evil happened if Man had continued innocent, there would have been neither Fear nor Grief in the World. Nor fhould Dif cord or Wars have been found amongst men, if their Appetites had continued, regular and fubject to Reafon; for generally it is because that several men defire the fame fingle thing (which one alone can but enjoy at the fame time) that differences arife, which, if the Parties concerned be Sovereigns, often grow to Wars. But whatever other caufe of Diffentions there be, 'tis the effect of immoderate Defires which Sprouted from the Tree of the knowledg of good and evil. There is then no Mifery incident to Man, if Damnation and the Pains of Hell be within the Lift, but derives its Origin from thence; which that they are, fhall be the Work of the following Section to make appear.

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SECT

SECT. VII.

Eternal Damnation, or the perpetual Loß of Blifs, inevitably follows from the perpetual Alienation of the Souls Affections from God. Eternal Torments, or the Pains of the Damned neceffarily for ever accompany their impious Defires of preferring worldly Vanities before the Enjoyment of God. Hence by these two, an Averfion from the Creator, and a Converfion to the Creature, makes himself eternally, miferable.

Man

Ince it has been proved ( Sect. 4. par! 13.) that eternal Felicity confifts in the immenfe Pleafure, Joy and Contentment that flows from the Beatific Vifion, or Intellectual Sight of God, and that the fame Pleasure, Joy and Contentment is the Love of Complacency, or Delight whereby the Soul infeparably adheres to God with all its might (fect. 4. par. 14.) 'tis plain that fuch Alienation of the Soul's Affections from God, as fhalli for ever deprive it of fuch adherence to him, muft of neceffity deprive it of everlasting Blifs.

2. And in regard an everlasting deprivation of Bliss is that eternal Mifery, which

the Schools call Pena Damni, 'tis clear that Darination, or the perpetual Lofs of Blifs inevitably follows the perpetual Alienation of the Souls Affection from God.

3. And whereas it is impoffible to alienate the Souls Affections from God upon his own account, because in him is no appearance of evil, 'tis manifeft that for the gratifying of fome inordinate Defire the Luft of the Flesh, the Luft of the Eye, or Pride of Life, man's Soul is alienated in affection from God.

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4. Wherefore if the Souls Affections be in this Life fo bent upon Riches, Honour, Luxury, Revenge, or other worldly Contentment, that it prefers any of them before the enjoyment of God; and thence makes choice thereof as its chief Good and Felicity, or the thing wherein it is above all others delighted, it must needs be, that whatsoever Soul departs this Life fo affected, must either forfake and leave off that its defire, or be fatisfied with the Fruition of the Thing defired, or elfe be eternally tormented; for to be for ever deprived of that which the Soul perpetually longs for, will be an endless affliction.

5. And first, That a Soul departing this Life with án habitual affection to fome worldly

worldly Vanity wherein it delights,cannot ever shake off that its Defire,is apparent from this, that the Will (which is an effential Faculty of the Soul) can never be void of fome Defire or other, and that it is unconceivable how it fhould part with thofe it is habitually poffeffed of when it leaves the Body, fince it is certain that the love of God in pious Souls, begun here on Earth, continues after Death, and accompanies them to Heaven (as will be feen fect. 13. par.2.) and that the Nature of Qualities or habitual Difpofitions, whether good or bad, as to their inherence in the Soul, is in all men alike. And fecondly, That those Lufts which infeparably adhere to mens Souls after death, can never with the enjoyment of what they defire, be fatisfied, is as certamly true, as that their Return to the Earth to enjoy the Pleafures of this World, fhall never come to pafs. And thirdly that men who have inordinate defires, fhall after death endure Torments anfwerable to the ftrength of Affection which they have for the Things they luft after, and cannot poffibly enjoy, may be gathered from the afflicted miferable condition of thofe Perfons upon Earth whofe Hearts are irrevocably fet on Riches, Honour, Luxury, Re

venge, &c. when they find themselves totally difappointed of what they earnestly defire. For does not Experience fhew us, that the Heart of many a covetous Wretch is fo cemented to his Gold, that when it is ftollen from him, his Life, which before he would not have exchanged for Heaven, becomes his Hell, fo as that he haftens by the first thing in his way to be delivered from it? And are not the Thoughts of fome vain-glorious and ambitious men fo intent upon Honour, that falling into Disgrace, their very Hearts burft for grief of the want of that alone,amidft the affluence of almost all other worldly Goods befides? As fad diftrefs befals not a few forlorn Lovers, whofe Affections are fo faft glewed to their Miftreffes, that they judge no Pain like that of fruftrated Love, infomuch that they chufe the readiest for the best way of of fering violence to their reftlefs wearifom Lives. What fhall I fay of envious and revengeful withes not accomplished, than which no Viper can more cruelly gnaw mens Hearts? If then mens Defires may be fo violent, and the fruftrating of them fo grievous, as hath been faid, while the Soul is involved in a Body of Clay, how fierce will the one, and how intolerable

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