Serin. CXXXII. in the future State 199 as vexatious and tormentful to it (elf, as they are troubtefome and mifchievous to others. Thefe are a Hell within us, and are as natural Caufes of Milery, as Bodily Difeafes are of Pain and Reftlefnefs;, and while there Furies are in us, no- thing without U.S can make us happy. . The Capacity and Foundation of all Felicity muff be laid in the inward Frame of our Minds, in a Godlike Temper and Difpofition. . 'Till the Image of his Holinefs and Goodnefs, which bath been defaced by Sin, be renewed upon our Minds, we are utterly incapable of the Enjoyment of the firft and chief Good, in which all our Felicity does confrft. And thus you fee what a neceffary Connexion there is between our Likenefs and Conformity to God, and the bleffèd Vifion and Enjoyment of him. All that now remains, is to draw fòme Inferences from what bath been difcourfed upon this Argument, and fo I (ball conclude. I. This (hews us, how impoffible it is to reconcile a wicked Life with the Hopes of Heaven. The Terms of our Happinefs are firmly and immutably fix'd, like the Foundation of the Earth, which cannot be moved ; nay, fooner may Hea- ven and Earth pafs away, than a wicked Man enter into the Kingdom of Hea- ven. If we continue in a finful and impenitent State, we muff neceflarilycome fbort of the Glory of God. And therefore all thofe Devices which Men have found out, to excufe themfelves from a Holy Life, and yet to maintain Hopes of getting to Heaven at laft, are but foolifh Arts of Security, and Tricks to un- do our felves quietly, and without any great Difturbance. Some think to be Paved by an external Profeffion ofReligion, tho' it have no Force and Efficacy upon their Lives fome by being of the only trhe Church, wherein Salvation is to be had : And yet if it were true, that there were any one Party or Com- munity of Chriftians, out of which there were no Salvation, I am fine this like- wife is erne, that there is no Church wherein a wicked Man can be Paved. Others rely upon Abfolutions and Indulgences, and hope, notwithftanding all the Unrighteoufnefs and Ungodlinefs of their LiveS, to do their Bufinefs at lafl that Way. But can any Man be fo foolifh, as to think that any Church or Prieft can forgive a Man upon other Terms, than thofe upon which only God bath declared he will forgive Sinners ? Others hope to be faved by the Righteoufnefs of thrift, without anyof their own. tut what a Prefuniption is this, to think that any Thing that Chrift bath done for us, will avail us, while we cherub our Lufts, and live in the Con- tempt of his Laws ? Let no Man deceiveyou; he that cloth Righteoufnefs is righteous, even as he is righteous. The Righteoufnefs of Chrifi (hall never be imputed to Ghfor their Juftification, but thofe who are fanúified by the renewing of the Holy Ìl So that nothing can be vainer than a wicked Man's Hopes of Heaven. The whole Defign of the Gofpel is, to convince Men that Bleffèdnefs belongs only to the Righteous, and that no Man that allows himfelf in any Wickednefs and Impiety of Life, (hall have any Inheritance in the Kingdomof God and arifl. H. The Confideration of the indifpenfible Neceffity of our Likenefs and Con- formity to God in Holinefs and Purity, to make us capable of the Happinefs of the next Life, calls loudly upon us, to endeavour after it in this Life. So it follows in the Words immediately after the Text, We fliall be lilte him, for we (hall fee himas he is; and every Man that hath this Hope in him, prsrii eth himfelf, even as he is pure. 'Tis true indeed, nothing but perfe& Holinefs makes us capable of the Enjoyment of God, and we cannot be perfe&ly holy in this Life. But then we are to confider, that if we do not purifie our felves in forne Meafure in this World, if we do not begin this VVork here, it will never be perfe&ed hereafter; fuch Difpofitions as we carry with us out of this World, flick by us for ever. Indeed, if they be good, the Degree of them thall be perfe&ed ; but if they be bad, they (hall never be alter'd. If the Image of God be renewed upon us in this Life, We Ball be changed from Glory to Glory, in the other, by the Spirit of the Lord. But if we be utterly unlike God when we die, Death will make no Changein us for the better ; we than go to our Place, and inherit the Portion of
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