The Christian Life, Chapter 3 · Section 4
SECT. IV. Wherein for a Conclusion of this Chapter some Motives and Considerations are proposed to persuade men to the Practice of these Heavenly Virtues.
IT having been largely shewn in the foregoing Sections, that the Practice of all those Virtues which are included in the Heavenly Part of the Christian Life tends directly towards the heavenly State, and naturally grows up into it; I shall now briefly conclude this Argument wth some Motives to persuade men to the Practice of them. And these I shall deduce,
1. From the Suitableness of them to our present State and Relation.
2. From the Dignity.
3. From the Freedom.
4. From the Pleasure.
5. From the Ease, and
6. And lastly, From the Necessity of them.
I. Therefore let us consider the Suitableness of these Virtues to our present State and Relation. For in our Baptism, wherein we gave up our Names to Christ, we become Denizens and Freemen of Heaven, and were received into a Covenant that upon Performance of our Part of it actually intituled us to all its blessed Priviledges and Immunities. So that in that sacred Solemnity of our Initiation into the Christian Covenant, we contracted a strict Alliance with the blessed People of Heaven, and became their Brethren and Fellow-Citizens. For so the Apostle tells us, Eph. ii.19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forraigners, but fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God; and the houshold of God consists of the whole Congregation of the Saints, whether militant upon Earth or triumphant in Heaven. For so, Eph. iii.15. it is called the whole family of heaven and earth. So that we are Confederates with them in the same Covenant, even that by which they hold all the Joys and Glories they are possessed of; and if we will do as they have done, that is, perform the Conditions of it, we shall be Cohabitants with them in the same Glory. We are adopted Children of the same Father with them, Members of the same Family, Coheirs of the Promise of the same Glory, Brethren of the same Confraternity and Corporation; and all the difference between them and us is only this, that we are abroad and they at home; we are on this, and they on t'other side Jordan; we in the Acquest and they in the Possession of the heavenly Canaan; to which we are intitled as well as they, and that by the same Grant from the supreme Proprietor. So that by calling our selves Christians, we do in other words call our selves Brethren, Coheirs, and Fellow-Citizens with the blessed Inhabitants of Heaven. And what can be more suitable to such a Profession than for us to live as they do, in the continued Practice of all these heavenly Virtues? And what a shame will it be for us that are by Profession their Brethren, not to coppy and imitate their Behaviour; that we who are below Stairs in the same House and Family should abandon our selves to Sensuality and Devilishness, whilst our blessed Kindred above are entertaining themselves with those heavenly Pleasures which result from the perfect Exercise of all heavenly Virtue; that we should be neglecting, provoking and blaspheming God, whilst they are contemplating and admiring, loving and praising, imitating and obeying him; that we should be cheating and defrauding, envying and despising, maligning and embroiling one another, whilst they are conversing together with the greatest Freedom and Integrity, with the most obliging Respects and Condescensions, and in the strictest Vnity and dearest Friendship? What a vile Reproach are our wicked lives to the Conversation of these our Fellow-Citizens above? For while we profess our selves their Brethren, those who understand no better will be prone to suspect that they live as we do; and how would such a Suspicion tempt an honest Heathen to renounce Heaven, as the Indian King did, when he was told that the bloudy Spaniards went thither; and rather chuse to go down to the darkest Hell than to a Heaven that is peopled with such diabolical Company? So that by our wicked and unsaint-like Lives, we take an effectual Course to bring Heaven it self into Disgrace, and to cast such a Slander on its blessed Inhabitants, as may justly expose them to the Scorn and Hatred of all those honest Minds that know them no otherwise than by us their unworthy and degenerate Fellow-Citizens; and could those blessed Spirits look down from their Thrones of Bliss, and see what a Company of wretched Christians there are that claim Kindred with them, they would doubtless be ashamed of the Relation, and count themselves highly dishonoured and disgraced by it, and heartily wish that we would disown our Sins or our Baptism, and openly renounce their Alliance or more strictly imitate their Manners. And really 'tis a burning Shame that we should profess our selves Fellow-Citizens with them for no other purpose but to scandalize and reproach them; and it were heartily to be wished even for the Credit of Heaven and of our blessed Brethren that inhabit it, that if we will not be so generous as to follow their Example, we would at least be so honest as to renounce their Kindred, and not to claim a Relation to their Family meerly to shame and disgrace them.
