The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

7. Proceed then to think further, that certainly God hath never appointed us so much duty, without convenient Motives to perform it. It cannot be that he should make us more noble than the brutes, to be more miserable: Or that he should make Holiness our duty, that it might be our loss, or our calamity. If there were no other life but this, and men had no hopes of future happiness, nor any fears of punishment, what a Hell would this world be? Heart-wickedness would be but little feared; nor heart-duty regarded: Secret sin against Princes, States, and all degrees, would be boldly committed, and go unpunished (for the most part.) The sins of Princes, and of all that have power to defeat the Law, would have little or no restraint: Every mans interest would oblige him, rather to offend God, who so seldom punisheth here, than to offend a Prince, or any man in power, who seldom lets offences against himself go unrevenged: And so man, more than God, would be the Ruler of the world, that is, our God.

Nay actually the hopes and fears of another life, among most Heathens, Infidels and Heretics, is the principle of Divine Government, by which God keepeth up most of the order and virtue which is in the world.

Nay actually the hopes and fears of another life, among most Hea•hens, Infidels and Hereticks, is the principle of Divine Government, by which God keepeth up most of the order and virtue which is in the world.

Yea, think what you should be and do your self; as to enemies, and as to secret faults, and as to sensual vices, if you thought there were no life but this: And is it possible that the infinitely powerful, wise and good Creator, can be put to govern all mankind, by mere deceit, and a course of lies? as if he wanted better means?