So that it is not enough that this inheritance is promised to us, but we must be meet to be partakers of it.

And this life is the time of our preparation for our future state. Our souls will continue for ever what we make them here; such a temper and disposition of mind as we carry with us out of this world, we shall retain in the next. It is true indeed heaven perfects the holy and virtuous dispositions which are begun here; but the other world alters no man as to his main state; he that is filthy will be filthy still; and he that is unrighteous will be unrighteous still. If we do not in a good degree mortify our lusts and passions here, death will not kill them, but we shall carry them with us. And if God should admit us, so qualified, into the place of happiness, yet we should bring that along with us, which would infallibly hinder us from being happy. Our sensual desires would meet with nothing there that would be suitable to them; and we should be perpetually tormented with those appetites which we brought with us, because we should find nothing there to gratify them. For, as the Apostle says in another sense, the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The happiness of heaven consists in things for which the wicked have no relish; so that if a covetous, or ambitious, or voluptuous person,

was in heaven, he would be just like the rich man in hell, tormented with a continual thirst, and burnt up in the flames of his own ardent desires; and would not be able to find so much as one drop of suitable pleasure to quench and allay that heat. So likewise as to our fierce and unruly passions: if we should carry them into the other world, how inconsistent would they be with happiness? They would not only make us miserable, but be a trouble to all those with whom we should converse. Vain man! that dreamest of being happy, without any disposition and preparation for it. All the joys of heaven are purely spiritual, and are only to be relished by those who have purified themselves as God is pure: but if thou be carnal and sensual, what are these things to thee? What happiness would it be to thee to have him always in thy view who was never in thy thoughts?-to be tied and live for ever in his company who is of a quite contrary disposition to thyself? Whose presence thou dreadest, and whom, whilst thou wast in this world, thou never couldst endure to think upon? Heaven is too pure an air for corrupt souls to breathe in, and the whole employment and conversation of that place, as it would be unsuitable, so would it be unacceptable to a sensual and vicious person.

From all this it appears how necessary it is for us to prepare ourselves for this blessed state,

by the constant and sincere endeavours of a holy life, and by mortifying every lust and inordinate passion in our souls; for till this be done we are nor meet to be made partakers of the felicities of the other world. So much for the first thing implied in my text, to wit, the serious thoughts and considerations of heaven. II. To have our conversation in heaven implies likewise the effect which those considerations ought to have upon our hearts and lives;

as,

1. To convince us of the vanity of this world. God has on purpose made this world troublesome to us, that we might find no sufficient temptation to take us off from the care of our future happiness; that heaven might have no rival here below; and that there might be nothing in this world to pretend to our affection, or court us with any advantage, in comparison of everlasting life and glory.

When we come to die, and eternity shall present itself to our serious and waking thoughts, things will put on another face, and what we valued most will then appear to be worth nothing; but such as we neglected will be judged of infinite concern, and worthy to have been the care and endeavour of our whole lives. And if we would consider these things in time, while the opportunities of life and health are before us, we might be convinced at a cheaper rate, and come to be satisfied of the vanity of

this world, before we despaired of the happiness of the other.

2. A second effect which these considerations ought to have upon our lives is, to make us very active both to be as good, and to do as much good as we can, that so we may be qualified for everlasting happiness. As often as we consider the glories that are above, how does it accuse our sloth, and condemn our folly, that we are less concerned for our souls, than most men are for their bodies; that we will not labour half so much for an eternal inheritance, as men commonly do for these corruptible things?

Let us remember that we are hastening apace to another world, and that our eternal happiness now lies at stake. How should it quicken our endeavours to have such a reward set before us! Would we but often represent to our minds the glorious things of another world, what fervours should we feel in our hearts; we should be all life, and spirit, and wing, and should do God's will almost with the same readiness and delight, as the angels do, who continually behold the face of their Father. The consideration of heaven should actuate all the powers of our souls, and inspire us with new vigour in the ways of holiness and virtue. How should this thought confirm our purposes of obedience, that if we have our fruit unto holiness, our end will be everlasting life.

3. A third effect which these considerations ought to have upon us, is, to mitigate the evils and afflictions of this life: these affect us more or less according as our souls are fortified with considerations proper to support us under them. When we reflect that we have but a little while to be here, that we are upon our journey travelling towards our heavenly country, where we shall meet with all the delights we can desire, it ought not to trouble us much to endure storms and foul ways, and to want many of those accommodations we might expect at home. This is the common fate of travellers, and we must take things as we find them, and not look to have every thing just to our minds. These difficulties will shortly be over, and after a few days will be quite forgotten, and be to us as if they had never been. The more trouble we have gone through, the kinder usage we shall find when we come to our Father's house. So the Apostle tells us, that our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Our happiness will then be as real as our miseries were here upon earth, and far greater, and more lasting. And what mighty matter is it though we suffer awhile in this world, provided we escape the unspeakable torments of the next; though we have not our good things in this life, if infinitely better be reserved for

us.

Several of the evils of this life would indeed