II. CONSIDER the Honour and Dignity of the heavenly Life. For if we may estimate Actions by the Examples from whence they are copied, as in other Cases we are wont to do, doubtless the most noble and honourable are such as are copied from the Lives of the glorious Inhabitants of Heaven. For besides that sublime Rank of Dignity whereunto they are advanced, as being the Courtiers and immediate Attendants of the Almighty Sovereign of Heaven and Earth; a Dignity which by how much more it excells that of the greatest Potentate of this world, by so much more it authorizes the Examples of those that wear it; besides this I say, their Examples being the most perfect Copies and Imitations of the Life of God, are thereby rendred not only more eminent and glorious, but also more obliging and authoritative. For by following them, we follow God, who is the Standard of all rational Perfection, and who by being the first and best in the whole kind of Rational Entities, is the supream Rule and Measure of them all. So that in imitating the blessed People above, we imitate those who in their Place and Station do live at the same Rate as the great God doth in his, and regulate themselves by the same infallible Reason. We do what God himself would do if he were in our Place; and there is no other difference between his life and ours, but what necessarily arises out of our different States and Relations. And what more glorious thing can we do, than to live by the Pattern of their Lives, who live so exactly by the Pattern of God's? For the Example of living which those blessed People set us, is the Example of God at second-hand; 'tis his most rational Life transcribed, so far as it is rationally imitable, that is, so far as it is honourable and glorious for a rational creature to transcribe it. For in the State of finite Creatures they live in a perfect Conformity to the same immutable Reason whereby God regulates himself in the State of an infinite Creator. So that their Example is an Imitation in kind of all those particular Excellencies in him, which they may and ought to imitate; and 'tis an Imitation in general of that eternal Decorum with respect to Conditions and States, which he constantly observes in all his transactions with his Creatures. And as their Example is a perfect Copy of God's, so 'tis a Copy fitted in all particulars for our Use and Imitation. For it doth not only describe to us all those particular Excellencies in him which are to be imitated by us, but all those particular Duties to which that eternal Law of Equity and Goodness by which he governs himself in his State requires of us in ours; and shews not only wherein we are to imitate him in kind, but also wherein we are to follow him in general, in doing what is most fit for us in the State and Relation of Creatures, even as he doth what is most fit for him in the State and Relation of a God and Creator. So that the Example of those heavenly Inhabitants is the Example of God himself, exactly fitted and attempered to the State and Condition of Creatures. For just as they live, the All-wise and All-good God himself would live, if he were in their State and Relation. Wherefore by imitating their heavenly Lives and Manners, we do our selves the greatest Right, and do most effectually consult the Glory and Honour of our own Natures. For whilst we tread in theirs, we tread in the Footsteps of God, and have his glorious Example to warrant and justifie our Actions; we behave our selves as it becomes the Children of the King of Heaven, and so far as it consists with the condition of Creatures, we live like so many Gods in the world; which is doubtless the utmost height of Honour and Glory that any rational Ambition can aspire to. So that methinks had we any spark of true Gallantry and Bravery of Mind in us, we should despise all other kinds of Life but this, and pity those gilded Bubbles that have nothing to boast of but their fine Cloaths and great Estates and empty Titles of Honour; we should look upon all other Dignities as the trifling Play-games of Children in comparison of this, of living like the great Nobility of Heaven, that do all live by the pattern of the Life of God.
