REWARDS and PUNISHMENTS. 
J 47 
Since death doles all accounts, with regard to our probation, 
or ability of doing any thing acceptable to god; however inte- 
refting this enquiry, about immediate pain or pleafure may be, 
confidered in the light of inducing us to live well, it is other- 
wife but an empty fpeculation ; and therefore it may be, that 
we have fo few lights to guide ourfelves by. 
As hope is fo pleahng a palTion, and fear fo painful, per- 
haps our confcioufnefs may conftft in foinething fimilar to them. 
The meafure of our prefent virtue or vice, to which the decrees 
of heaven have appointed fuch a plealing or painful condition, 
can be difcovered only by the trial. 
And what ftiall we gain by fuppoling that we fhall sleep till 
the great day of accounts ? We know not when that day may 
be : but be it ten, or ten thousand years diftant ; be the 
interval ever fo great between the point of time, in which our 
confcioufnefs ceafes, and that in which it is reftored to us, it 
mu ft appear but as a moment. 
Not to amufe ourfelves with vague conjectures, we may con- 
template the parable of the rich man and lazarus. We may 
alfo draw inftruCtion from the declaration of our saviour to the 
penitent thief : his words are, “ To-day fhalt thou be with me 
<c in paradise.” You know divines have taken care to guard 
us againft the prefumptuous fin of deferring our repentance, and 
explained the folly of refting our hopes on this lingular incident, 
It is very plain, however, this was a good man, at this time, 
tho’ he v/as condemned to fuffer death for theft. 
U 2 
But 
