It is quite otherwise with sincere believers in the exer- cise of this duty. The considerations of the grace and love of God, of the blood of Christ, of the purity and holiness of that good Spirit that dwelleth in them, of the light, grace, and mercy which they have attained through the promises of the gospel, are those which make the remain- ders of sin most 2;rievous and burdensome unto them. This is that which even breaks their hearts, and makes some of them go mourning all the day long, namely, that any thing of that which alone God hates should be found in them, or be remaining with them. It is in this condition an evidence that they are spiritually minded, if together with watchful endeavours for the universal mortification of sin, and utter excisionof it, both root and branch, they con- stantly add these thoughts of that blessed state wherein they shall be absolutely and eternally freed from all sin, with refreshment, delight, and complacency.
These things belong unto our direction for the fixing of our thoughts and meditations on things above. This the meanest and weakest person who hath the least spark of sincerity and grace is capable of apprehending, and able to practise. And it is that which the sense they have of the evil of sin will put them on every day, if they shut not their eyes against the light of the refreshment that is in it. Let them who cannot arise in their minds unto fixed and stable thoughts of any other notion of these invisible things, dwell on this consideration of them, wherein they will find no small spiritual advantage and refreshment unto their souls.
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2. As unto the positive part of this glorious future state, the thoughts and apprehensions of men are very various. And that'' we may know as well what to avoid, as what to embrace, we shall a little reflect on some of them.
1. Many are able to entertain no rational conceptions about a future state of blessedness and glory, no notions wherein either faith or reason is concerned. Imagination they have of something that is great and glorious, but what it is they know not. No wonder if such persons have no delight in, no use of, thoughts of heaven. When their ima- ginations have fluctuated up and down in all uncertainties for awhile, they are swallowed up in nothing. Glorious and therefore desirable they take it for granted that it must be. But nothing can be so unto them, but what is suitable unto their present dispositions, inclinations, and principles. And hereof there is nothing in the true spiritual glory of heaven, or in the eternal enjoyment of God. These things are not suited unto the wills of their minds and of the flesh, and therefore they cannot rise up unto any constant desires of them. Hence, to please themselves, they begin to imagine what is not. But whereas what is truly heaven pleaseth them not, and what doth please them is not heaven, nor there to be found ; they seldom or never endeavour in good earnest to exercise their thoughts about it.
It were well if darkness and ignorance of the true nature of the future state and eternal glory, did not exceedingly })rejudice believers themselves, as unto their delight in them and meditations about them. They have nothing fixed or stated in their minds, which tliey can betake themselves unto in their thoughts when they would contemplate about them. And by the way, whatever doth divert the minds of men from the power and life of spiritual worship, as do all pompous solemnities in the performance of it, doth greatly hinder them as unto right conceptions of our future state. There was a promise of eternal life given unto the saints under the Old Testament : but whereas they were obliged unto a worship that was carnal and outwardly pompous, they never had clear and distinct apprehensions of the fu- ture state of glory; for 'life and immortality were brought to light by the gospel.' Wherefore, although no man living can see or find out the infinite riches of eternal glory ; yet it is
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the duty of all to be acquainted with the nature of it in ge- neral, so as that they may have fixed thoughts of it, love unto it, earnest desires after it, all under its own true and proper notion.
2. So great a part of mankind as the Mahometans, unto whom God hath given all the principal and most desirable parts of the world to inhabit and possess, do conceive the state of future blessedness to consist in the full satisfaction of tlieir sensual lusts and pleasures. And evidence this is, that the religion which they profess, hath no power or effi- cacy on their minds to change them from the love of sin, or placing their happiness in fulfilling the desires of the flesh. It doth not at all enlighten their minds to discern a beauty in spiritual things, nor excite their affections unto the love of them, nor free the soul to look after blessedness in such things as alone are suited unto its rational constitution. For if it did, they would place their happiness and blessedness in them. Wherefore, it is nothing but an artifice of the god of this world to blind the eyes of men unto their eternal destruction.