III. CONSIDER the great Freedom and Liberty of a heavenly Life. So long as we live earthy and sensual Lives, our freeborn Souls are imprisoned in Sense, and all their Motions are circumscribed and bounded within the narrow Sphere of sensitive Goods and Enjoyments. So that when we would follow our Reason, and do as that prescribes and dictates, we find our selves miserably hampered and intangled; the Lusts of our Flesh do hang like gyves so heavily upon us, that when ever our Reason and Conscience call we cannot move with any Freedom, but are fain to labour at every Step, and after a few faint Essays are utterly tired under the weight of our reluctant Inclinations. So that the good which many times we would we do not, the law in our Minds being counter-voted by the law in our Members. Our reason and conscience tell us that we ought to love God above all, to adore and worship him and surrender up our selves to his Command and Disposal; and we are many times strongly inclined to follow its Dictates and Directions; but alas when we come to put them in Execution, we find so many pull-backs within us, …o many strong and stubborn Aversions to our good Inclinations, that we have not the power to do as we would, or to dispose of our selves according to our own most reasoable Desires, but like miserable Slaves that are chained to the Oar, we are fain to row on whithersoever our imperious Lusts do command us, though we plainly see we are running on a Rock and invading our own destruction. And as we are not free in this ill State of life to follow our Reason, so neither are we free to follow our Lusts. For as when we would follow our Reason, our Lusts cling about and intangle us, so when we would follow our Lusts our Reason clogs and restrains us; and by objecting to us the Indecency and Danger, the infinite Turpitude and Hazard of our sinful Courses, lays so many Rubs in our way that we cannot sin with any Freedom, but whithersoever we go we walk like Prisoners with the Shackles of Shame and Fear on our heels. So that which way soever we turn our selves, we find that our Power to dispose of our selves is under a great Restraint and Confinement, and we can neither get leave of our Lusts to follow our Reason, nor of our Reason to follow our Lusts. For when we attempt the latter, our Reason curbs us with Shame and Fear; and when we endeavour the former, our Appetite bridles us with Dislike and Aversation. In this extremity therefore what is to be done that we may be free? Why the case is plain, we must resolve to conquer either our Reason or our Lusts: if we conquer our Reason, (which we shall find by far the harder Task of the two) we shall acquire the Freedom of Devils and Brutes, the Freedom to do Mischief and wallow in the mire without Shame or Remorse; but if we conquer our Lusts, we acquire the Freedom of Men, yea of Saints and of Angels; the freedom to act reasonably without Reluctance or Aversation; and this being much more easily to be acquired than the former, I dare appeal to any mans Reason which of the two is in it self most eligible. If therefore we would vindicate our rational Freedom, we must resolve to shake off those slavish Fetters, our brutish and our devilish Appetites, that do so perpetually turmoil and incumber us in all our virtuous Attempts and rational Operations; we must tie up our selves from executing their Commands and serving their wicked Wills and Pleasures, and heartily resolve to act as it becomes us in the Capacity of rational Creatures related to God and one another. And then though at first we must expect to find our selves confined and straitned by our vicious Aversations, we shall be immediately released from all that Shame and Fear which did so continually curb us in the carreer of our Wickedness; and even our vicious Aversation (if we couragiously persist in our good Resolution) will grow weaker and weaker, and be every day less and less combersome to us, till it is totally extinguished. And then we shall feel our selves intirely restored into our own Power, and be able without Check or Controle to dispose of our selves and all our Motions according as it shall seem to us most fit and reasonable; then we shall act with the greatest Vigour and Freedom, having no counter-striving Principles to restrain or retard us, no vicious Aversations on the one side, or guilty Shame or Fear on the other to counterpoize us in our rational Motions; then we shall move without Check or Confinement in a large and noble Sphere, for we shall be pleased with what is fit and wise and good without any Reserve or Exception, and we shall do what we please without any Let or Hindrance. So that by ingaging our selves in the heavenly Life, we enter into a state of glorious Liberty, and if we constantly persist in it and do still prevalently list to live as becomes us, we shall be more and more free to live as we list, till at last we are arrived into a perfect Liberty, wherein we shall live without Restraint or Controul, without check of Conscience, or reluctance of Inclination, which are the two main Bars that confine and straiten men in their Operations. If therefore we would ever be free, let us immediately come off from our vicious Courses to the Practice of this divine and heavenly Life, wherein by degrees if we couragiously hold on we shall wear off those Shackles that do so miserably hamper and intangle us; and then we shall be intirely free to do whatsoever our reason dictates to us; then we shall run the ways of Gods commandments, and like our blessed Brethren above be all Life and Spirit and Wing in the discharge of our Duty to him.
