the Delights of Senfe; but how much farther are the Delights of Heaven? Think then, "Can an At

chimedes be fo taken up with his mathematical In❝vention, that the Threats of Death cannot dif "engage him, but he will die in the Midft of his "Contemplations? Should I not be much more taken "up with the Delights of Glory, and die with these "Contemplations fresh upon my Soul; efpecially "when my Death will perfect my Delights, while "thofe of Archimedes die with him? What exquifite "Pleasure is it to dive into the Secrets of Nature,

and find out the Mystery of Arts and Sciences; "efpecially if we make a new Discovery in any "one of them? What high Delights are there then "in the Knowledge of God and Chrift? If the "Face of human Learning be so beautiful, as to "make fenfual Pleafures appear bafe and brutish; "how beautiful then is the Face of God? When we "meet with fome choice Book, how could we read "it Day and Night, almost forgetful of Meat, "Drink, or Sleep? What Delights are there then "at God's right Hand, where we fhall know in a "Moment all that is to be known?"- -Compare alfo the Delights above, with the Delights of Morality, and of the natural Affections. What Delight had many fober Heathens in the Rules and Fractice of moral Duties, fo that they took him alone for an honeft Man, who did well through the Love of Virtue, and not merely for fear of Punishment; yea, fo much valued' was this moral Virtue, that they thought Man's chief Happiness confifted in it? Think then, "What Ex"cellency will there be in our heavenly Perfection, "and in that uncreated Perfection of God which we "fhall behold? What Sweetnefs is there in the "Exercife of natural Love, whether to Children, "Parents, Yoke-Fellows, or intimate Friends? Does

David

David lay of Jonathan, thy Love to me was wonder"ful, palling the Love of Women? Did the Soul of "Jonathan cleave to David? Had Chrift Himself one Difciple whom He especially loved, and who was wont to lean on His Breaft? If then the Delights of clofe and cordial Friendship be fo great, what "Delight fhall we have in the Friendíhip of the moft High, and in our mutual Intimacy with "Jefus Chrift, and in the deareft Love of the Saints?

Surely this will be a ftricter Friendship, and thefe "more lovely and defirable Friends, than ever the "Sun beheld; and both our Affections to our Father

and Saviour, and especially theirs to us, will he "fuch as we never knew here. If one Angel could "deftroy an Hoft, the Affections of Spirits must alfo "be proportionably ftronger, fo that we fhall then love a thoufand Times more ardently than we can As all the Attributes and Works of God are "incomprehenfible, fo is this of Love: He will love "us infinitely beyond our moft perfect Love to "Him. What then will there be in this mutual "Love?"

now.

$ 6. -Compare alf the Excellencies of Heaven, with thofe glorious Works of Creation which our Eyes now behold. What Wisdom, Power, and Goodness, are manifefted therein? How does the Majesty of the Creator fhine in this Fabrick of the World? His Works are great, fought out of all them that have Pleafure therein. What divine Skill in forming the Bodies of Men or Beafts? What Excellency in every Plant? What Beauty in Flowers? What Variety and Ufefulness in Herbs, Fruits, and Minerals? What Wonders are contained in the Earth and its Inhabitants; the Ocean of Waters, with its Motions and Dimentfions; and the conflant Succeffion of Spring and Autumn, of Summer and Winter? Think then,

"If these Things, which are but Servants to finful "Man, are fo full of myfterious Worth, what is that Place where God Himfelf dwells, and which

is prepared for juft Men made perfect with Chrift? "What Glory is there in the leaft of yonder Stars? "What a vast refplendent Body is yonder Moon,

and every Planet? What an inconceivable Glory hath the Sun? But all this is nothing to the Glory of Heaven. Yonder Sun muft there be laid afide as useless. Yonder is but Darkness to the Luftre of my Father's Houfe. I fhall myfelf be as glorious as that Sun. This whole Earth is but my Father's Footftool. This Thunder is nothing to "His dreadful Voice. Thefe Winds are nothing to

