made perfect in Heaven, so as to be able to behold the glory and enjoy all the perfections that are concentred in the Chiefest Good, then, and then alone, can they be said to be completely happy; having as much, yea, infinitely more than they can desire: and, by consequence, cannot but be fully satisfied with what they do enjoy. Hence David saith, "In Thy presence is fulness of joy, at Thy right hand there Ps. 16. 11. are pleasures for evermore."

Consider this, and then tell me what happiness would it be for a sinful man to be in Heaven; what joy or pleasure could he take in being there? Alas! there is nothing that he cares for or desires there. There is no such thing as houses or lands to be got, no silver or gold to be heaped up: there is no such thing as popular applause to please his fancy, nor sensual pleasures to delight his flesh: there is nothing but the vision and fruition of the Chiefest Good; which he esteems as nothing; yea, is naturally averse from it: so that he had rather be running from God, than drawing nigh unto Him: or suppose he should have a mind to partake of those pure and spiritual delights; so long as sinful, he is not qualified for it: he wants that inward rectitude, and right temper and disposition of mind, by which alone a man is capable of solacing and delighting himself in the enjoyment of the Chiefest Good: which depends not so much upon our being with Him, as upon the bent and inclination of our souls to Him: for it is not our being where God is, can make us happy; for then all the creatures in the world would be so, because God is with them: He is with the damned in Hell as well as with the Saints in Heaven, but they in Hell are so far from taking pleasure in His presence, that it is a torment and a burden to them; because their souls, being altogether impure and sinful, have a natural antipathy against His holiness and purity; whereas the Saints in Heaven, being holy as He is holy, cannot but be ravished with the presence of His transcendent holiness; because it meets, as I may so say, with its likeness in them: which every sinful soul being destitute of, and so unlike to God, and by consequence averse from Him, His presence affords more matter of trouble and disquiet, than of joy and comfort to them. Hence it is that the Apostle saith, " that 1 Cor.15.50.

CXXXVI.

SERM. flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption;" where, by" flesh" and "blood," we are to understand men in their sinful and corrupt estate, who, as the Apostle tells us, not only "shall not," but "cannot inherit the Kingdom of God;" being altogether incapable of enjoying the pleasures of it.

But to bring this home more close unto yourselves: suppose there be any here present at this time, as I fear there are too many, who are yet in their sins, their hearts not being as yet converted unto God, but still inclined to sin and vanity; suppose such of you should be immediately taken from the place where you are, and carried up into the highest Heavens, and there placed not only amongst the glorified Saints, but just by Christ Himself, shining in all His glory; and there hear and see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, together with the Cherubims and Seraphims, and the rest of the heavenly choir, praising and adoring the Most High God, and the Lamb that sitteth upon the throne: would you think this any great matter of joy and pleasure? Or would not you rather wonder to see them so transported at that which you can fancy nothing of delight in? Would you be ever the happier for being there? Or rather, would not you be weary of the place, and long to be out of it? Yes, questionless, you that think it so great a trouble to be an hour or two in the presence of God on earth, it would be much more irksome to you to be in Heaven; where the company would seem troublesome, the employment tedious, and Heaven itself would seem more like Hell than Heaven, a place of torment rather than a place of pleasure to you: and all because you want that inward principle of real holiness, without which you are in an utter incapacity of being affected or delighted with the happiness of Heaven. Insomuch, that a blind man may as soon delight in pictures, and the deaf in music; yea, a brute beast may as soon surfeit himself upon the pleasures of a mathematical demonstration, as ever a sinful soul be ravished with those celestial joys, which are not only above him, but contrary to his very temper and inclinations; so that it is absolutely impossible for any man in the world to be happy without being so thoroughly holy as to delight in doing the will of God; whereby alone it

is that any of us are meet to be partakers of the inheritance Col. 1. 12. of the Saints in light," as the Apostle words it.

Wonder not, therefore, at our Saviour's assertion here, that they only shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, that do the will of His Father Which is in Heaven. For be sure none shall ever come to Heaven but such as are capable of enjoying the pleasures of it; but that no man is, or can be, whose heart is not so renewed and inclined to the living God, as always to do His will and pleasure to the utmost of His power and skill: which I have spent the more time in clearing up unto you, because one great reason why so many perish is, that they are not thoroughly persuaded, or at least do not consider, that they neither shall, nor can be happy hereafter, unless they be holy here. For were you but rightly convinced of this, methinks you that desire to go to Heaven should not dare to omit any thing that you know to be God's will, or do any thing that is contrary to it.