IV. CONSIDER the Pleasure of this heavenly Life. 'Tis true there is a sort of Pleasure that results from all the Acts of a sensual and earthly Conversation; but we find by Experience, that though in the pursuit it strangely allures and inchants us, yet in the Fruition it always disappoints our Expectation, and scarce performs in the Enjoyment one half of what it promised to our Hope; and at the best 'tis but a present and transient Satisfaction of our brutish Sense, a Satisfaction that dims the Light, sullies the Beauty, impairs the Vigour, and restrains the Activity of the Mind; diverting it from better Operations, and indisposing it to the fruition of purer Delights; leaving no comfortable Rellish or gladsome Memory behind it, but oftentimes going out in a stink, and determining in Bitterness, Regret and Disgrace. But in each act of this divine and celestial Life, there is something of the Pleasure of Heaven, something of those divine Refreshments and Consolations upon which the good People of Heaven do live. For the greatest part of their Heaven springs from within their own Bosoms, even from the Conformity of their Souls to the heavenly State and the sprightful out-goings of their Minds and Affections towards the heavenly Objects; from their contemplating and loving, their praising and adoring the most high God, from their Imitation of his Perfections, their Subjection to his Will, and Dependance on his Veracity; all which Acts, as I have already shewed, have the most ravishing Pleasures appendant to them, and are so necessary to the Felicity of rational Creatures, that the Wit of Man cannot fancy a rational Heaven without them. For the heaven of a rational Creature consisting in the most intense and vigorous Exercise of its rational Faculties about the most suitable and convenient Objects, what Object can be more convenient to such Faculties than that Almighty Sovereign of Beings, whose Power is the Spring of all Truth, and whose Nature is the Pattern of all Goodness. So that without a perfect Union of our Minds and Wills and Affections with God, there can be no possible Idea of a perfect Heaven of rational Pleasures, but in this blessed Union lies the very Soul and Quintessence of Heaven. Since therefore in every Act of every Virtue of the divine Life, there is at least an imperfect Union of the Soul with God, it necessarily follows that there must be some degree of the Pleasure of Heaven in every one. So that if we do not experience much greater Joy and Delight in the Acts of this divine Life, than ever we did in the highest Epicurisms and Sensualities, 'tis not because there are not much greater in them, but because we never exerted them with that Sprightliness and Vigour as we do our sensual Appetites and Perceptions; because we are clogg'd in the Exercise of them either by false Principles, or bodily Indispositions, or sinful Aversations. But if we would take the pains to inure and accustom our selves to these heavenly Acts, we should find by degrees they would grow natural and easie to us; and our Souls would be so habituated, contempered and disposed to them that we should upon all Occasions exert them with great Fredom and Inlargement. And then we should begin to feel and relish the Pleasure of them; then we should perceive a Heaven of Delights springing up from within us and unfolding it self in each beatifical Act of our heavenly Conversation; then we should find our selves under the central force of Heaven most sweetly drawn along and attracted thither by the powerful Magnetism of its Joys and Pleasures; and in every act of our celestial Behaviour we should have some Foretast of the celestial Happiness. So that now we shall no longer need external Arguments to convince us of the Truth and Reality of that blessed State; for we shall feel it within our selves, and be able to penetrate into its blessed Mysteries by the light of an infallible Experience. Now we shall have no Occasion to search the Records of Heaven to assure our selves of our Interest in it; for by a most sensible Earnest of Heaven within us, we shall be as fully satisfied of our Title to it, as if one of the winged Messengers of Heaven should come down from thence and tell us that he saw our Names inrolled in the Book of Life. And with this sweet Experience of Heaven within us we shall go on to Heaven with unspeakable Triumph and Alacrity, being tolled all along from step to step with the alluring Relishes of its Joys and Pleasures; and in every vigorous Exercise of every Virtue of the Heavenly Life, we shall have such lively tasts and sensations of Heaven, as will continually excite us to exercise them still more vigorously; and still the more vigorously we exert them the more of Heaven we shall tast in them; and so the Vigour of our Virtue shall increase the Pleasure of it and the Pleasure of it shall increase its Vigour, till both are perfected and grown up into the blessed State of Heaven. Wherefore as we do love Pleasure, which is the great Invitation to Action, let us be persuaded once for all to make a through Experiment of the heavenly Life; and if upon a sufficient Trial you do not find it the most pleasant kind of Life that ever you led, if you do not experience a far more noble Satisfaction in it than ever you did in all your studied and artificial Luxuries, I give you leave to brand me for an Impostor.
