figure he made in this World. How should this admonish the Rich and the Great to refpect virtuous Men, who are now their Betters, and will then be their Judges: For James 2. 5.defpifed as they may be at prefent, they are Heirs of the Kingdom which God hath prepared for them that love him; and shall in due Time appear in their proper Glory, while the Wicked Poffeffors of Manors, Titles, and Crowns, fhall ftand behind

virtuous

XII.

virtuous Beggars. Beloved, now are we the SBR M. Sons of God, fays St. John, this is at prefent the real Condition of every good Chrif tian, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, and therefore the World confiders us not in that Light, but we know that when he fhall appear, when he fhall come in his Glory at the Refurrection we shall be like him, we fhall resemble him in Glory, for we shall fee him as he is, and consequently 1 John 3. 2. that Likeness will become evident.

I

Lastly, The Affurance of a Refurrection may confole us under the Lofs of our dear Relations and Friends who lived and died in the Fear of God; for to fpeak in the Scripture Language, they only fleep in Jefus, and we shall awake together in the Morning of the Refurrection. The Ties of Blood, and the long Endearments of Friendship, muft naturally make deep Impreffions of Grief upon tender and benevolent Minds on those melancholy Events, because we shall see them no more in this World; but when the Shower is spent, and Sorrow has paid her laft Tribute, we shall fee Caufe to grieve no otherwife than for those who are gone a long Journey, for in due Time, by treading

Cc 3