them is without question vaft, a legion of them being in one man, Luke viii. 30. They are not fo fixed to their eternal abode as yet, but that this world is full of them, so as no man wants a tempter carrying his hell about with him; but they will be fixed at length in their place, which they themselves are fure of, Luke viii. 31. Jam. ii. 19.

2. The fouls of the wicked departed, Luke xvi. 23. There is their habitation as of prifoners in a pit, I Pet. iii. 19. Thefe alfo are wicked fpirits, having been by death driven away in their wickedness; and now abfolutely defperate, without the least gleam of hope; from which muft needs iffue their arriving there at a height of wickedness agreeable to their state. Their number also is vaft, being all that have lived and died in their natural ftate from the beginning of the world, and will be increased with all that shall so live and die to the end.

Inf. 1. Heaven's happiness muft needs be unfpeakable, in refpect of the fociety there. The faints going thither shall no more be in a lonely condition, but have the pleasant fociety of other faints perfected, holy angels, the man Chrift, and God himself. The fociety of faints here is very comfortable, how much more the general affembly of them in heaven? There are the angels, the courtiers of the great King burning with love to God, and warm love to the faints. Yea there is the tabernacle of God with men, Rev. xxi. 3.

2. Hell's horror must be unspeakable alfo, in regard of the fociety there. The appearance of one evil spirit now ftrikes the children of men with terror; but who can conceive the horror of being caft into one prifon, with the damned crew, to hear the hiffing of these ferpents, the roarings of these devouring lions, the weeping, wailing, and gnashing of the teeth of the wicked funk in despair? and that for ever!

3. The two parties now wearied of one another, will be fairly parted in the other world, never to

come

66

World. come together again. The godly are weary of the fociety of the wicked. The Pfalmist finds himself as dwelling in Mefech and Kedar, Pfal. cxx. 5. among lions, among them that are fet on fire, even the fons of men, whose teeth are fpears and arrows, and their tongue a fharp fword," Pfal. lvii. 4.; and therefore wishes for wings to flee away from them, Pfal. lv. 6.

O that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at reft." Death will give these wings to them, that will carry them away quite from among them. Jeremiah defired a lodge in the wilderness, that he might leave his people; but now he has got a lodging in heaven, where he can no more be uneafy from them, Jer. ix. 2.

The wicked are weary of the fociety of the godly; they defire it not, they are hampered with it, it is a burden to them. They will be quit of it in the other world, where they will fee their faces no more, but afar off in Abraham's bofom, and at the last day in the air on Chrift's right hand. The unpaffable gulf will be between them and them there for ever.

4. True lovers of the faints and holy fociety will be fatisfied at length; and the lovers of the company of the ungodly will get their heart's fill of it. There is great ftrefs laid upon our love of the godly for their godliness, Chriftians for Christ's fake, 1 John iii. 14. "We know that we have paffed from death unto life, because we love the brethren." Such will never get enough of their fociety here; but there they fhall be led into an unmixed fociety of faints where is not one wicked perfon, not one finner; and herewith they should not comfort themselves, while they dwell in the tents of Kedar. There is great stress also laid on the love of ill company, Prov. xiii. 20.—“ but a companion of fools fhall be deftroyed." Such will get a fill of it, when they come to the other world, to the fociety wherein is not one gracious perfon; when they shall be bundled together in punishment with

thofe,

thofe, with whom they have been bundled together in fin, Matth. xiii. 30.

Laftly, As ye would choose your habitation in the other world, choose your way now; for it is impoffible that one way can lead to both. The way of faith and holinefs leads to heaven, the way of unbelief, unholiness, and licentiousness leads to hell, Mat. vii. 13, 14. "Enter ye in at the ftrait gate," c. Do not think ye can enter into life by the broad gate; for "without holinefs no man fhall fee the Lord," Heb. xii. 14. Ye will join yourselves to those now, with whom ye will be joined for ever; therefore fays the apostle to the believing Hebrews, "Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, and to an innumerable company of angels," &c. Heb. xii. 22,-24. and fays Solomon, "He that walketh with wife men fhall be wife; but a companion of fools fhall be deftroyed," Prov. xiii. 20.