V. CONSIDER the great Repose and Ease of a Heavenly Life and Conversation. In every sensual and devilish Course of Life, we find by Experience there is a great deal of Vneasiness and Disquiet. For the Mind is disturbed, the Conscience galled, the Affections divided into opposite Factions, and the whole Soul in a most diseased and restless Posture. And indeed it is no Wonder it should be so, since 'tis in an unnatural State and Condition. For whilst 'tis in any unreasonable Course of Action, the very Frame and Constitution of it, as it is a rational Being, suffers an unnatural Violence, and is all unjointed and disordered. And therefore as a Body when its Bones are out, is never at Rest till they are set again; so a rational Soul when its Faculties and Powers are dislocated and put out of their natural, i. e. rational Course of Action, is continually restless and disturbed, and always tossing to and fro, shifting from one Posture to another, turning it self from this to t'other Object and Enjoyment, but finding no ease or satisfaction in any till 'tis restored again to its own rational Course of Motion, and that is to act and move towards God, for whom it was made, and in whom alone it can be happy. And if its Reason were not strangely dozed and stupified with Sense and sensitive Pleasure, it would doubtless be a thousand times more restless and dissatisfied in this its preternatural State than it is; it would feel much more Distraction of Mind, Anguish of Conscience, and Tumult of Affections than 'tis now capable of, amidst the numerous Enjoyments and Diversions of this World. For as a musical Instrument, were it a living thing, would doubtless be sensible of Harmony as its proper State (as a great Author of our own ingeniously discourses) and abhor Discord and Dissonancy as a thing preternatural to it; even so were our Reason but alive and awake within us, our Souls which according to their natural Frame were made Vnison with God, would be exquisitely sensible of those divine Virtues wherein its Consonancy consists, as of that which is its proper State and native Complection; and complain as sadly of the vicious Distempers of its Faculties, as the Body doth of Wounds and Diseases; 'twould be perfectly sick of every unreasonable Motion, and never be able to rest till its disjointed Faculties were rectified, and all its disordered Strings set in tune again. Which being once effected (as it will quickly be in a continued Course of heavenly Action) we shall presently find our Souls disburthened of all those malignant Humours that do so perpetually disease, disquet and disturb us. For by relying upon God, we shall totally quit and discharge our selves of all those restless Cares and Anxieties which circle and prick us like a Crown of Thorns; by our hearty Submission to his heavenly Will, we shall ease our Consciences of all that Horror, Rage and Anguish which proceeds from the invenomed Stings of our Guilt; by loving, admiring and adoring him, our Affections will be cured of all that Inconsistence and Inordinacy that render them so tumultuous and disquieting. And these things being once accomplished, the sick and restless Soul will presently find it self in perfect Health and Ease. For now all her jarring Faculties being tuned to the musical Laws of Reason, there will be a perfect Harmony in her Nature, and she will have no disquieting Principle within her; nothing but calm and gentle Thoughts, soft and sweet Reflections, tame and manageable Affections, nothing but what abundantly contributes to her Repose and Satisfaction. So that do but imagine what an Ease the Body enjoys when after a lingering Sickness it recovers a sound Constitution and feels a lively Vigour possessing every Part, and actuating the Whole; such and much more is the Ease and Quiet of the Soul, when by the diligent Practice of the heavenly Life it feels it self recovered from the languishing Sickness of a sensual and devilish Nature. Now she is no more tossed and agitated in a stormy sea of restless Thoughts and guilty Reflections, no more scorched with Impatience, or drowned with Grief, or shook with Fear, or bloated with Pride or Ambition, but all her Affections are resigned to the blessed Empire of a spiritual Mind, and cloathed in the Livery of her Reason. Now all the War and Contest between the Law in her Members and the Law in her Mind is ended in a glorious Victory and happy Peace; and those divided Streams her Will and Conscience, her Passions and her Reason are united in one Channel and flow towards one and the same Ocean. And being thus jointed and knit together by the Ties and Ligaments of Virtue, the Soul is perfectly well and easie, and enjoys a most sweet Repose within it self. Wherefore as you value your own Rest and Ease, and would not be endlesly turmoiled and disquieted, be persuaded heartily to ingage your selves in the Course of a heavenly Conversation; and then though at first you must expect to find some Difficulty in it by reason of its Contrariety to your corrupt Natures, yet if you vigorously persist in it, you will find the Difficulty will soon wear off, and then 'twill be all Ease and Pleasure. For when our Nature is depraved either by Sensuality or Devilishness, 'tis like a Bone out of joint, full of Pain while it is out, and much more painful while it is setting, but as soon as that is done, 'tis immediately well and easie.
