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 clogged 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 ourselves to these heavenly acts, we should find by degrees they would grow natural and easy to us; and our souls would be so habituated, contempered, and disposed to them, that we should upon all occasions exert them with great freedom and enlargement: and then we should begin to feel and relish the pleasure of them; then we should perceive a heaven of delight springing up from within us, and unfolding itself in each beatifical act of our heavenly conversation; then we should find ourselves 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 foretaste of the celestial happiness. So that now we should no longer need external arguments to convince us of the truth and reality of that blessed state; for we should feel it within ourselves, and be able to penetrate into its blessed mysteries by the light of an infallible experience. Now we should have no occasion to search the records of heaven to assure ourselves of our interest in it; for by a most sensible earnest of heaven within us we should 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 enrolled in the book of life. And with this sweet experience of heaven within us, we should 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 should have such lively tastes and sensations of heaven, as would continually excite us to exercise them more vigorously; and still the more vigorously we exerted them, the more of heaven we should taste in them; and so the vigour of our virtue would increase the pleasure of it, and the pleasure of it 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 uneasiness 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 it is in an unnatural state and condition. For whilst it is 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 itself from this to the other object and enjoyment, but finding no ease or satisfaction in any, until it is restored again to its own rational course of motion, and that it 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 it is 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 unison with God, would be exquisitely sensible of those divine virtues wherein its consonancy consists, as of that which is its proper state and native complexion; and complain as sadly of the vicious distempers of its faculties, as the body doth of wounds and diseases; it would 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 disburdened of all those malignant humours that do so perpetually disease, disquiet, and disturb us. For by relying upon God, we shall totally quit and discharge ourselves 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 envenomed 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 itself 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 itself 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 clothed 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 easy, and enjoys a most sweet repose within itself. Wherefore, as you value your own rest and ease, and would not be endlessly turmoiled and disquieted, be persuaded heartily to engage yourselves 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 it will be all ease and pleasure. For when our nature is depraved, either by sensuality or devilishness, it is 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, it is immediately well and easy.

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 qualify 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 hap