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the Breath of His Mouth. If the fending Rain, and making the Sun to rife on the Juft, and on the Unjust, "be fo wonderful; how much more wonderful and glorious will that Sun be, which must shine on none but Saints and Angels?"Compare also the Enjoyments above, with the Wonders of Providence in the Church and World. Would it not be an aftonishing Sight, to fee the Sea ftand as a Wall on the right Hand, and on the left, and the dry Land appear in the Midft, and the People of Ifrael pass fafely through, and Pharoah and his Hoft drowned? or to have feen the ten Plagues of Egypt? or the Rock gufhing forth Streams? or Manna and Quails rained from Heaven? or the Earth opening and jwallowing up the Wicked? But we fhall fee far greater Things than thefe; not only Sights more wonderful, but more delightful: There fhall be no Blood, nor Wrath, intermingled; nor fhall we cry out, as the Men of Beth-fhemesh, Who is able to ftand before this holy Lord God? How aftonishing, to fee the Sun ftand fill in the Firmament; or the Dial of Abaz go back ten Degrees? But we fhall fee when there fhall be no Sun; or rather shall behold for ever a Sun of infi

nitely

315 nitely greater Brightnefs. What a Life fhould we live, if we could have Drought or Rain at our Prayers; or have Fire from Heaven to destroy our Enemies, as Elijah had; or raife the Dead, as Elifba; or miraculously cure Difeafes, and fpeak all Languages, as the Apoftles? Alas, thefe are nothing to the Wonders we fhall fee and poffefs with God; and all of them. Wonders of Goodness and Love! We fhall ourselves be the Subjects of more wonderful Mercies than any of thefe. Jonah was raifed but from a three Day's Burial in the Belly of a Fish; but we fhall be raised from many Years Rottennefs and Duft; and that Duft exalted to the Glory of the Sun; and that Glory perpetuated through Eternity. Surely, if we obferve but common Providences; as, the Motions of the Sun; the Tides of the Sea; the ftanding of the Earth; the watering it with Rain, as a Garden; the keeping in Order a wicked confufed World; with many others; they are all admirable. But what are thefe to the Sion of God, the Vifion of the divine Majefty, and the Order of the heavenly Hofts?-Add to thefe, thofe particular Providences which thou haft thySelf enjoyed and recorded through thy Life, and compare them with the Mercies thou shalt have above. Look over the Mercies of thy Youth and riper Age, of thy Profperity and Adverfity, of thy feveral Places and Relations; are they not excellent and innumerable, rich and engaging? How fweet was it to thee, when God refolved thy Doubts; fcattered thy Fears; prevented the Inconveniencies into which thy own Counfel would have caft thee; eafed thy Pains; healed thy Sickness; and raised thee up, as from Death and the Grave? Think then, "Are all these so sweet "and precious, that without them my Life would "have been a perpetual Mifery? Hath His Provi"dence on Earth lifted me fo high, and His GentleP 2

"ness

"nefs made me great? How fweet then will His glo"rious Prefence be? How high will His erernal "Love exalt me? And how great fall I be made in "Communion with His Greatnefs? If my Pilgri"mage and Warfare have fuch Mercies, what fhall "I find in my Home, and in my Triumph? If God "communicates fo much to me, while I remain a "Sinner; what will He beftow when I am a perfected "Saint? If I have had fo much. at fuch a Distance "from Him; what fhall I have in His immediate "Prefence, where I fhall ever ftand before His "Throne?"

$7.Compare the foys above, with the Comforts thou haft here received in Ordinances. Hath not the Bible been to thee as an open Fountain, flowing with Comforts Day and Night? What fuitable Promises have come into thy Mind; fo that, with David, thou mayft fay, Unless thy Law had been my Delight, I should then have perished in mine Affliction? Think then, If His Word be fo full of Confolations, what over

6.

flowing Springs fhall. we find in God Himself? If "His Letters are fo comfortable, what will the "Glories of His Prefence be? If the Promife is fo

fo fweet, what will the Performance be? If the "Teftament of our Lord, and our Charter for the "Kingdom, be fo comfortable, what will be our "Poffeffion of the Kingdom itfelf?"- -Think farther, What Delights have I alfo found in the "Word preached? When I have fat under a heavenly, "Heart-fearching Teacher, how hath my Heart "been warmed? Methinks I have felt myfelf almoft in Heaven. How often have I gone to the Congregation troubled in Spirit, and returned joyful? How often have I gone doubting, and God hath fent me home perfuaded of His Love in Chrift? What Cordials have I met with to animate me in 66 " every