Serm. to observe that our Senfes give us but an im XIV. perfect Knowledge of Things: Effects them

felves, if we knew them thoroughly, would give us but imperfect Notions of Wisdom and Power; much less of his Being, in whom they refide. I am not speaking of any fanciful Notion of feeing all Things in God; but only reprefenting to you, how much an higher Object to the Understanding an infinite Being himself is, than the Things which He has made: And this is no more than fay ing, that the Creator is fuperior to the Works of his Hands.

This may be illuftrated by a low Example, Suppofe a Machine, the Sight of which would raise, and Discoveries in its Contrivance gratifie, our Curiofity: The real Delight in this Cafe would arife from its being the Effect of Skill and Contrivance. This Skill in the Mind of the Artificer would be an higher Object, if we had any Senses or Ways to difcern it. For, obferve, the Contemplation of that Principle, Faculty or Power which produced any Effect, must be an higher Exercise of the Understanding, than the Contemplation of the Effect itself. The Cause must be an higher Object to the Mind, than the Effect.

But

But whoever confiders diftinctly what the Serm. Delight of Knowledge is, will fee Reafon XIV. to doubt whether that be the chief Good of Man: All this, as it is applicable, so it was mentioned with Regard to the Attribute of Goodness. I fay, Goodness. Our Being and all our Enjoyments are the Effects of it: Juft Men bear its Refemblance: But how little do we know of the Original, of what it is in itfelf? Recall what was before obferved concerning the Affection to moral Characters; which, in how low a Degree foever, yet is plainly natural to Man, and the most excellent Part of his Nature: Suppose this improved, as it may be improved to any Degree whatever, in the Spirits of juft Men made perfect; and then fuppofe that they had a real View of that Righteousness, which is an everlasting Righteousness; of the Conformity of the Divine Will to the Law of Truth, in which the moral Attributes of God confift; of that Goodness in the Sovereign Mind, which gave Birth to the Univerfe: Add, what will be true of all good Men hereafter, a Consciousness of having an Interest in what they are contemplating; Suppose them able to fay,This God is our God for ever and ever:Would they be any longer to

feek

Serm. feck for what was their chief Happiness, XIV. their final Good? Could the utmost Stretch

of their Capacities look further? Would not infinite perfect Goodness be their very End, the last End and Object of their Affections; beyond which they could neither have, nor defire; beyond which they could not form a Wifh or Thought?

Confider wherein that Prefence of a Friend confifts, which has often so strong an Effect, as wholly to poffefs the Mind, and intirely fufpend all other Affections and Regards; and which itself affords the highest Satisfaction and Enjoyment. He is within Reach of the Senfes. Now, as our Capacities of Perception improve, we fhall have, perhaps by fome Faculty intirely new, a Perception of God's Presence with us in a nearer and ftricter way; fince it is certain He is more intimately prefent with us, than any Thing else can be. Proof of the Existence and Presence of any Being is quite different from the immediate Perception, the Consciousness of it. What then will be the Joy of Heart, which His Presence, and the Light of His Countenance will infpire, who is the Life of the Univerfe; when they fhall have a Senfation, that He is the Sustainer of their

Being, that they exift in him; when they fhall Serm. feel his Influence to chear and enliven and XIV. fupport their Frame, in a Manner of which we have now no Conception? He will be in a literal Senfe their Strength and their Portion for ever.

When we speak of things so much above our Comprehenfion, as the Employment and Happiness of a future State, doubtless it behoves us to speak with all Modesty and Dif truft of ourselves. But the Scripture reprefents the Happiness of that State under the Notions of feeing God, feeing him as He is, knowing as we are known, and feeing Face to Face. Thefe Words are not general or undetermined, but exprefs a particular determi nate Happiness: And I will be bold to say, that nothing can account for, or come up to thefeExpreffions, but only this, that God himfelf will be an Object to our Faculties, that He Himself will be our Happiness; as distinguished from the Enjoyments of the prefent State, which feem to arife, not immediately from Him, but from the Objects He has adapted to give us Delight.

To conclude: Let us fuppofe a Person tired with Care and Sorrow, and the Repetition of vain Delights which fill up the Round of

Serm. Life; fenfible that every thing here below in XIV. its beft Eftate is altogether Vanity. Suppofe

him to feel that Deficiency of Humane Nature, before taken Notice of; and to be convinced that God alone was the adequate Supply to it. What could be more applicable to a good Man, in this State of Mind; or better express his prefent Wants and distant Hopes, his Paffage through this World as a Progress towards a State of Perfection, than the following Paffages in the Devotions of the Royal Prophet? They are plainly in an higher and more proper Sense applicable to This, than they could be to any Thing else. I have feen an end of all Perfection. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon Earth that I defire in Comparison of Thee. My Flesh and my Heart faileth: but God is the Strength of my Heart, and my Portion for ever. Like as the Hart defireth the Water-Brooks: fo longeth my Soul after Thee, O God. My Soul is a thirst for God, yea, even for the living God: when shall I come to appear before Him? How excellent is thy Loving kindness, O God! and the Children of Men shall put their Truft under the Shadow of thy Wings. They shall be fatisfied with the Plenteonf

ness