Chap. vn. Of.H EAV EN. not of confpicuous mome·m, itnd therefore in the carnal Ballancc·are e~eer1_1ed light, a... gainft temporal thingspr~fent to the fenfe. It dm not appear what we fbaUbe : The Veil of thevifibleHeavens<;oversthe Sanctuary, where JESUS our Hrgh-Pneft tsentred, an~~tOJ~~~~·:~~~~i~~;~~~e by the malt infallible Principles of Faith, that the Son of God came down from Heaven to live with us, and die for us, and that he rofe again :to confirm our Belief in his exceeding great and ;reciom !'r~mifes concerning t~is _Happinefs in the future State? And do not the moll: evrdent Prmcrples of Reafon and umverfal Experience prove, that thisWorld cannotatford true Happinefs to us? How wretchedly do i~f?'"~ttt~~e~,;~d0g~t~:~k~e~1:et~:':[~;~~~~ ~~tr::·th~a~~~~~~!ell~~ji~~ortJ:e~~~ the Will be depraved, that it does not fi:el their ravifi1ing Power ; the Man ceafes to be a Man, and becomes like the Beafts that perifh. As a blind Eye is n~long_er an Eye, be• iog abfolutelv ufelefs to that end for which it was made. And rho m thiS prefent fiate; Men are ftuprd and unconcern'd, yet hereafter their Mifery will awaken them, to difco- "er what is that Supreme Good wherein their Perfection and Felicity confifts. When their folly fhall be expofed before God, Angels, and Saints, in what extreme confufion will they appear before that glorious and immenfe Theatre? Our Saviour told the unbe- ~=~i~f.z:w:Jt:~~t:~Je./!~C:nfJ,:~:tf~t/:f !Zn{Z,:!;• ;~:J,eJ:f~~e 1~::ap.:::: turn'd out. They fhall be tortur'd with the defire of Happinefs without poffible fa' tisfaction. 'Tis moll jull that thofe who err without excufe, fhQtild r.<:pent without remedy. . . . . Let us be ferioufly excited to apply ou: fqlves with inflamed defires, and our utmoll: diligence to obtain this unchangeable happtnefs. In order to .thiS, we fhall confider the Caufes of it; and the means whereby 'tis obtained. The original moving Caufe is the pure rich Mercy of God that prepared it for his People, and prepares them for it. The procuring Caufe is the meritorious efficacy of Chrill:'s Obedience and Sufli:rings. This is expreOy declared by the Apoa!e; The wagei of Sin u Death, but the gift of God u eternal Life, through 'Je{tM Chrijl our Lord. ,. I. T he defighing, the preparation, and a£l:ual befiowing of the Heavenly Glory, is frdm the Mercy of God. This will appear by confidering, . • 1. That it is abfolutely impoffible that amere Creature, tho perfe£1:, lhould deferve any thing from God : For enjoying its being and powers of working from his Goodnefs; the product of all is entirely due to him; and the payment of a Debt acquires no Title to a Reward : He is the Proprietary and Lord of all by Creation. Hence 'tis clear, that in th:~r;i:~d0!,,d1u~~Y!~";e~~~~i~en~~}~g~~o~~:f~~~g~t;?en hj~; no benefit can re. dound to him by the Service of the Creature. When you h•ve done iU, fay you .re unpro- {~;,;fe~e;~~~~irl~:O~ ~·b~t~h; ~rc;:a~~=~tfttd;fe.rvei~~~~~~t b:,~~:yn~~z ;:h~!f=g~~~r?ue:r~0c~a~~~e~t;ll ~:.::~:!.Jitl~[;;.·;~~~~h o~:r_fh'#::rp~~tilriEf~ ~~~·~{~:·n;;'~:nnd~0!~~~'fs~~'~:s~nfr1h:'~~u?J!~~~~1~Je~v~ the?;~~~.~~~~r~iso~'d~! •prive them of their Being; he were no lofer, nor injurious to diem; For what Law binds him to enrich them with Immortal Glory, who are no ways profitable to him, .or to preferve that being they had from his unexcited Goodnefs? No Creature can give to him, therefore none can receive from him, by way of valuable.coflfideration; . l· There is no proportion betweeri the befi Works .of Men, and the excellency of the Reward, much lefs an equrvalenee. 'Twas the JUil ;md humble acknO\vledgment of 'Jacob to God, I am kfs than the leaft of aU thy Merctet, thofe that common Providence difpenfes for the fupport and refrefhmeni of this temporal Life. But how much !efs than the glorious Excellencies of the fupernatural Divine Life, wherein the Saints reign with ~~~i~~ ~~~oint~~~~~'c%'/J; ~h~eg~~~ ~~~~u}~p ~~~o~1't[r~~~s~~.·]~~ft~l~r<'/?:~:;~ there berng no correfpondence tn value between them and the Kmgdom of Heaven; ;J}~;~~~7b~~J~,~';.,j.~;d~~ ';: ,sf;.~"f~fftr{~' i~,:(~:e ~~{~~~;;~to~~J";[:;~~;: ~~ <faithful Servants, not according to the dignity of thei~ Works', but. hisowti Liberality and Mumficence. Ai .llkx•nder havtng ordered fifty Talent~ of Gi;>ld to be given to.a Ttt Gem!e-•
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