is our great example, and our fore-runner into heaven; and where this evidence is found the soul cannot fail of salvation. Wheresoever there is this fitness for the joys on high, God will assuredly bestow these divine pleasures. It is for such souls that he has prepared a heaven, and when he has prepared such souls for the heavenly world, he will surely bring them to the possession of it.

Of how great moment and importance is it then for each of us to examine ourselves with watchful diligence and sincerity, whether we are in any measure fitted for the blessedness above: And to this end we may run over in our enquiries all the former steps of preparation.

Let us enquire of our souls then, Am I so fully persuaded of this state of future happiness, as to resolve this shall be my aim, this my everlasting pursuit? Have we seen this blessedness in the various representations of it in the word of God, as the most amiable and desirable thing, and have we set our faces to travel thither with an holy purpose and determination, through grace, never to tire, or grow weary till we arrive at the enjoyment of it? Have we fixed our hope and expectation upon the blessed promises in the word, and are we by these promises endeavouring daily to cleanse ourselves from all defilements of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God? Do we obtain any victories over our spiritual enemies, and maintain our pious conflicts against all the oppositions which we meet with in our way? Do we labour to surpress every rising ferment

of envy, pride, wrath, sensuality, and those corrupt appetites and passions which render us unfit for that holy and heavenly world: Are your hearts daily more mortified to the things of this world, the enjoyments of flesh and sense, which are not to be found in heaven? Are our hearts more weaned from the sensual satisfactions and intemperate delights of the animal life! Are we dead to the temptations of gold and silver, the grandeurs and the gaieties, and splendors of this present low life of flesh and blood, which are no part nor portion of the heavenly felicity? Do we view the tempting things of this world with an holy indifference, and possess and use them with affections so calm and so cool, as becomes a rank of beings that have a nobler, a richer, and a more exalted hope? Have we found the labours and burdens, the sorrows and afflictions of the present state, happy instruments to prepare us for the blessedness above, by curing all our vain and carnal desires? Are we in any measure imitators of those who have gone before us through faith and patience, and are made possessors of the promised joy? Are we "followers of God as dear children?" Have we the image of our heavenly Father created anew in us, and do we walk as our Lord Jesus Christ also walked, while he was in this wilderness travelling to his Father's house? Are our earnest desires towards this sort of felicity excited and raised high? Have we a strong tendency of soul to the holy enjoyments of the upper world? Do we sigh and groan after a complete freedom from sin, and a deliverance from ev

ery temptation? Do we employ ourselves with pleasure in the work and business of heaven, in the holy contemplation of God, in a delightful survey of the person and offices of his Son Jesus, his wondrous condescension, and his amazing compassion? Do we take pleasure in conversing with God our Father by holy addresses of praise and thankfulness? Do we love all the saints, and delight in their society, and do we rejoice to spend our time with them in heavenly conversation, though they may be amongst the lower ranks of life here on earth? And do we diffuse our love through all who wear the image of God, and take a pleasing satisfaction of soul in their increase in holiness, and rejoice in their joys?

If God has thus fitted thee, O Christian, in this manner for the mansions of the happy world, then surely he has set thee apart for himself, he has begun eternal life in thee, the dawn of eternal glory is risen upon thee, and he will bring thee into the complete noon of blessedness, into the overflowing light of divine beatitudes. "Arise and shine" O Christian, for thy light is come, "the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;" thou hast no need to ascend into heaven to search for thy evidences among the decrees of God, and to pry into the rolls of electing grace; for if ́thou hast been transformed into an heavenly temper, thy name is surely written in the Lamb's book of life; heaven is begun within thee, and God will fulfil his own work.

Rem. 2. • What a solid comfort is it to poor mourning, troubled, afflicted souls under all their

sorrows, their frailties, their temptations, and infirmities here on earth, that they have a clear evidence ́ of heaven within them.' This is such a peace as Jesus Christ left to his disciples by legacy, John xiv. 27. "Such as the world cannot give," and such as the world cannot take away.

This is a spring of constant and divine consolation to those who seem to be worn out with old age or infirmities of nature, and they complain they are fit for no service in this world; but if they can feel in themselves this holy fitness for the enjoyments of heaven, they have a rich and living fountain of pleasure in their own breasts, ever springing, ever flowing, and such as will follow them with daily supplies of pleasure, if they are not wanting to themselves, through all this wilderness, till they arrive at that land were all the rivers of blessing meet and join in a full stream, to make the inhabitants for ever happy.

It may be, O Christian, thou art afraid that thou hast felt but little of this divine preparation; thou seest so many defects in thyself daily, so much unlikeness to God, so much working of iniquity, such restless efforts of the body of sin, so much prevalence of temptation, so much coldness in duty, such deadness in acts of devotion, such frequent returns of guilt and pain in a tender conscience, and so many enemies to struggle with every step of thy way to heaven, that thou art greatly discouraged and afraid this divine preparation is not wrought in thee. Enquire then yet further, are all these melancholy

scenes both within and without, the matter of thy sincere grief and burden? Canst thou say in this tabernacle, I groan, being burdened with the body of sin, as well as with the frailties and pains of nature! Canst thou say sincerely, that thy inmost desires are towards God and his glory in the present life, and towards his enjoyment in the life to come? Dost thou maintain a constant converse with heaven as well as thou canst, though it be so much broken, and so often painfully interrupted? Hast thou a continual and settled aversion and hatred to sin, and a holy jealousy and fear of its defilements? Hast thou a restless breathing of soul after greater likeness to God, and greater communion with him? Dost thou delight in spiritual and holy conversation; and does thy zeal for the honour of God and his Son Jesus, carry thee forth to those actions which are suitable to thy station, for the advancement of religion in the world? Be assured then that God is training thee up for this heavenly state, and has in some measure prepared thee for it. God has begun in thee the business and blessedness of the upper world. In the midst of all thy sorrows and complaints here below, peace be with thee, and joy in the Lord, for thy salvation and thy felicity shall be compleated.

Rem. 3. How vain, and idle, and unreasonable are all the hopes of sinners, that they shall ever arrive at heaven without any preparation for it here?' There is nothing divine and holy begun in them in this world, and yet they hope to be made happy in the world that is to come; there is nothing of true