But I hope by this time your judgments are so clearly informed concerning the necessity of a good, in order to an happy, life, that I need not use any more arguments to prove it. Howsoever, give me leave to add, that your knowing this great truth will signify nothing unless you live up unto it; your being convinced of the necessity of doing the will of God, in order to your going to Heaven, will never bring you thither, unless you do it. And therefore, all such amongst you as unfeignedly desire to be happy for ever, be advised, without any more ado, to set yourselves in good earnest to do and perform whatsoever you know to be the Divine will: and for your encouragement thereunto, give me leave to tell you, that whatsoever the world thinks of it, doing the will of God is both the most honourable, the most pleasant, and the most profitable work that any of you can possibly be engaged in. And these three things you know," honour, pleasure," and "profit," are the principal, if not only, motives and encitements to your undertaking of any employment whatsoever: but they nowhere concur so much as in doing the will of God.

For, first, that it is the most honourable employment in the world, you must needs grant, because it is the employment of the most honourable persons in the world: it is the

CXXXVI.

Psalm 16. 3.

66

SERM. continual employment of the Saints upon earth, whom the Holy Ghost Himself asserts to be honourable, excellent perProv. 12.26. sons, yea, more excellent then their neighbours." It was the employment of Christ Himself when He was upon earth; Acts 10.38. for “He went about doing good." It is the employment of all the Saints and Angels now in Heaven; nay, why do I speak of them?—it is the employment of God Himself; for He is always fulfilling His Own will, and doing what Himself pleaseth. What a rare and honourable employment then must this needs be, for us poor mortals upon earth to be always doing as the glorious Angels in Heaven do, and walk as Christ Himself walked when He was here below; yea, to carry on the same designs in the world, which the Most High God Himself doth; and by consequence receive 1 Sam. 2.30. honour not from men, but God Himself; "for them that [Ps. 149.9.] honour Me," saith He, "I will honour." "This honour have all the Saints," and this honour may all you have that will but do the will of God.

Neither would I have you think that you must bid adieu to all true joy and pleasure, when once you devote yourselves to the will of God: no, you will be so far from that, that you will then begin to know what true pleasure is, when you begin to do what is pleasing unto God; not only from that inward quiet and satisfaction in your minds, arising from the consideration of having performed your duty to Almighty God, but likewise from the apprehension of God's love and favour to you, which He hath promised to all those that do His will. Hence the Wise Man tells us, Prov. 3. 17. "The ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Yea, they that do the will of God must needs live pleasantly in the world; it being God's will we should do so; He having commanded us to "rejoice always,” and that in the Lord Himself; so that whosoever doth the will of God, antedates the very joys of Heaven, doing that in time which it will be his happiness to do for ever.

Phil. 4. 4.

For

And then, lastly, for the profit and advantage which will accrue unto you, upon doing the will of God, it is infinitely more than I am able to express, or you to desire. hereby you will have a title to and interest in all things that are good for you, in Heaven above, or earth beneath; or as

the Apostle tells you, all things will be yours. For indeed 1 Cor. 3. 21. God Himself will be yours, as I have observed upon another occasion, and whatsoever He is, or hath, will be made over to you; His wisdom yours to direct you, His mercy yours to pardon you; His power yours to protect you; His righteousness yours to clothe you; and His goodness and all-sufficiency yours to satisfy your souls for ever, and as what He is, He will be unto you; so whatsoever He hath, He will confer upon you. Hath He a Son? He hath died for you: hath He a Spirit? That shall live with you: is earth His? That shall be your provision: is Heaven His? That shall be your portion hath He grace? That shall make you holy: hath He glory? That shall make you happy: for He will give

grace

and glory," and no good thing will He withhold from Ps. 84. 11. them that walk uprightly."

Thus we have seen not only how necessary it is, in order to our everlasting happiness, to do the will of God, but also how honourable, pleasant, and profitable a thing it is to do it. And therefore, I hope, I need not use any more words to persuade you to give up yourselves for the future wholly to the service of God. I dare say you all desire to go to Heaven, and to be happy in the enjoyment of God for ever. But that you can never be, unless you do the will of God; Christ Himself, you hear, hath told you so: and do you believe His words to be true, or do you not? I know you do. But what mean you then that you do not resolve, by the grace and assistance of God, to set yourselves in good earnest upon doing whatsoever you know to be His will and pleasure. Dally no longer in a matter of such importance as this is. If you care not whether you go to Heaven or no, what do you here? What need you concern yourselves about the way that leadeth thither? But if you really desire, as you pretend, to be admitted into Heaven, and to live with God and Christ for ever, take my advice in few terms grounded upon the words of our blessed Saviour Himself: take not up with a formal profession of the Christian religion, nor rest in the external performance of some particular duties required in it. Think it not enough to come to church, and near sermons. But repent of all your former sins, and be converted from them; and for the future let it