joy, in the happy change, the bleffed attendants; and the wicked with horror at the unhappy change and the frightful fociety it nows enter into.

Laftly, A paffage where there is no repaffing. It is without coming back till the great day. The godly would not, and the wicked shall not be able to return. It is a paffage we have no access to make trial of, but once entering upon it, go forward for good and all, Heb. ix. 27.

Now when the foul is paffed and gone into the other world, the body ftill remains in this, being laid up in the grave until the laft day. But there it lies dead and moveless, having no more portion in what is done under the fun. But the body alfo muft pafs into the other world, and all mankind fhall be inhabitants of that world at length in their bodies, as well as their fouls. Of this we may note these few things.

1. The time appointed for it is the last day. Then, and not till then shall the bodies of men be transported thither, Matth. xxv. ult. They muft fleep in the duft, till the end of this world, Job xiv. 12. and then be removed into the other world, for eternal inhabitants, not to remove any more.

2. Then shall they be raised up out of their graves for that paffage, their fouls being reunited to their bodies; fo fhall they awake out of their long fleep, Dan. xii. 2. Chrift fhall come again to judgment, and the trumpet fhall found, at which all the dead fhall arife, their fouls being by his mighty power returned into and united again to their bodies, John v. 28, 29. Then they rife to take their last farewell of this prefent world.

3. They fhall be gathered together by the miniftry of angels into two companies, the one to pass into the upper part, the other into the lower part of the other world, Mark xiii. 27. Mat. xiii. 40, 41. Thus every grave shall be emptied then, no place in the earth or sea shall hold back any of its dead, Rev. xx. 13. and being brought forth, none of them shall be

loft

loft by the way unto the place where the judgment will be, all shall be brought thither, Rom. xiv. 10. good and bad, from all corners of the earth and fea.

4. The fair company of Chrift's fheep fhall be caught up from this curfed earth never to fet a foot on it more, into the clouds, and there in the air be fet on Christ's right hand, 1 Thes. iv. 17. Thus they are so far in their way to the other world. And the reprobate goats fhall be left ftanding on their own earth, upon Chrift's left hand, Matth. xxiv. 40. the nearer perhaps to their part of the other world. And this will be the laft ftation that ever they will have upon it.

5. Chrift will, by a sentence from the throne, adjudge the righteous unto the upper part of the other world, after due cognifance taken of their cafe, Mat. xxv. 34. "Then fhall the King fay unto them on his right hand, Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." And by a fentence from the fame he will adjudge the wicked into the lower part of it, ver. 41. "Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye curfed, into ever lafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." So there is no more ufe for this world, but faints and finners muft leave it now, having got their route for the other world.

Laftly, Immediately the wicked pafs away into hell in one company together, there to receive eternal punishment; and then the godly having feen them turn their backs and go away, do go off into heaven with Chrift. And then comes the general conflagration, fucceeded with the creation of the new heavens and earth.

Inf.1. Death is a matter of the highest importance to all, as being the paffage into the other world. As none of us can mifs to die, fo none of us can miss to pafs out of this world into the other. Ah! why then are we fo unmindful of it? Why do we not fet ourfelves more to prepare for it? Why are we so much concerned for this world that we must leave, and fo little for that world we must depart to? Pafs we muft,

but

but cannot return: what is but once to be done, had need to be well done.

2. Tho' dying is in itself an awful thing, yet to the godly it is moft fafe and comfortable. They have a happy lodging on the other fide, and they will get a joyful convoy thither. To look into the waters is frightful; but they have a firm ground to the believers, and they are not fo deep as they look to be. It is an awful thought, to think of that moment wherein the foul drops the body, and paffes into the other world; but Chrift is ready to receive the believer's foul, and the angels to welcome and attend it into their world of blifs.