III. Of the paffage into the other World.

As to the paffage of unbodied fpirits, to wit, angels good or bad, who fometimes are here, and depart again into the other world, we inquire not about it. But the paffage into the other world for us mortals, is what we are concerned to know. Paul had a pasfage into it extraordinary for a vifit; how that was, in or out of the body, he himself could not tell. It is for habitation, the paffage into it, for our lasting abode, that concerns us. It is twofold.

Firft, One extraordinary, by a translation of foul and body into it. There have been three unquestionable inftances of it, viz. of Enoch before the law, Gen. y. 24. Heb. xi. 5. of Elijah carried up by a whirlwind into heaven, 2 Kings ii. 11. under the law; and of Chrift himself, who is faid to have been taken up, Acts i. 9. But these were altogether extraordinary.

Secondly, The ordinary paffage is by death, whether into the upper or lower part of the other world, as

Q 2

appears

appears from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Luke xvi. Hence death is called a going hence, Pfal. xxxix. ult. a departing, Luke ii. 29. vix. out of this world, John xiii. 1. Death diffolving the union betwixt the foul and the body, the soul, like a bird on the opening of the cage, gets away, and goes into the other world, departing either into heaven or hell, 2 Cor. v. 1. Phil. i. 23. Luke xvi. 22, 23. Of this pasfage we know little, and can only fay thefe few things.

1. It is a quick paffage, by which the foul is foon wafted over and landed on the other fide. Whatever be the distance betwixt us and either part of the other world, as it is certain it is a vast distance betwixt us and the highest heavens, yet the departed foul foon paffes it over, and is in its place there, as appears from Chrift's faying to the penitent thief, Luke xxiii. 43. "To-day halt thou be with me in paradife;" where the journey was not begun till three o'clock afternoon, ver. 44,46. but accomplished that day. And there is no queftion, but it is much the fame to the other part, which is the lower part of the other world.

2. The paffengers are not left alone in it; but as at our coming forth of the womb into this world, there are some people of this world ready to receive us, and difpofe of us; fo at our going out of this world into the other, there are fome of that world to receive us, and attend us. So that however unknown the road is to us, we will not be alone in it. And,

ift, As to the fouls of the godly paffing into heaven, it is clear that it is fo with them; and that,

(1.) The Lord Jefus himself is with them. The general promife fecures this, Heb. xiii. 5. "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” David was confident of it, Pfal. xxiii. 4. "Yea, though I walk thro' the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." This was typified by the ark's going before the people into Jordan, and staying there till they

were

were all got safe over. At the birth of the gracious foul into the other world, the Lord Jefus himself is the party that receives it, Acts vii. 59.

(2.) That good angels are with them for their convoy. They attend them in their life, doing them many good offices unperceived, having a charge over them, Pfal. xci. 11. "He fhall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." And can one imagine that they will be wanting to them on fuch a non-fuch occafion? If they are to keep them in all their ways, furely they will not leave them alone in that way betwixt the two worlds. They are miniftering spirits to the apparent heirs of falvation, Heb. i. ult. Surely these heirs will not want their ministration, when they are to enter to their inheritance.

They will carry them to heaven, Luke xvi. 22. And this may serve to account for the quickness of their paffage, being carried by angels, who for their fpeedy motion are faid to fly, Ifa. vi. 2, 6. Dan. ix. . 21. Compare Pfal. civ. 4. Ezek. i. 14.

2dly, As to the fouls of the wicked paffing into hell, that matter is not fo very clear. The fcripture speaks not of the rich glutton's attendants into his place in the other world, Luke xvi. 22, 23. plainly intimating, that no comfortable or honourable attendance is for them. But yet it gives hints of their attendance by ill angels or devils, Job xxxiii. 22. and is pofitive that they are driven away, Prov. xiv. 32. And how can it be imagined, but the roaring lion, who is still going about feeking whom he may devour, will be ready to receive the prey when it is coming to his mouth?

3. It will be a ftrange and furprising paffage. How ftrange will it be to the foul to find itself in a moment unbodied, that its body lies dropt in fuch a place, and it has no more communication with it! There will be furprises of wonder, at the fudden change in itself, and at the objects about it which it never faw before. The godly foul will be furprised with 03

joy,