the vast Affemblies of Saints and Angels, disapproving and disdaining them for their Folly in having neglected fo Great Salvation? How will they Despise and Hate Themselves, for having been prevailed on by Trifles, in their State of Probation on Earth, to lose all the Opportunities of being Happy, which now can never be retrieved; and to expose themfelves to the Direful Sentence of Condemnation, now to be pronounced, and never to be Revoked? And as These reflections are of fuch near concernment to us, and in Themselves fo Grating and Shocking, that if they be well attended to, they will not suffer a man to persist, eafily, in a course of Sin and Danger; fo the ferious Thoughts of the Triumphant and Transporting Joy, which, in that Final Day of Retribution, fhall shine in all Holy men, are abundant Encouragements to the Faithful Discharge of their Duty. With what unspeakable Delight will they Then Carefs and Applaud themfelves, when they see themselves applauded and careffed by the Judge of the World, and by all the Ranks and Orders

of

of Angels, for their Wisdom in having feen through, and Rejected all the Deceitful Temptations of Sin, in the former Tranfient State, for the fake of that Everlasting Reward which is now to be Immediately beftowed upon them? O Bleffed Reception! Bleffed Confummation! Who can forbear spending his whole Life in making Provifion for it?

5. Let us entertain our minds with Daily Thoughts of Happiness in Heaven. It must needs be, that This World will engage our Affections, whilft we do not fuffer it to be rival'd by the Other; It must needs be, that we fhall purfue Temporal Satisfactions, whilft no Other Satisfactions are so much as Thought of. But if we can perfuade our felves to rouze our Thoughts, and carry them up into a Survey of that Heavenly Countrey, which is Revealed and tendred to us in the Gospel, Comparing the Happiness of That State with the Enjoyment of This, we shall eafily and presently be convinced, that Common Prudence obligeth us, to govern our Lives by the Rules of Religion. For in fuch a Comparison, it will

unde

undeniably appear, that Things present have the Advantage over Future Happiness, in no Other respect but This, That they Are present. Whereas all the Other advantages, which lie on the Other Side, do fo ftrongly bear down this One, that 'tis of very little or no Weight, and Unworthy of our Regard. Though worldly Satisfactions are prefent, yet the Vanity of them is fuch, that indeed they should not even be Compared with the Bliss of Heaven, if our Folly did not make fuch a Comparison Neceffary, to prevent our running into Fatal Mistakes.

And if Temporal Happiness were not, in its Nature, fo Empty and Unsatisfying as it is; yet the Duration of it is so very Short, that it does not deserve our Notice, any Otherwise, than that our taking of it may ferve to render it Little and Contemptible in our Sight. For what Efteem can be due to those enjoyments, which Flie from us, as foon as ever we Overtake them; which Appear and Vanish in one and the fame moment, never failing to Leave us, at least as Unsatisfied as they Found us. But the Duration of Future

Happiness

Happiness, is equal to the other perfections of it. 'Tis an Eternal, as well as an Exceeding Weight of Glory. But Here we must not Attempt Defcription; for Words cannot reach the conceptions of Eternity. Surprizing Eternity of Blifs! In all Good men, at once the Parent of Holy Admiration, and Ineffable Joy! Can any man's Spirits fail him, in running the Race fet before him, whilft he maintains in his Thoughts, a Diftinct View of the Incorruptible and Eternal Crown of Glory prepared for him?

But as to This, and the Other Meditations which I have been propofing to you, give me leave to intreat you, that Every one of them may be Frequent and Habitual; for the Efficacy and all the great Benefits arifing from them depend, chiefly, upon our being Conftant, as well as Attentive in the Exercife of Them. And if an account could be taken of all the Souls, now in a state of Misery; not any One perhaps could be found There, but who had neglected to exercise himfelf Habitually, with Thefe, or the like Meditations, and to Implore the DiE e

vine

vine Affiftance, that they might be crown'd with Succefs. For 'tis not to be Imagin'd, that the Habitual Exercife of Them, attended with proper Applications to the Throne of Grace, fhould confist with an Habitual Course of Sin, and Final Impenitency. Therefore

6. Laftly, To our Meditations, and all other means of accomplishing a Converfation becoming the Gospel of Chrift, let us add Conftant and Fervent Prayer for the Directions and Aids of the Holy Spirit; That he may enlighten us with a most Affecting Senfe of all the Revelations made from Heaven; That he may fufficiently Quicken us in Discerning, and Strengthen us in Refifting all the Powers of Temptation; That He may Inflame us with an Ardency of the Love and Defire of Spiritual and Heavenly Things; and that His Continual Motions and Influences upon us, in all Circumftances, may Effectually enable us to make our Calling and Election fure. Many and clear are the Encouragements and Promises in the Scripture, that God will give the Holy Spirit to them that afk him. And if the Fervency