lined with Thorns; their diftinguished Heads become the Marks against which the Shafts of Envy and Malice are perpetually discharged: Their Administration is rendred uneasy by popular Discontents, and the public Tranquillity deftroyed by Schemes of Ambition and Avarice.

But the Kingdom of the Juft is at all Times free from these difagreeable Circumftances. There the LORD GOD omnipotent reigneth: The most confummate Wisdom, impartial Justice, condefcending Goodness, are difplayed in every Part of the divine.Government. Universal Love reigns in every Breast. The Laws of Peace, Order and Harmony, are invariably observed through all the heavenly Manfions.

Heaven is called the Kingdom of GOD; becaufe it is the chofen Residence of the fupreme Monarch of the Univerfe. Here he has erected his Throne, and fixed the Seat of his eternal Empire. Here he appears in the Grandeur and Majefty of a God, and displays the awful and amiable Perfections of his Nature. His Smiles perpetually irradiate thefe Regions. A Senfe of his Love diffuses unutterable Joy to all the Subjects of his extenfive Dominion. Myriads of adoring Seraphs furround his Throne, and with the Voice of Triumph celebrate the Honours of their KING. Clothed with the Charms of unfading Beauty, poffeffed of angelic. Strength and Vigour, they stand before Him in fhining Ranks, and with quick Obedience perform his fovereign Orders.

The Spirits of departed Saints immediately become Members of this pure and perfect Society, are admitted to the fame Dignity, partake of the fame Joys, and with unutterable Transport join in the fame Hallelujahs. The Rays which conti-. nually proceed from the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, fpread Life and Joy through every Part of this holy Community. All that die in the Faith of God's Elect, are appointed to dwell in this Kingdom, and are the Favourites of the KING of Kings. They all fhare in its Honours, Riches and Delights. They are adorned with the Title of Kings and Priests unto God. In this Character they stand before the Throne of God, and ferve him. Day and Night. Clothed with the unspotted Robes of the Mediator's Righteousness, they fhine with tranfcendent Glory. Each wears a Crown upon his Head, to intimate the Honour to which he is advanced: All have Palms in their Hands, as Enfigns of Victory and Triumph. What is the Splendor of an earthly Court, when compared with the dazzling Luftre in which the SONS OF GOD appear in the Kingdom of their Father?

I add, the Habitation of the Righteous is not only described as a Place of Dignity, but Pleafure. To guard against the imaginary Dream of a Mahometan Paradife, its Pleasures are reprefented as pure and fpirituál; fuch as exalt our Natures, and form us to a Refemblance of the Great EATHER, of our Spirits.

In

In this celeftial Paradife, ample Provision is made to supply the Wants, fatisfy the Defires, complete the Happiness of the illuftrious Refidents. They are freed from those Disorders of Body, thofe Diftreffs of Mind, which attend us through every Stage of our Pilgrimage upon Earth. None of the Inhabitants fay they are fick : They flourish in immortal Youth and Vigour. The reviving Prefence of GoD banisheth all Sorrow from their Breafts, and his own kind Hand wipes all Tears from their Eyes. The LAMB, which is in the midst of the Throne, feeds them with the heavenly Manna, and leads them to Fountains of living Waters. Then fhall be fulfilled in the fublimeft Sense that confolatory Promife, Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with Men; He will dwell with them, and they shall be his People, and God himself fhall be their God (b). This contains every thing which is requifite to complete and perpetuate our Happiness; an Happiness superior to our largest Defires; an Happinefs which furpaffes Qur highest Imaginations.

APPLICATION.

This Difcourfe will naturally lead us to many profitable REFLECTIONS: The Time will permit me to mention only two.

First, Hence we fee the aftonishing Folly of those who attach their Affection to the Vanities

of the present Life, and neglect the Glories of a future World.

.

Who can behold, without a Mixture of Compaffion and Grief, inconfiderate Mortals feeking Happiness where it is not to be found, and after a thousand Disappointments, pursuing a deluding Phantom? Captivated with pleasing Dreams, they despife the only Felicity of a rational and immortal Mind: With unceafing Toil, they ranfack the whole Creation in fearch of fomething which will fatisfy their Defires, and in every Place they meet with Vanity and Vexation. To ufe the Language of Inspiration, they spend their Money for that which is not Bread; and their Labour for that which fatisfieth not(c). To increase their Unhappiness, they often miftake a fatal Poifon for an agreeable Enjoyment: With eager Hafte they take down the intoxicating Draught, which configns them over to Death and Mifery. They vainly expect to be happy, in a World that lies under the Curfe of the ALMIGHTY, and stupidly neglect that World, where Bleffedness flows in an uninterrupted Stream, and makes glad the City of God. Happiness is purchased for us by the Son of God, and the Gospel invites us to fecure this inestimable Gift. But alas! Men are fo infatuated, that they choose to walk in the prohibited Paths of Vice, though they lead to Hell; and are unwilling to obferve the appointed road of Duty, though it conducts as fafely to the Glo

ries

(c) Ifai. lv. 2.

ries of Heaven.

They remain the voluntary Slaves of Satan, when they might appear in the Character of the Sons of God. They wallow in thofe fordid Lufts which they enjoy in common with the Beasts that perish, and defpife the Dignity and Bleffednefs of the Angels of Light.

How awfully is human Naturs degraded from its primitive Rectitude! How aftonishing is the Madness of Mankind! The Service of God is neglected, that we may follow the Dictates of Appetite and Paffion; Heaven is undervalued for the tranfitory Delights of Earth. The Man who lofes a Kingdom, that he may spend his Time in trifling Amusements; the Man who forfeits an immenfe Eftate for a momentary Pleasure, is not guilty of that Extremity of Folly, as the Wretch who forfeits the Favour of GOD that he may enjoy the fmiles of the World, and excludes himself the Joys of Paradife, that he may live without restraint in the Pomps and Delicacies of the present Life. What is the Grandeur of a Monarch! What the Wealth of the Indies! What the Pleasures of the most profperous Senfualift! when compared with the unfading Honours, the incorruptible Treafures, the tranfporting Delights, which are referved for the People of GOD? What Darknefs vails the Understanding! What Stupidity poffeffes the Minds of Men! that they prefer the Things which are feen and temporal, to the Things which though unSeen are eternal ?

Confider,