494 Of HE AV EN. Chap. VU. compleat and continual for eve1". This makes Heaven to be Heaven; the s.ecuriry is as valuable as the Felicity. There is no fatiety of the prefent, no folicitude for t~e fu(ure. Were there a poflibtltty, or the leall fufptcton of lofing that happy State, it would call an afperfion of bitternefs upon all their Delights; it would dillurb their peaceful fruition, and Joyfu l Tranquillity : as Hope in Mifery allays Sorrow, fo Fear in Happinefs dailJes joy: and the more excellent the Happinefs is, the more llinging would be the fear of lofing it. Bat the lnherzta'!ce referved t_n !fea-r.:m, is immort11l, unde.fled, and fades not ~way. And the Tenure ~f thetr Polfeflion IS mfimtely fir':', by the Promife of God, who IS truly rmmutable, and rmmutably true, and by the Drvme Power, the fupport of their everlalling Duration. Our Saviour alfures his Difciples, Becau(e I live, ye {ball live alfo: and he lives for evermore. . This blelfed Privilege the Saints have by Jefus Chrift ( who obtatned eternal Redempuon for them) above the Grace given to Angels and Men in the lirll Creation. The Angels were upon trial of their Obedience, not in a determin'd State of Felicity. The firll declination of Love and Subjeaion, was fatal to them. Woful Change! how unlike to themfelves in their Original Purity and Glory! an unparallel'd Example of the Frailty of the Creature, and the Divine Severity. Man did fiond in Paradrfe for a little while, and had a ruinous Fall with all his Progeny. But theglorifier!. ~;~~~f~s~;~;eC::rt.fiin~~~:::,~St:eiad~f,:n~~~ri.:'ai~~c~~~r~~~~"~~r~~ri~.as &:;;; God i• the Fountai» of Life. Who can pluck them out of the Hands and Bofom of a Gracious God ? He will never withdraw his Love, and they fhall never forfeit it: for Sin is from the perverfenefs of the Will and the diforder of the Affi:aions, join'd with fome ~~~~i~: :~'ero~~~iea~"tui~.~\~.~~.h~~[ ~lfJri~da~~~[ili~~i?o~:~te~fn~~dfatl~fieY,n~~~~; 'tis impotftble t hey fhould apprehend erroneouily, or defire irregularly. God is Love and will kindle in the Saints a pure Alfeaion that Eternity iltall not lelfen. In the prefe~ ftate, our Love is imperfecr; and as Fire out of its Sphere dies away by our negleCt to feed it by propet· Materials, enamouring Confiderations of God. But in Heaven the oncreated Sun attraas every Eye with the Light of his Beauty, and inflames every Heart with the heat of his Love. The glorious Prefence of God is in different refpeas the Caufe and Elfea of our Love to him ; for the fight of God is the moll powerful Attrac- !~~r~~ ;~;~~~~~n~f~uTrY~~ ~f~~i~~ ~~ng/L~v~~~ fu~~~~l:1e:~?f.r~va~~fe~~y~ ed. The Apollle tells us, Charzty never fash, and therefore the Ha.ppinefs of Heaven never fails. They enJOY a better Immortality, than the Tree of Lrfe could have preferv'd in Adam. The Revolutions of the Heavens, and Ages, are under their Feet, and cannot in the Jeall alter or determine their Happinefs. After the pafling of Millions of Years, fiill an entire Eternity remains of their enjoying God. 0 moft defirable State! where Blelfednefs and flternity are .infeparably united. 0 joyful Harmony! when the full ChoruJ of Heaven fhall fing, Thi• God is our God for e11er and ever. This adds an infinite weight to their Glory. This redoubles their Joys with _infinite fweetnefs and fec~- /i:IJ{ c~~tl~~:}~~~v~~~aruTeh;: r:~~(c'~ffe~CeJ~,': i~t:h~~~~;¥~~~ ;;~~ti~~·~·f"~h~?re~~~Pi~ nefs. · God reigns in the Saints, and they live in him for ever. Eternity crowns and confummates their Felicity. . The A P P L I C A T I 0 N. From what has been difcourfed we fhould, 1 . Confider the woful Folly of Men in refufing fuch a Happinefs, that by the admirable Favour of God isoffer'd to their choice. Can there be an Expeaarion, or Defire, or Capacity in Man of enjoying a Happinefs beyond wha~ is Infinite and Eternal?. 0 blind and wretched World! fo carelefs of everlallmg Feltctty. Who can behold Without compaflion and indignation, Men vainly feekin!$ for Happinefs where 'tis not to be found, and after innumerable dtfappomtments llymg at an Impollibtltry, and neglect their Sovereign and final Bleffednefs ? An Error in the firll enquiry might have fome.c?" lour of an Excufe; but having been fo often deceived with painted Grapes for the. Frut.tl of Paradife, that Men fhould llill feel< for fubllantial Blelfednefs to lill the ~oul, m vam fhows that can only feed the Eye, is beyond all degrees of Folly. Aftomlhmg ma.dne~ ! that God and Heaven fhould be defpifed m comparrfon of pamted Trrlles. Tht~ adds the greatell ~ontumely to their impiety. What powerful Charm obllruas therrrru~ judging of tlnngs ? What Spmt of Error p:lfelfes them ? Alas, Ettrnal thmgs .re anft~;t
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