ENT. XXXIII. All are bound to feek first ENT. XXXIV. Practical Inferences from ENT. XXXVI. Means to preferve us from the Corruption of the World. ENT. XXXVII. The Emptiness and Vanity ENT. XXXVIII. Some practical Inferences drawn from the foregoing Truth. 258 SANS DIE VRIEN THE XXth ENTERTAINMENT. The Idea the Saints had of Heaven. The Sufferings of this prefent Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which Shall be reveal'd in us. Rom. viii. 18. T HE Sufferings of this Life bear certainly no Proportion to the Joys prepared in Heaven. Because the Sufferings of this Life are fhort, and the Joys of Heaven are everlasting. The Sufferings of this Life are never without fome Mixture of Comfort, and the Joys of Heaven are pure and unmix'd. Finally, the Sufferings of this Life can never exceed a certain Degree of Violence, being Tom. II B limited limited by the natural Weakness of the Body; but the Joys of Heaven being fubjected in an incorruptible and immortal Soul are as boundless as her Appetites and Defires, which can only be fatisfied with the Poffeffion of an infinite Good: This made the Saints both of the old and new Law fet fo high a Value upon Hea ven, as to ftrive to purchase it with the most laborious Endeavours, and the most painful Sufferings either inflicted by others, or of their own free Choice. St. Paul gives us this Account of some Part of their Sufferings: Others were tortured not accepting Deliverance, that they might obtain a better Refurrection. And others bad Trial of cruel Mockings and Scourgings, yea, moreover of Bonds and Imprisonment. They were ftoned, they were fawn afunder, were tempted, were flain with the Sword. They wander'd about in Sheep-skins and Goatfkins, being deftitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom theWorld was not worthy.They wander'd in Defarts,and Mountains, and in Dens and Caves of the Earth. Heb. xi. 35, 36. &c. Now fince Men's Actions are but the natural Refult of their practical Ideas of Things; fince we cannot make a truer Judgment of the Value a Perfon has for any Thing, than by the Pains he takes for it, and the Price he fets up on on it; finally, fince both the Ideas and Actions of the Saints ought to be the Model of ours, because it marks out clearly the Way that leads to the Happinefs they poffefs, the whole Defign of this concluding Difcourfe, of the four laft Things, fhall be to give you fome Ac count of the great Ideas the Saints had of Heaven, and the Value they set upon it. The Kingdom of Heaven is compared by our Saviour unto a Merchant-man feeking goodly Pearls; who when he had found one Pearl of a great Price, he went, and fold all be bad, and bought it. Matt. xiii. 45, 46. This Pearl is the Poffeffion of God by Grace in this Life, and in Glory hereafter. Now that we may be encouraged to imitate this wife Merchant, in fparing no Cost or Labour to purchafe fo great a Treasure, we must take care to inform ourselves well of the true Value of it. The Lovers therefore of this World muft not be confulted in this Matter; because their Hearts being too fenfibly affected with worldly Objects, they are apt to judge of Things with Reference to what pleafes or difpleafes for the prefent. The carnal Man (says St. Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 14.) receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God. For they are Foolishnefs unto him: Neither can he know them, because they are fpiritually difcern'd. B 2 Hence Hence it is, that the Lovers of this World are by the Word of God ftiled Fools and Children. Becaufe as Fools and Children have not Judgment enough to know falfe Stones from Diamonds, and are often better pleased with a pretty Bauble than the richeft Jewel; fo the Lovers of this World are much fonder of the Toys and Trifles wherewith it amuses them for the prefent, than the folid Treasures of the Life to come. that the Price of Heaven is fallen fo low in the general Opinion of Mankind, and that fo few are heartily difpofed, I will not fay, to fell all they have to purchase it, but even to do or fuffer any Thing confiderably for it. And fo it is no wonder But the Saints, who were animated with the Spirit of God, and had their Hearts free from all Biafs of earthly Affections, are the only proper Judges in this Cafe. But we (fays St. Paul) have received not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the Things, that are given unto us by God. From these then we must learn the true Value of this rich Pearl; and we need but take a View of their Lives and Sufferings to be throughly convinced of the great Idea they had of it. For Deeds are the most faithful Interpreters of the Mind; and he who fpares no |