186 now TO LEAD A HEAVENLY [Chap. 12. CFiAPTE.II, XII. DIRECTIONS HOW TO LEAD A HEAVENLY LIFE UPON EARTH. I. The hinderances to a heavenly life : I. Living in any known sin ; 2. An earthly mind ; 3. Ungodly companions; 4..,4notional religion; 5. A haughty spirit; 6. A slothful spirit ; 7. Resting in preparatives for a heavenly life, without the thing itself. II The duties which will promote a heavenly life : 1. Be convinced that heaven is the only treasure and happiness; 2. Labor to knowyour interest in it ; 3. And hownear it is; 4. Frequently and seriously talk of it ; 5. Endeavor, in every duty, to raise your affections nearer to it ; 6. To the same purpose improve every object and event; 7. Be much in the angelical workofpraise ; 8. Possessyour soulswith believing thoughts ofthe in- finite love of God ; 9. Carefully observe and cherish the motions ofthe Spiritof God; 10. Nor even neglect the due care ofyour bodilyhealth. 1. As thou vainest the comforts of a heavenly conversa- tion, I must here charge thee, from God, to avoid carefully some dangerous hinderances; and then faithfully and dili- gently to practise such duties as will especially assist thee in attaining to a heavenly life. First. Let us consider those hinderances which are to be avoided with all possible care. 1. Living in any known sin is a grand impediment to a heavenly conversation. What havoc will this make in thy soul ! O the joys that this hath destroyed ! the ruin it bath made amongst men's graces ! the soul-strengthening duties it hath hindered ! Christian reader, art thou one that hast used violence with thy conscience ? Art thou a wilful neglecter of known duties, either public, private, or secret? Art thou a slave to thine appetite, or to any other com- manding sense ? Art thou a proud seeker of thine own esteem ? Art thou a peevish and passionate person, ready to take fire at every word, or look, or supposed slight ? Art thou a deceiver of others in thy dealings, or one that will be rich, right or wrong ? If this be thy case, I dare say heaven and thy soul are very great strangers. These beams in thine eyes will not suffer thee to look to heaven ; theywill be " a cloud between thee and thy God." When thou dost but attempt to study eternity, and gather comforts from the life to come, thy sin will presently look thee in the face, and say, " These things belong not to thee. How shouldst thou take comfort from heaven, who takest so much pleasure in the lusts of the flesh ?" How will this
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