SeemL5XXVIII. The Holinefr ofGod, and a local Heaven would fignifie no more to make a wicked Man happy and Contented, than heaps of Gold, and Conforts pf Mufick, and a well- fpread Ta- ble, and a rich Bed, would contribute to a Man's eafe in the Paroxyfms of á Fever, or in a violent Fit of the Stone. If a fenfual, or covetous, or ambitious Man were in Heaven, he would be like the rich Man in Hell, he would be tor- »ented with a continual Thirft, and burnt up in the Flames or his own ardent Deliires, and would not meet with the lean drop of fuitable Pleafure and Delight, to quench and allay the Heat ; the reafon is, becaufe fuch a Man hath that within him which torments him, and he cannot be at eafe till that be removed. Sin is the violent and unnatural and uneafie State of our Soul, every wicked Man's Spi- rit is out of order, and till the Man be put into a right Frame by Holinefs, he will be perpetually difquieted, and can have nò reft within himfelf-. The Pro- phet fitly defcribes the condition of fuch a Perfon, ¡fa. 57. au, .I. But the wio- , kidare like the troubledfea when it cannotrefs, whole waters call forth mire anddirt there is no peace faith my Gad to the wicked. .So long as a Man is unholy, fo long as filthinefs and corruption abound in his Heart, they will be reftlefly working, like Wine which is in a perpetual motion and agitation, till it have purged it felf bf its Dregs and Foulnefs. Nothing is more turbulent and unquiet than the Spi- kit of a wicked Man ; it is like the Sea, when it roars and rages through the Rrength of contrary Winds; it is the Scene of furious Lints and wild Padions, which as they are contrary to Holinefs, fo they maintain perpetual Contefts and Feuds among themfelves. All Sin feparates us fromGod, who is the Foundation of our Happinefs. Our limited Nature, and the narrownefs of our Beings, will not permit us to be hap- py in our felves it is peculiar to God to be his own Happinefs ; but Man, be- caufe he is finite, and therefore cannot be felf- fufficient, is carried forth by an innate delire of Happinefs, to feek hisFelicity in God. So that there is in the Nature of Man a Spring of reliefs Motion, whichwith great impatience forceth him out of himfelf, and toffes him to and fro, till he comes to reft in fomething that is- felf-sufficient. Our Souls, when they are feparated from God, like the unclean Spirit in the Gofpel, when it was calf out, they wander up anddown in dry anddefart places, feekingreft, but finding none. Were the wholeWorld calm about a Man, and did it not make the lean attempt upon him, were he free from the fears of Divine Vengeance ; yet he could not be fatisfyed with himfelf, there is fomething within him that would not let him be at refs, but would tear him from his own Foundation and Continency; fo that when we are once broken off from God, the fenfe of inward want doth flimulate and force us to Peek our content- ment elfe-where. So that nothing but Holinefs, which re-unites us to God, and reftores our Souls to their Primitive and Original State, can make us happy, and give Peace and Reif: to our Souls. And this is the confiant Voice and Language of Scripture, and the tenor of the Bible. Acquaint tby felf with God, that thou maid! lf be at Peace, Job zz, aI. Light is fownfor the righteous, andgladnefs for the upright in heart, Pfal. 97. I I. The work of righteoufnefs is peace, and the effetls of righteoufnefs, quietnefs and affurance for ever, Ifa. 31. 17. Seeing then Holinefs is fo high a Perfellion, and fo great a Happinefs, let thefe Arguments prevail with us, to afpire after this temper,, that as he who hath called us is holy, fo we may be holy in all manner of Converfation, becaufe it is written, be ye holy, for 1am holy. 667 AVVERrISEMENT; our HE following Sermon was placed here, before the reft of the Sermons on the Attributes, to make up the Sixth Volume in Oldavo ; and is con- tinued here Rill on account of the Table. Qggqa SERMON
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