fome certain and strong Profpect in Futurity, of Weight and Importance enough to awe and restrain them in their prefent Pursuits; something of Univerfal Influence, fome general Check to Vice and Inconfideration, in all their Shapes and Forms. It is plain enough, that the Motives before do not come up to this Purpose. Let us then confider That in my Text, The Lord is at hand.

Death has been always known to be a certain Thing, at an uncertain Time. But what was to follow has been very much doubted of and difputed. Two Sects, the Epicureans and Stoicks, generally denied any Exiftence after it, the third Sect, the Academicks, generally believ'd the Immortality of the Soul; but they feldom deduce any Motives to the Practice of Virtue from this Topick. Now the great Strength and Force of Revelation lies in this, that it gives

us

us the clearest Evidence of an Eternity of Existence after this Life, of the most exquifite Happiness or Mifery; that our eternal State will be determined by our Conduct in this World; that Jesus Christ is ordain'd of God to be Judge of Quick and Dead. This, I fay, is a Motive of the great, eft Force, and moft extenfive Influence; it affects all Men of all Ranks and Degrees, of all Abilities and Capacities. It is appointed for all Men once to die, and after that the Judgment. The one is no more to be evaded than the other. If the prefent Rewards of Virtue are not fufficient to fupport it amongst Mankind, what can be called in to its Affiftance more powerful than this Superaddition of eternal Rewards ?

The Author of Chriftianity as old as the Creation, is very angry with St. Paul for exciting People to the Practice of Piety and all good Works, from this

Motive;

Motive; a heinous Charge indeed! it might have been commendable in another Perfon, but in an Apostle, is never to be forgiven.

But to return: The Behaviour of a Creature, who is to exift but for a fhort time, may be worth but little Notice, be it what it will, he passes away, is gone and forgotten; but the Conduct of a Being who is to live for ever, is of the utmost Importance, especially that part of his Conduct, which is to determine his Happiness or Mifery for ever; this is of no less than infinite Value to him. And if this will not prevail with us, it is abfolutely impoffible that any thing in Nature fhould, because nothing in Nature greater than this can be propofed to us. Here is no need of Art or Oratory, no need of any Address to the Imagination or Affections, the plain Importance of this Motive, its genuine Worth and Magnificence must

fub

fubdue our best Judgment, and is far above, and wants none of these little Helps. We must know within our felves, that in all our Exceffes, we have no Thought of, or Regard to a future State; and that we no fooner admit the aweful Idea, the Lord is at hand, but its Influence immediately takes place, it checks every Extravagance, and infpires an univerfal Moderation.