any other purpose, than as a journey towards heaven, all our labor will be lost. If we spend our lives in the pursuit of a temporal happiness; if we set our hearts on riches, and seek happiness in them; if we seek to be happy in sensual pleasures; if we spend our lives in seeking the credit and esteem of men; the goodwill and respect of others; if we set our hearts on our children, and look to be happy in the enjoyment of them, in seeing them well brought up, and well settled, &c. All these things will be of little significancy to us. Death will blow up all our hopes and expectations, and will put an end to our enjoyment of these things. The places that have known us will know us no more: And the eye that has seen us shall see us no more. We must be taken away forever from all these things; and it is uncertain when; it may be soon after we have received them, and are put into the possession of them. It may be in the midst of our days, and from the midst of our enjoyments. And then where will be all our worldly employments and enjoyments, when we are laid in the silent grave! "So man lieth down and riseth not again, till the heavens be no more." Job xiv. 12.

II. The future world was designed to be our settled and everlasting abode.

Here it was intended that we should be fixed; and here alone is a lasting habitation, and a lasting inheritance and enjoyment to be had. We are designed for this future world. We are to be in two states; the one in this world, which is an imperfect state; the other, in the world to come. The present state is short and transitory; but our state in the other world is everlasting. When we go into another world, there we must be to all eternity. And as we are there at first, so we must be without change.

Our state in the future world, therefore, being eternal, is of so exceedingly greater importance than our state in this world, that it is worthy that our state here, and all our concerns in this world should be wholly subordinate to it.

III. Heaven is that place alone where our highest end and highest good is to be obtained.

God hath made us for himself. Of God, and through God, and to God are all things. Therefore then do we attain to our highest end when we are brought to God: But that is by being brought to heaven; for that is God's throne; that is the place of his special presence, and of his residence. There is but a very imperfect union with God to be had in this world; a very imperfect knowledge of God in the midst of abundance of darkness; a very imperfect conformity to God, mingled with abundance of enmity and estrangement. Here we can serve and glorify God, but in an exceeding imperfect manner; our service being mingled with much sin and dishonor to God.

But when we get to heaven, (if ever that be) there we shall be brought to a perfect union with God. There we shall have clear views of God. We shall see face to face, and know as we are known. There we shall be fully conformed to God, without any remainder of sin. We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. There we shall serve God perfectly. We shall glorify him in an exalted manner, and to the utmost of the powers and capacity of our nature. fectly give up ourselves to God.

Then we shall perThen will our hearts be

pure and holy offerings to God; offered all in a flame of divine love.

In heaven alone is the attainment of our highest good. God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The en joyment of him is our proper happiness; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied.

To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives or children, or the company of any, or all earthly friends. ows; but the enjoyment of God is the but scattered beams; but God is the streams; but God is the fountain. but God is the ocean.

These are but shadsubstance. These are sun. 'These are but These are but drops;

Therefore it becomes us to spend this life only as a journey towards heaven, as it becomes us to make the seeking our highest end and proper good, the whole work of our lives; VOL. VII.

2 D

and we should subordinate all other concerns of life to it. Why should we labor for any thing else; or set our hearts on any thing else but that which is our proper end and true happiness?

IV. Our present state, and all that belongs to it,are designed by him that made all things, to be wholly in order to another world.

This world was made for a place of preparation for another world. Man's mortal life was given him only here, that he might be prepared for his fixed state.

And all that God has

The sun shines up

here given us, is given to this purpose. on us; the rain falls upon us; the earth yields her increase to us; civil and ecclesiastical affairs, family affairs, and all our personal concerns are designed and ordered in a subordination to a future world, by the maker and disposer of all things. They ought, therefore, to be subordinated to this by

us.

APPLICATION.

I. In a use of instruction.

1. This doctrine may teach us moderation in our mourning for the loss of dear friends, who, while they lived, improved their lives to right purposes.

If they lived a holy life, then their lives were a journey towards heaven. And why should we be immoderate in mourning when they are got to their journey's end? Death to them, though it appears to us with a frightful aspect, is a great blessing. Their end is happy, and better than their beginning. "The day of their death is better to them than the day of their birth." Eccl. vii. 1. While they lived they desired heaven, and chose it above this world, or any of the enjoy ments of it. They earnestly sought and longed for heaven; and why should we grieve that they have obtained it.

Now they have got to heaven, they have got home. They never were at home before. They have got to their Father's house. They find more comfort a thousand times, now they are got home, than they did in their journey. While they

were on their journey, they underwent much labor and toil. It was a wilderness that they passed through; a difficult road. There were abundance of difficulties in the way; mountains and rough places. It was a laborious, fatiguing thing to travel the road. They were forced to lay out themselves to get along; and had many wearisome days and nights: But now they have got through; they have got to the place they sought; they are got home; got to their everlasting rest. They need to travel no more; nor labor any more; nor endure any more toil and difficulty; but enjoy perfect rest and peace; and will enjoy them forever. "And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them," Rev. xiv. 13. They do not mourn that they are got home, but greatly rejoice. They look back upon the difficulties, and sorrows, and dangers of life, rejoicing that they have got through them all.

sun.

We are ready to look upon death as though it were a calamity to them; we are ready to mourn over them with tears of pity; to think that those that were so dear to us, should be in the dark, rotting grave; that they should there turn to corruption and worms; that they should be taken away from their dear children, and other pleasant enjoyments; and that they never should have any part more in any thing under the Our bowels are ready to yearn over them, and we are ready to look upon it, as though some sorrowful thing had befallen them; and as though they were in awful circumstanc es. But this is owing to our infirmity that we are ready thus to look upon it. They are in a happy condition. They are inconceivably blessed. They do not mourn, but rejoice with exceeding joy. Their mouths are filled with joyful songs; they drink at rivers of pleasure. They find no mixture of grief at all, that they have changed their earthly houses and enjoyments, and their earthly friends, and the company of mortal mankind, for heaven. They think of it without any

degree of regret.

This is an evil world in comparison to that they are now in. Their life here if attended with the best circumstances that any earthly life ever was, was attended with abundance that was adverse and afflictive; but now there is an end to all adversity. "They shall hunger no more, nor thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them,and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Rev. vii. 16, 17,

It is true we shall see them no more while here in this world, yet we ought not immoderately to mourn for that; though it used to be pleasant to us to see them; and though their company was sweet; for we should consider ourselves as but on a journey too; we should be travelling towards the same place that they are gone to; and why should we break our hearts with that, that they have got there before us; when we are following after them as fast as we can; and hope, as soon as ever we get to our journey's end, to be with them again; to be with them in better circumstances, than ever we were with them while here? A degree of mourning for near relations when departed, is not inconsistent with Christianity, but very agreeable to it: For, as long as we are flesh and blood, no other can be expected,than that we shall have animal propensities and affections. But we have not just reason to be overborne and sunk in spirit, when the death of near friends is attended with these circumstances; we should be glad they are got to heaven, our mourning should be mingled with joy. "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others that have no hope." Thes. iv. 13. i. e. That they should not sorrow as the heathen, that had no knowledge of a future happiness, nor any certain hope of any thing for themselves or their friends, after they were dead. This appears by the following verse; "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him."

2. If it be so, that our lives ought to be only a journey towards heaven; how ill do they improve their lives, that spend them in travelling towards hell?