are, is not very confiderable; nor were it worth the while either to make Objections against Providence, or to answer them, if Death put an end to us.

Bad Men who make these Objections against Providence, are very well contented to take the World as they find it, fo they may have it without a Providence; which is a Sign that it is not their Diflike of this World (though many times they fuffer as much in it as good. Men do) which makes them quarrel at Providence, but the Dread and Fear of another World. And this proves that they think this World a very tolerable Place, whether there be a Providence or not. And if so short a Life as this is be but tolerable, it is a fufficient Juftification of Providence, that this Life is well enough for its Continuance; a very mixt and imperfect State indeed, but very short too: Such a State as bad Men themselves would like very well without another Life after it; and fuch a State as good Men like very well with another Life to follow. It is not a Spite at human Life which makes them reject a Providence; as any one would guess, who hears them object their own Profperity, and the Calamities of good Men, as Arguments against Providence; both which they like very well. And whatever there may be in thefe Objections, fuppofing there were no other Life after this, yet when they all vanish at the very naming of another Life,

L 3

Life, where good Men fhall be rewarded, and the wicked punished; it is ridiculous to prove, that there is no other Life after this, because Rewards and Punishments are not difpenfed with that exact Justice in this Life, as we might fuppofe God would obferve, if there were no other Life. To prove that there is no other Life after this, because good and bad Men do not receive their juft Rewards in this Life, is an Argument which becomes the Wit and Understanding of an Atheist: For they must first take it for granted, that there is no Providence, before this Argument can prove any thing. For if there be a Providence, then the Profperity of bad Men, and the Sufferings of the good, is a much better Argument that there is another Life after this, where Rewards and Punishments shall be more equally diftributed. Thus, when they difpute against Providence, from the Profperity of bad Men, and the Calamities of the good; before this can prove any thing, they must take it for granted, that there is no other Life after this, where good Men shall be rewarded, and the wicked punished: For if there be, it is eafy enough to justify the Providence of God, as to the present Profperity of bad Men, and the Sufferings of the good. So that they must of Neceffity difpute in a Circle, as the Papifts do between the Church and the Scriptures, when they either prove that there is no Providence, or no Life

after

after this, from the unequal Rewards and Punishments of good and bad Men in this World. For, in effect, they prove that there is no Providence, because there is no Life after this; or that there is no Life after this, because there is no Providence. For the Profperity of bad Men, and the Sufferings of the good, proves neither of them, unless you take the other for granted. And if you will prove them both by this Medium, you must take them both for granted by turns; and that is the easier and safer Way to take them for granted, without expofing themselves to the Scorn of wife Men by fuch kind of Proofs. But yet though this were no Objection against the Being of another World, and a Providence; yet had the Profperity of bad Men, and the Calamities of the good continued fome hundred Years, it had been a greater Difficulty, and a greater Temptation than now it is. The Profperity of the Wicked is a much less Objection, when it is so easily anfwered, as the Pfalmift does, Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou fhalt diligently confider his place, and it shall not be, Pfal. xxxvii. 10. When the very fame Perfons, who have been the Spectators and Witneffes of his profperous Villanies, live to fee a quick and sudden End of him: I have feen the wicked in great power, and Spreading himself like a green bay-tree; yet he passed away, and lo he was not; yea, I fought him, but

he could not be found, 35, 36. And this is enough also to support the Spirits of good Men: For this caufe we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17.

SECT. V.

The Time, and Manner, and Circumstances of every particular Man's Death, is not determined by an abfolute and unconditional De

cree.

II. Hough GOD, who knows all Things, does know alfo the Time, and Manner, and Circumftances of every particular Man's Death, yet it does not appear that he has by an abfolute and unconditional Decree, fix'd and determined the particular Time of every Man's Death. This is that famous Queftion which Beverovicius, a learned Physician, was so much concerned to have refolved, and confulted fo many learned Men about it, as fuppofing it would be a great Injury to his Profeffion, did Men believe that the Time of their Death was fo abfolutely determined by God, that they could neither die fooner, nor live longer than that fatal Period, whether they took the Advice and

and Prescriptions of the Phyficians or not. But this was a vain Fear; for there are some Speculations which Men never live by, how vehemently foever they contend for them: A Sceptick who pretends that there is nothing certain, and will difpute with you as long as you please about it, yet will not venture his own Arguments fo far as to leap into Fire and Water, nor to ftand before the Mouth of a loaded Cannon, when you give Fire to it. Thus Men who talk moft about fatal Neceffity, and abfolute Decrees, yet they will eat and drink to preserve themselves in Health, and take Phyfick when they are fick, and as heartily repent of their Sins, and vow Amendment and Reformation, when they think themselves a dying, as if they did not believe one Word of fuch abfolute Decrees, and fatal Neceffity, as they talk of at other Times.

I do not intend to engage in this Difpute of Neceffity and Fate, of Prefcience and abfolute Decrees, which will be Difputes as long as the World lafts, unless Men grow wifer than to trouble themselves with fuch Queftions as are above their Reach, and which they can never have a clear Notion and Perception of; but all that I intend is to fhew you, according to the Scripture Account of it, That the Period of our Lives is not fo peremptorily determined by God, but that we may lengthen or shorten them, live longer, or die

fooner,