· o{ HE .I} V: EN. :R>i; h~l-lehiraoion?;shall <t'e.b'Ot then confld'erReavcn rhe 1\-l>nfion of Bldfedn~fs, and {fell \he Scar 'of..~jfr y artd ~orwr? (or according a' we chufe here, ~ve 111all be 1n the ~tn~ 0f;~~;~;i~~·~f tl;~1~~~prcrf~~:~~~; ~t~lt\~ ~~~~c~:~~ i~:,::r,~,r~, :~~e/;c0,~rh~:·~;~~ gruous aocl powerful the Thourhrs of 1~ .~re to rcflra-tn Men from Sm ; bur at prefent j]r~/1 briefly excite to the Medin~tlon of the Ij'eavcnl y Glory, as the mofr noble, delight- [~/ aNI fl-uirful Work of the Sot1l, whiles confin,ed to the body of Flefh, ' Tis the mofr cxal(cc\ Excrcifc of the Mind, ihtc purefl: co;werfe with . God, the Flower of confecrated Re~ fop. 'Tis mo11 1ike the ure of glorified SpiritS above! who are in· CQntinual ·tOn• t~ltlJilation of ohc Divine Excellencies ; and 'tis moll: ra~fed above .the Life df Carnal Men, :loll~\ are fun k. into Scnfuality·and Borutifhnerd. '1",s the moll: joyful Life, in that it Jl1eds abroad in the Soul Dehghts that neither fatiate, nor corrupt, nor weaken the Faculties, asthc Dcli(\hts or Scnfe do, but afiord Perfcaion as well as Pleafure. ?Tis the mofl: £ro)!\ab4: wfc, As in thofe parts of the' Earth where the Bcanisof.the Sun a,re fl:rongly reaeaed, precious Metals and Jewels are produc'd wherein the refulgent refelnblance of that bright Planet appears: fo the lively and vigorous Exercife of the Thoughts upon the Heavenly Glory, will produce- Heavenly Affeaions, Heavenly Difcourfes, and a Heavenly fl1ining Converfation. This will. make us live like the b\eOed Society above, imitating rbeir lnnocencc and Purity·, their joyful, entire and conflant Obedt~ncc to God. This confirms the Holy Soul in its Choice, with an invincible efficacy agatn.ll the J;(hl,;~aW~~~~~doi~~~ ~~~~; ~;,~rW,~n 1~e;;~~~r~d~0~~~~e;~~~3~1~~~~r ~~i~~~e~~~jt~:r;~~ upon the Earth, and all. that has the Name of Fehcoty here. All the Inv1ta.rions nay Terrors of the World, are as un•bleto check his purfuit of his blcfTcd End, as the Breath of an Infant to flop the high fl\gh.r of a n Eagle. llut how rare and difufed a Duty is ohis? How hardly are Men induc'd to fer about it? Bufinefs and Plcafures are powerfUl Diverfions. Some pretcn~ Bufinefs as a juf\: Caufc, but in vain; for the one Thing .necejfary challenges our pri nCipal Thoughts and Care. Bcfides, there are intervals of L~!ifure, and the Thoue;hrs are always fl: rca mi~g, and often run wafle, which direaed aright, would be very frllltfu\ to the Sotll. The true Caufc of this negleCt is from the inward temper of Men. Carnal Pleafures alienate the Mind, and inal<e it unfit for the deep ferious aEl:ings of the Thoughts upon Eternal 'Things. Iha'Vefaid of Laughter, Thou.Jtrt Mad. It makes the Mind light, and vain, and dcfu/rory. As a diflraaed Perfon by every motion of Fancy Aies from one thing to another without Coherence. The He~rt fill'd with cloudy and fmoky F1 res with Thoughts and Defires about worldly Things, is unprepar' d for fuch a clear, cal,;,, and fedateWork. A Carnal Perfoncantaflenofweetnefs, feelnorelifh in the Meditation of Heaven, hor any Spiritual Duty. 'Tis as if one !bould take fome delicious Fruit into his Mouth, a Peach, or the like, without breaking the Skin ; it would be rather a trouble, than p/eafant. Nay, the. Gofpel exl'~eOy declaring, That wtthout Holmefs no Man fba/1 fee God' thofe who by VICIOUS Affea10ns are mgaged m any finful way being confcious of their Guilt and ~nprepar~dnef•, and that while fuch, they are und~r ape· remptory excl ufion from celefla~l Glory,1cannot endure the thoughts of Heaven. The Di" vine Prcfcncc is their. 'foi·ment, and the ferious ccmfi.deratiolil of it is to bring them before God's holy and JUil Tribunal, to accufe and condemn them. CHAP. Xlll. Tbe ObjeE!s from w/,e>rce (onfideratio.• clerives its po1ver io direil our Cboice. ·he End for whic/, Man was defigu·d in his Creation. We mujlr!iake a iud!cioas Comparifm betwem tbe Objefls tliat Jlarul in competition for our Cboice, tbe prejent World, and Hea]!e>r. Tbe vaft difference betwew t/Je>ll ill tbeir quality andd11rati; 011. I Sh~\1 ~ow take a p~rticu!ar vieVv of thofe Objecfs; .frdm ~dience Conftderation derive; . V1gour, for the mclmmg of the Wtll to a nght Chd1tie, and for regulating the Lofe. . YH d1 i. Confider
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