VI. AND lastly, Consider the absolute Necessity of this heavenly Life and Conversation. For besides that God exacts it of us as an indispensable Condition of our Happiness, and hath assured us that if we live after the flesh we shall die, and that without holiness we shall never see the Lord, besides this, I say, an heavenly Conversation is in the Nature of the thing necessary to qualifie us for Heaven, or, as the Apostle expresses it, to make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. For Happiness being a relative thing, implies in the very Nature of it a mutual Correspondence between the Objects which felicitate and the Faculties which are felicitated by them; and be the Objects never so good in themselves, never so pregnant with Pleasure and Bliss, yet if they do not agree with the Faculties whereunto they are objected, instead of blessing, they will but afflict and torment them; and if a man were placed in the midst of Heaven among all the ravishing Fruitions with which that blessed place abounds, yet unless his Mind and Temper did suit and agree with them, they would be so many Miseries and Vexations to him, and he would be afflicted even in Abraham's Bosom, and grope for Heaven in the midst of Paradise. So that supposing that God were so unreasonably fond of the Happiness of wicked Souls, as to prefer it before the Honour of his Government and the Purity of his Nature and the Sanction of his Laws, yet still there is an invincible Obstacle behind that must render their future Felicity impossible; and that is, that it cannot be without a plain Contradiction to the Nature of things, the Temper of wicked Souls being wholly repugnant to all the Felicities of the other World. So that if they were all set before them, they would not be able to enjoy them, but must be forced to pine and famish amidst all that plenty of Delights, there being no viand in all that heavenly Entertainment that they would relish any Sweetness in. And therefore if God should so far pardon them, as not to punish them himself by any immediate stroke of Vengeance, that would be the utmost Favour that his Omnipotent Goodness could do for them whilst they continued in their Sins; which, notwithstanding such a Pardon, would for ever continue them extremely miserable. And what great matter doth a Pardon signifie to a Malefactor that is dying of the Stone or Strangury? he could but have died though he had not been pardoned, and die he must though he be. And just as little almost would it signifie to a depraved Soul to be pardoned and absolved by God, whilst it hath a Disease within that preys upon its Vitals, and hastens it on to a certain Ruine. For it could have been but miserable in the future Life if it had not been pardoned, and miserable it must be, if it continue wicked, whether it be pardoned or no. For it is not so much the Place as the State that makes either Heaven or Hell; and the State of Heaven and Hell consists in perfect Holiness and Wickedness; and proportionably as we do improve in either of these, so we do approach towards the one State or the other. For as Heaven is the center of all that is virtuous, pure and holy, and all that is good tends thither by a natural Sympathy; so Hell is the center of all Impiety and Wickedness, and all that is bad doth naturally press and sink down thither, as towards its proper Place and Element; and should not the divine Vengeance concern it self to exclude wicked Souls out of Heaven, yet their own Wickedness would do it. For that is a Place of such inaccessible Light and Purity, that no Impurity or Wickedness can approach it, but must of necessity be beaten off with the dreadful lightnings of its Glory, and tumbled headlong down as oft as it essays to climb up thither; as on the other hand, should not God by an immediate Vengeance precipitate wicked Souls into Hell, yet their own Wickedness by the mighty weight of its own Nature, would inevitably press and sink them down into that miserable Condition. What egregious Nonsense therefore is it, for wicked men to talk of going to Heaven? Alas! poor Creatures what would you do there? There are no wanton Amours among those heavenly Lovers; no Rivers of Wine among their Rivers of Pleasure to gratifie your unbounded Sensuality; no Parasites to flatter your lofty Pride; no Miseries to feed your meagre Envy; no Mischiefs to tickle your devillish Revenge; nothing but chast and divine, pure and spiritual Enjoyments, such as your brutish and devilish Appetites will eternally loath and nauseate. Wherefore if we mean to go to Heaven, and to be happy there, we must now endeavour to dispose and attemper our Minds to it; which is no other way to be done, but by leading a heavenly Life and Conversation; which by degrees will habituate and naturalize our Souls to the heavenly Virtues, and so work and inlay them into the Frame and Temper of our Minds, that 'twill be our greatest Pleasure to be exerting and exercising them. And then our Souls will be dressed and made ready for Heaven, and when we go from hence to take Possession of its Joys, they will be all so agreeable to our prepared Appetites, that we shall presently fall to and feed upon them with infinite Gust and Relish. But till by living a heavenly Life we have disposed our selves for Heaven, we are utterly incapable of enjoying it. So that now things are reduced to this Issue, that either our Sins or our Souls must die, and we must necessarily shake hands either with Heaven or our Lusts. And therefore unless we value eternal Happiness so little as to exchange it for the sordid and trifling Pleasures of Sin, and unless we love our Sins so well as to ransom them with the bloud of our Immortal Souls, it concerns us speedily to ingage our selves in this heavenly Life and Conversation. For this is an eternal and immutable Law, that if we will be wicked, we must be miserable.