17°2 IMPORIANCE OF A HEAVENLY [Chap. If. dautly exceed thy labor. But this is the misery of man's nature ; though every man naturally hates sorrow, and loves the most merry and joyful life, yet few love the way to joy, or will endure the pains by which it is obtained ; they will take the next that comes to band, and content themselves with earthly pleasures, rather than ascend to heaven to seek it; and yet, when all is done, they must have it there, or be without it. 4. A heart in heaven will be a most excellent preserva- tive against temptations to sin. It will keep the heart well employed. When we are idle, we tempt the devil to tempt us; as careless persons make thieves. A heart in heaven can reply to the tempter, as Nehemiah did : " I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come." It bath no leisure to be lustful or wanton, ambitious or worldly. If you were but busy in your lawful callings, you would not be so ready to hearken to temptations ; much less if you were also busy above With God. Would a judge be persuaded to rise from the bench, when be is sitting upon life and death, to go and play with children in the streets ? No more will a Christian, when he is taking a survey of his eternal rest, give ear to the alluring charms of Satan. The children of that kingdom should never have time for trifles, especially when they are employed in the affairs of the kingdom; and this employment is one of the saints' chief preservatives from temptations. A heavenly mind is the freest from sin, because it bath truer and livelier apprehensions of spiritual things. He bath so deep an insight into the evil of sin, the vanity of the creature, the brutishness of fleshly, sensual delights, that temptations have little power over him. " In vain the net is spread," says Solomon, " in the sight of any bird." And usually in vain loth Satan lay his, snares to entrap the soul that plainly sees them. Earth is the place_ for his temptations, and the ordinarybait; and how shall these insnare the Christian who bath left the earth, and walks with God ? Is converse with wise and learned men the way to make one wise ? Much more is converse with God. If travellers return home with wisdom and expe- rience, how much more he that travels to heaven ! If our bodies are suited to the air and climate we most live in, his understanding must he fuller of light, who lives with
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