Difquiet. For what will he have to Defire, that fhall be Like to God himself; Becaufe he fall See him as he is? O what can he Wish more, that fhall Reign with God, and be over all his Goods: Co-heir with his Christ, and Heir of all things? Unless any durft imagine, God himself to have the Uneafy Mind, or to be defective in Blifs which is no more Poffible, than that he fhould ceafe to be God.

Yet farther;Thefe Goods of the World and earthly Paradife, whatever, or how great foever they might be, yet for this very Reason, That they may be Loft, da appear to be no Perfect Goods, nor ever able to Satisfy and quiet the Mind of Man And confequently, not to make him Happy and Bleffed. Whereas the Goods of the Heavenly Paradise are every way Perfect, and fo Firm and ftable, as never to be Loft, or at all Diminish'd. For the Saints once fix'd in those moft Happy, Seats, can neither Die nor Sin: And fo, are moft Secure of their Everlasting Blifs.

O may we, then, Open the eyes of our Minds, feriously to Weigh with our felves, of what infinite Moment it is, to get into that moft Bleffed State, of which we shall never be Difpoffeft. For here, we treat of the Main matter of all: And not only, about fome Minute and Perifhing things Let us therefore, now Bethink our felves,

fo as to prevent the moft Irreparable Damage. As he, who is the Wifdom of God, offers it to our moft ferious Confideration. Mat. 16. 26. What is a man profited, if he fhall Gain the whole World, and Lafe bis own Soul? Have whatever elfe we can poffibly Compafs, If we mifs of the Blef fed End, for which we were Made; we cannot but be the moft Miferable for

Comparing the Price of Paradife with Paradife it felf.

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N the laft place, Compare we the Price, wherewith Paradife was Purchas'd by our Lord, and wherewith it muft alfo be obtained by our felves, with the Greatness and Excellence of Paradife it felf. Our Lord Redeemer, with the Price of his own Blood, bought for us that Heavenly Paradife, which, by the Artifice and Malice of the Devil, was purloin'd and fnatch'd from us; Not for himself to Enter upon it, but only that we might be Debarred of it. , Thus did he Seduce our firft Parents into his Rebellion; that he might have 'em Part

ners

ners in his Condemnation. Therefore was our Lord himself pleas'd to personate the Wife Merchant, Mat. 13. 46. Who gave all that be bad, to gain the Pearl of great Price ; (even the Kingdom of Heaven,) not with Corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, but with his own most precious Blood, I Pet. 1.19. Thus, at the fame time, has he Bought both Paradise and us together. For we were Captives, that had Loft it by our Sins: And he Redeeming us from Satan's Thraldom of Sin, makes us alfo the Sons of God, and Heirs of the Heavenly Inheritance. Which gives us a moft Convincing Proof, of what high Confideration is this Paradife, that the Wisdom of God thought it worth fuch an Infinite Price.

For fhould but any Intelligent wealthy Merchant here with us, think fit to Buy a precious Pearl at the Expence even of all his Substance; none would ever doubt but it muft needs be a very Eminent and fingular Good, that could hardly find a Price, which should be Worth it; Or elfe he would never fo Venture for it. And would we but make ufe of any judicious Recolle tion here, Of what infinite Worth fhould we reckon the Kingdom of Heaven, which the Son of God Incarnate, not only with all Labour and Dolour, for Thirty Years; But at Laft, with the Expence of his moft precious Blood, thought fit to Purchase?

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Certainly, we betray a Folly beyond all Apology, If we'll fet that thing at the vile Rate of fome pitiful Temporals, which Christ our Lord, the Wisdom of God, counted worth the Price that is Invalu able.

Yet,not only ourLord Redeemer thought Paradife worth the Buying for us, at the moft coftly Rate of his own Blood; But all the Saints (well inftructed by him,) have moft cheerfully parted with all that they were Worth, all that ever they had in the World, To make fure of the moft Bleffed everlasting Inheritance. And counted it Cheap and Easy, to be fo obtain'd. Rom. 8. 18. Fr the Sufferings of this prefent Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory to be Revealed in us. And should any of 'em be asked, Whether they would willingly Chufe, again to go thro' fuch Watching, and Fafting, and Prayers, and Alms, Yea, Perfecutions and Blood, to get into the Heavenly Paradife of God; They would quickly make the very fame Declaration, We reckon, that the Sufferings of this prefent Time are not worthy, &c.

Thon the Blood of Chrift fhed for us, was fuch a Price of Paradife, as did not only Equal, but Exceed the Worth: And we have no more Need, than we have Ability, to make any farther Purchase of it; Yet has he a Part for us alfo to per

form,

form, before we get at it, that we may be Meet for it. Not by our Merit, to Win it; But to follow the Way of his "Prescribing, to bring us into it: Nor think much to Suffer with him, that we may alfo be Glorify'd together. Rom. 8. 17. But heasks of us no more than he knows us to have. And, as S. Aug. argues, What fo fmall a matter, as to break our Bread to the Hungry? Yet you know what our Lord fays to them that do it. Mat. 25. 35. Receive the Kingdom prepared for you. For 1 was Hungry, and Fed me. Thus alfo Bede'; The Worth (to thee) is as much as thou Art. If thou hast nothing else, Give but Thy felf, and thou shalt have the Prize. What had LaZarus, but his Faith, and Patience in di ftrefs? Yet was be carried by the Angels into Abraham's bofom. The Thief on the Cross had yet Lefs; Nothing but, Lord Remember <me when thou comest into thy Kingdom. And he was presently heard; Luk. 23. 43. This Day thou shalt be with me in Paradife.

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O the Bounty, as well as the Glory of Heaven! How Happy man, who may Treat with his Lord, upon fuch gracious eafy Terms, for the thing that is moft Precious of all? Thou desirest a Paradife of all Delights: Give thy felf, and thou shalt have it. Give Thy felf? Doft thou ask, What is that? It is to give thy Heart; To Love thy Lord with all thy Heart. To Humble thy