be in some degree repaired and renewed upon him. For surely there is none who admits his swine into his parlour or his bedchamber; and the corruption of man's nature, unmortified, and unremoved by the contrary habits of holiness, degrades a man to the same vileness, the same distance from, and unfitness for, all society with his Maker. It cannot but be the most offensive and intolerable thing to nature, for the healthful and the sound, the curious and the cleanly, to converse with sores and ulcers, rottenness and putrefaction; and yet a soul covered with the leprosy of sin is infinitely more loathsome and abominable in the most pure eyes of God. For how is it possible for truth to cohabit with hypocrisy, purity with filth, and the transcendently holy and spiritual nature of God to associate with lust and sensuality? And these are the endowments, and ornaments, and commending qualifications of every unsanctified person, every hypocrite and pharisee, let him shine with never so fair and bright a reputation in the eye of the credulous and deluded world. But the matter stops not here. Such an one is unfit for the presence of God, not only upon the account of his impurity, but also of his enmity. For what should a sinner do in heaven, any more than a traitor or a rebel do in court? The exasperated justice of God will prey upon the unpardoned sinner wheresoever it meets him, even in the highest heaven, if it were possible for him to come thither; and whensoever it does so, it is that that makes hell; which is not so properly the name of a place as of a condition; a condition consigning the soul over to endless misery and desperation. And could we imagine a person locally in Abraham's bosom, yet if he brought with him the worm of conscience, and the secret lashes of an infinite wrath, that man were properly in hell, or hell at least in him, wheresoever the place of his abode or residence might fall. 2dly, The other reason for the necessity of such a transcending righteousness, in order to a man's entrance into heaven, shall be taken from the work and employment of a glorified person in heaven; which is the continual exercise of those graces which here on earth were begun, and there at length shall be advanced to their full perfection: as also the contemplation of God in all his attributes, together with the whole series of his astonishing actions, by which he was pleased to manifest and display forth those great attributes to the world: whether in creation, by which he exerted his omnipotence in calling forth so beautiful a fabric out of the barren womb of nothing and confusion; or in the several traces and strange meanders of his providence, in governing all those many casualties and contingencies in the world, and so steadily directing them to a certain end, by which he shews forth the stupendous heights of his wisdom and omniscience; and lastly, in the unparalleled work of man's redemption, by which at once he glorified and unfolded all his attributes, so far as they could be drawn forth into the view of created understandings. Now a perpetual meditation and reflection upon these great subjects is the noble employment of the blessed souls in heaven. But can any, whom the grace of God has not throughly renewed and sanctified, be prepared and fitted for such a task? No, assuredly: and therefore it is worth our observing, that those who, living dissolutely in this world, do yet wish for the rewards of the righteous in the other, commence all such wishes upon a vast ignorance and mistake of their own minds; not knowing how unsuitable, and consequently how irksome, the whole business of heaven would be to their unsanctified appetites and desires. For what felicity could it be to a man always accustomed to the revels and songs of the drunkards, to bear a part in the choir of saints and angels, singing forth hallelujahs to him that sits upon the throne? What pleasure could it be to the lustful, the sensual, and unclean person, to follow the Lamb, with his virgin retinue, wheresoever he goes? Such persons deceive themselves when they wish themselves in heaven; and, in truth, know not what they desire for however they may dread and abhor hell, yet it is impossible for them to desire heaven, did they know what they were to do there: and therefore, instead of making Balaam's wish, that they may die the death of the righteous, they should do well to live the life of such; and to hearken to Christ commanding them to seek the kingdom of heaven, by first seeking the righteousness thereof. For it is righteousness alone that must both bring men to heaven, and make heaven itself a place of happiness to those that are brought thither. To which, the God of heaven, and Fountain of all happiness, vouchsafe to bring us all: to whom be rendered and ascribed, as is most due, all praise, might, majesty, and dominion, both now and for evermore. Amen. The following alterations have been made by conjecture. See the Advertisement in the 5th volume. P. 54. 1. penult. of some] The original edition reads or some 77. 1. 21. intention] intentions 119. l. 12. brook] break 133. 1. 26. abides; like] abides like — 184. l. 17. are] is - 198. 1. 27. many a foil] many foil 230. 1. 22. the first thing in] the first in -255. 1. 29. ancients] ancient - 291. 1. 18. or women] and women — 348. l. 25. any thing of] any of — 367. 1. 29. sabbaths] sabbath INDEX TO THE POSTHUMOUS SERMONS, CONTAINED IN THE THREE LAST VOLUMES. ABILITIES, ministerial, when given to the apostles, v. 33, &c. Abstinence. See Fasting. Acts of hostility must be forborne, vii. 7, &c. Actions, good, are pleasant, v. 281. us, ib. moral, of no value in the sight of God, v. 295, &c. of our Saviour, are of three sorts, v. 420. how amiable to Adversary, in Matt. v. 25. explained, v. 251. Adversity, no excuse for sin, v. 178, &c. See Afflictions. Advocate. See Mediation of Christ. Affections and lusts. See Flesh. Their power over the soul, v. Affliction of the body helps to humble the soul, vi. 391, &c. Anabaptists rebellious in Germany, vii. 80. Angels, v. 331, &c. Their habitation, 333. Employment, ib. fallen, their sin was greater than that of man, v. 505, &c. Anger must be suppressed, v. 422, &c. An obstacle to reproof, how ascribed to God, v. 438. Every affliction is not the |