The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

The third sort are they whose Necessities are great, and yet conjunct with hope of some success. Though bare interest should command no mans understanding, because a thing may be desirable, ¹which is neither certain nor possible; yet I must needs say, that Reason and self-love should make any man, (that is not resolved in wickedness) exceeding glad to hear of any hopes, much more of certainty, of a life of Angelical Happiness and Joy, to be possessed when this is ended. And therefore the enquiry should be exceeding willingly and studiously endeavoured. I shall conclude this point with a few serious Questions, to those that deny a future Life of Retribution.

The third sort are they whose Necessities are great, and yet conjunct with hope of some success. Though bare interest should command no mans understanding, because a thing may be desireable, ¹which is neither certain nor possible; yet I must needs say, that Reason and self-love should make any man, (that is not resolved in wickedness) exceeding glad to hear of any hopes, much more of certainty, of a life of Angelical Happiness and Joy, to be possess'd when this is ended. And therefore the enquiry should be exceeding willingly and studiously endeavoured. I shall conclude this point with a few serious Questions, to those that deny a future Life of Retribution.

1. 1Animarum originem manare de coelo, inter rectè philosophantes indubitatae constat esse sententiae. Et Animae dum corpore utitur haec est perfecta sapientia, ut unde orta sit, de quo fonte venerit, recognoscat. Macrob, sup. somn. scip. l. 1. c. 9.

Qu. 1. Whether he that taketh a man to be but an ingenuous kind of Beast, can take it ill to be esteemed as a Beast? May I not expect that he should live like a Beast, who thinketh that he shall die like a Beast? Is such a man ⟨p. 155⟩