and fees Chrift in the Miniftcr by the Light of Faith. Were this believed, how would it faften our Minds and Senfes in the moft fe•ious Attention to the preaching of the Gofpel ! 2. Make judicious Comparifons between this World and the next. As in the light of the Sun there is an InRnence that cheri{hes the vital Heat, and a Pdwer that cxtinguiQ1es the: Kitchin Fire; fo the light o.f God's Word has a double Efficacy, it kindles Heavenly, and quenches Earth!)' Affections. Indeed there wants nehf1er Glory nor Joy, nothing of corn• pleat Happinefs m the World to come, to raife our Affections and fallen them upon it : and in this World all1s Vamty and Vexatwn to ahcna.teour Affcchons from 1t. What infinite DiO:ance and Difproportion is there between the ObjeCts of our Choice? Who would think it pollible, but that 'tis vifible every day, that they whd have Immortal Souls fhould be carelefs of Eternal Things, and fpend all their Pains and Pallions about Things that expire with the Flux of Time 1 That they fhould neglect folid Happinefs, and purfue fhining Bubbles 1 But the prefent World fafCinates their Underftandmgs, infpires their Fancy with Dreams of Happinefs here : Sonfuality charms them into Stupidity: they arc unwilling to be difenchanted ; they enjoy their Error, and are entertain'd with pleafant Dclufions till awaken'd by eternal Flames. ' Let the enlightened Mind confider and judg, the Soul is of a Divine Original, :i Spiritual Subftance of an everlafting Duration, and can never be happy but in the Enjoyment of thofe Objects that are Divine and Spiritual, commcnfurate to its Capacity and Duration. Let a Man poffefs the World with all its Advantages and De.lights, the 1\arvcd Soul would fuffer infinite Want, and can only be fatisfied with the Fulnefs of God. Under what Notion foever Happinels is conceived, 'tis only to be found in God. What cari inrich aSpirit but fpiritual Trcafures 1 Holincfs is the richeft Jewel in the Celeftial Crown. What can dignify and ennoble a Spirit, but an alliance to God as a Father, and the Likencfs of him in his Divineft Excellencies 1 What can fatisfy an Immortal Spirit, and repleniili it with Joy, but vital Union with God, and the immediate Influence of Almighty and Eternal Goodnefs ? Carnal Men when they obtain their immed1at~ End, Richcs,Honors and Pleafures, they fai~~:'1~;i~~i;;, ~~~1~ ~~~c/!;'PlJ,~~hteP.J.J:J:: ~~~:~~;.tl~~~e~~~t;h~n~r~~~:~~:~l~e;he:~ is fo inferior to Man in the Nobility of his Nature, afford Perfection and Satisfaction to him? How unfuitable, how infufficient is it to fill the largcft and ftrongcft Defires of rhe Soul? The \Vorld may cloy, but cannot fatisfy us; but the Favour of God, the more 'tis en-· joy'd, the more 'tis defir'd, and delighted in. Carnal Joy feems, but is not; Fear and Stings of Remorfe may be difguifed and glofs'd over with a chearful Countenance and Car. riage, but are notextinguifh'd. Spiritual Joy Ceems~ot, but is: the Apoftle tells us, As . forrowful, but always reJoycmg: there may be a Wtnter 1~ the Face~ and a flourifhing Spring r Cor.~ in the Heart. There is a fecret Sweetne!S in the PraChce of Reltgion, that the Unrenew~ 10 ' ed arc Strangers to : they cannot fee a Tafte. Carnal Joy cannot repel its Contrary; it cannot endure the Affaults of the flight and tranfientEvils, to which we are expos' cl here. Sicknefs, Difappointments, Apprehenfions of Evils that hover over us, may imbitter the moft pleafant Condition. A wounded Spirit, like an ulcerous Palat that is fretted and pain'd with the fweeteft things, turns all the Pleafures of the World into Vexation. Fear !\ruck Belfh•zzar at his Feaftinto a trembling. But Peace with God, tind tbe Joy tbat flows from 1t, the W,orld can neither gnJe 1WJr take away: ,tis as unable todeil:roy it as to produce it. Belie'Vers reJoice in Tribulations, Ram. r. All Carnal Joys are of fhort Continuance. The Worldpaj[es away, a>1d tbe Luf/s tlmeof. Life h' l · is dying, and the Comforts of it. AD Flefh is Grafs, and tbe Giory as tbe Flo1ver oft/JeGrafs; that 'Jo ",;: by Heat or Cold, by a Blaft or aWorm is lOon deftroyed. All the Obje~s of the fenfual Pallions are very fading. ThefineftStampofBeautyin the Countenance, howcafily is itdefac'd by Sicknefs or Sorrow, by many Accidents or A~c 1 Riches take rhc Wings of the Morning, and flee away from the Poffeffors: Honour 1s ca{ual and uncertam: the Scepter of David. [o great a King, the Royal Branch of his Family, degenerated into a poor Carpenter. ' The greate!t in the World, and the moftproud of their Greatncfs, the Luxurious Voluptuaries, fhall their Pomp and Delif;llts continue with them in the Grave 1 Can they re1gn and revel when their Bodies are m the Duft, and their Souls in Hell' Where is their admir'd Happinefs 1 Is it not all dead with them! nothing will then remain but the tor- :~t~~~~R;e:~~~jn~eak!s ~l~~~~~d 'tfs1~I!~~e~r~: %/1~~;;~;:~1;:est~; :;:'afr~~~: ~;; ~tet . t . that does t!Je WiO of God, ahides for e11er. The Bleffednefs of Heaven is cverlafting as God the Object of it, and the Soul that enjoys it. There is nothing defeClive in 'the State above, where Happinefs is furrounded with Eternity. This is worthy of our moft afpiring Ambition, of all our Hopes and Defircs. Now is it pofflble that the prefcnc World, as empty as the Froth of the Sea, as vaniOung os a Puff of Air 010uld be chofcn bcforcCefeftial Happinefs! lt is by themoft, fo prodigiouDy are Carnal Men fway'd by Scnfe, that
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=