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within their Power:

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from an obvious Difcernment of the natural Excellence of the one, of its Tendency to promote the Happiness of Man, whether we confider him apart by himself, or as a Member of Society. For if Virtue and Vice had no other Foundation than the mere Pleasure and Authority of Legislators, the Laws made concerning them would have been as various, as in all other indifferent Matters: There could have been no fuch univerfal Agreement about their Nature, among all polite and learned Nations; but they would have changed in every Climate, in every different Form of Government that prescribed them.

But tho' all Legislators have agreed in this Point, it is at the fame time equally evident, that none of them have been able to affign to the different Branches and Degrees of Virtue, their proper and juft Reward; or to

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the different Complications of Vice, their deserved Punishment. This has not been, nor indeed is capable of being effected; and for thefe Reasons; because many Acts, which appear to us to be Virtuous, or Vicious, may be otherwife; and because many Acts of Virtue and Vice never fall under our Notice or Cognizance at all. The Credit which Virtue maintains in the World, makes many a fair Hypocrite; the Punishments of Vice drive Sinners into the Dark, where many Wickedneffes are committed, fuch as no Eye can discover, and therefore no Power can redress.

This has been the State of the World from the Beginning to this Day; and must be so, as long as the Interefts and Allotments of Virtue and Vice are left under Human Infpection, and to the Judgment of Men only. This Cafe has greatly perplex'd and offended many wife and good

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good Men, who have at last been unable to discover any Remedy for it. Hard it is, that the most excellent of Mankind fhould meet with the worst Fate; and that the most Wicked and Mischievous should not only escape, but profper.

To say that Virtue is its own Reward; that it is infeparably attended with Peace and Happiness within; and that Vice carries its own Punishment with it, (were it always true) does by no means reach the Difficulty. For fuppofe Virtue to be always happy within, why muft it not be outwardly happy alfo? Is it upon that Account reasonable that it fhould be impoverish'd, imprison'd, or disgrac'd? İf it endures Afflictions better, does it therefore deserve them more? Or are the Lofs of Convenience, Liberty, Reputation, fuch Difcouragements, as Virtue only is infenfible of?

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And fuppofe that Vice must necef farily be attended with a fecret Anguish and Sting within (which however is not always the Cafe) must it therefore receive no other Punishment? Or is it fit therefore that it fhould be enriched, honour'd and advanc'd? What is then to be done? Here is plainly a great Defect, fomething wanting, which no Human Power or Wildom can provide for, or fupply.

Let us attend to the Words of the Text, and we shall fee this great Difficulty removed, and Light arife from the Darkness. We must all appear before the Fudgment-Seat of Chrift, that every one may receive the things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. This is the most important Truth that ever was made known to the World: It clearly vindicates the Divine Juftice in the seemingly unequal Distribution of

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the Things of this Life: It fatisfies all the anxious Reasonings of Mankind : It exhibits to Virtue a full Reward for all its Difcouragements and Sufferings: and affures us there will be a Time when Wickedness fhall be brought to Justice: and if any thing can be a Check to Wickedness, the Terrors of the Lord must be.

Tho' this Truth was never made clear and certain, till the Publication of the Gospel, yet it was not wholly unknown to the World before. Many of the Superstitions, both of the Greeks and Romans, are evidently founded on the Suppofition of a future State. They had their Elyfian Fields for Heroes, and Men of virtuous Character; and other infernal Abodes for the Wicked, with a variety of Punishments, very fabulous indeed, but nevertheless very fignificative. In this View it is worth our obferving, that the Expreffion made use of by St. Paul, I 4

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