3. Death, however dreadful it is in itself, is far more dreadful in its confequences to the ungodly. Were there no more for them but to die, and so to be done, or cease to be, it would be more tolerable. But the hor rible place they pass into in the other world, the frightful ftate abiding them there, is fearful beyond expreffion. What moment they are expiring, they are waited for of the destroyers, to be driven away in their wickedness.

Laftly, All of us have certainly greater interest and concern in the other world than in this. For here we are but paffengers, there we will be eternal inhabiAnd not only is the greatest concern for our fouls there, but even for our bodies too.

tants.

IV. Of the State of Men in the other world.

I proceed now to the last head I propofed to confider, namely, The state of men in the other world. And in handling of this weighty fubject, two things must be inquired into.

1. The state of feparate fouls in the other world. 2. The state of foul and body reunited.

Of both which in order.

I. Of the State of Separate Souls in the other world. THE ftate of separate fouls commences at death, whereby the feparation is made, and continues until the refurrection, when the foul and body are reunited.

Which state therefore can have no place, where death has not place, as in those whom Chrift coming again will find alive on the earth. For clearing of this branch, we fhall,

1. Inquire into the state of feparate fouls in the other world in general.

2. Confider the different states of feparate fouls in the different parts of that world.

I. WE fhall inquire into the ftate of feparate fouls in the other world in general. And,

1. They are in a state of activity, and not asleep, without life, fenfe, understanding, and action, as fome profane men would have it. That is the state of the body indeed after death, but not of the foul, which is of a spiritual and active nature. The separate fouls of the faints are not asleep but with the Lord, 2 Cor. v.8. Phil. i. 23. whereby the fcripture expreffeth a state of happiness, Theff. iv. 17. Neither are the feparate fouls of the ungodly afleep, as is evident from the cafe of the rich man in hell, Luke xvi. 23,-25.

2. They are totally and finally removed from the business of this world, Eccl. ix. 6. Whatever their activity be, they act no more in those things that are the affairs of this life. Death puts an end to all that with them, Pfal. cxlvi. 4. and therefore they are faid to reft from their labours, being freed from the business and troubles of this life. Accordingly, whatever they poffeffed while here in life, their intereft therein is expired, Luke xii. 20. However careful and busy they have been in these, death puts a final stop thereto in a moment.

3. Their activity is wholly intellectual and spiritual, as that of the angels good or bad, Matth, xxii. 30. They are then divested of their bodies, and fo can use them no more than if they had no manner of concern in them. The body furnishes all men with a business, what to eat and drink, wherewith to be clothed,

where

where to lodge, how to provide for themselves and families; and this is the whole bufinefs of many. But in the other world all that is fcored off. Only the fpiritual faculties, of understanding, confcience, will, and memory, last; and those will afford them employment and continual action, Luke xvi. 25.

4. Their knowledge is exceedingly enlarged, their faculties are cleared beyond what they were in this life, either to their happiness or mifery. The clay body being fallen down from about the foul, it will fee far more clearly than before. The mift that arofe from this vain world unto them, will then be scattered. The other world they only heard of before, they will then fee, and know the truth of what was reported from the word, by their own experience. Whatever be the ignorance prevailing in this world, there is none there but will know at another rate than now, what God, Chrift, fin, &c. are.

are

in

5. They are in a social state, and not folitary, they company with other fpirits. The other world is doubtless a throng world, thronger than this, whether we view it in the upper or lower part; for there all past generations of men are, here is one generation only. The faints go into a bleffed fociety, Heb. xii. 7. and the wicked have their numerous fociety in the other world too, Luke xvi. 28.

Laftly, They are in a determinate unalterable state, and can never change feats more, Luke xvi. 29. Now we are in a state of trial in this world, but in the other world they are at their journey's end. The trees is fallen, and must lie for ever as it has fallen. In heaven there is no need of repentance, and in hell there is no place for it. Death determines our eternal state. If one is well in the other world, he is well for ever; if he is ill there, he is fo for ever.

II. Let us now confider the different states of feparate fouls in the different parts of the other world, vix, heaven and hell.