REWARDS and PUNISHMENTS. 145 
tnind afpires. I fuppofe, at lead, no man ever reached to the 
fummit of his own longings after virtue ; perhaps no man can 
ad up fully and entirely to his own idea of it. This is an- 
other proof that the foul is immortal ; or, in other words, that 
we are made, and intended by the maker, for a date of greater 
perfection than the prefent is capable of. Every rational being 
mud be well adlired, from the deductions of reason, and alfo 
from the written law of god, that in order to be happy after 
death, the virtuous part of our character mud preponderate : 
but who can comfort themfelves in this article, who do not 
endevor to be completly virtuous ? We ought, in a religi- 
ous fenfe, to have god in all our thoughts : and the more we 
obey him, the more we fhall delight to think of him. As 
foon as we are removed, by death, from the objeCts which, in 
fome meafure, now obdruCt the free operations of the mind ; 
having no longer any bar or hindrance, we fhall be capable of 
all the happinefs which we can now podibly conceive the mod 
happy on earth do, or can enjoy ; and a great deal more, of 
which we can have no conception at prefent. The ambition 
which is natural to the foul, and with which we now fee brave 
fpirits often fired, I fuppofe, will then be gratified : the third 
with which it languifhed in the purfuit of virtue, will be re- 
lieved and completely fatisfied. 
You know that we are told, it hath not entered into the 
heart of man to conceive the full extent of either rewards or 
punifhments. It feems to be as vain to attempt fixing their li- 
mits, as to form adequate ideas of infinite mercy, or infinite 
justice ? One of the fins we are apt to fall into, is being cu- 
ll rious. 
