The sovereign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain itThe soveraign and final happiness of man with the effectual means to obtain it

1. Because they are more capable to conceive of the Torments of Hell, than the Joys of Heaven. Storms and Darkness are more easily drawn by a Pencil, than a calm bright Day. Fire and Brimstone are very painful to Sense, and the imagination strongly represents its vehemence in tormenting the Body, and what an evil the unceasing remorse of the guilty Conscience will be hereafter, is in part understood by the secret accusations and twinges of self-condemning Sinners here: but they are absolutely Strangers to the Joys of the Holy Ghost, the Delights of the Soul in the Contemplation and Love of God, the peace and contentment of Conscience in his Favour. They cannot without Experience know how good the Lord is, no more than see a taste. To discourse to them of the Spiritual Pleasures that flow from the divine Presence, of the Happiness of the Saints that are before ⟨p. 233⟩the Throne of God, and serve him Day and Night in his Temple, is to speak with the Tongue of an Angel unintelligible things.¹ Their Affections and Minds and Language are confined to sensible things. The natural Man receives not the things of the Spirits of God, for they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. There may be in a carnal Person a conception of Heaven as a Refuge from Miseries, and some smothering confused thoughts of its Felicity, as the Idea of Light and Colours in one Blind from his Birth; but only the pure in Heart can see God, as in the perfect Vision of Glory in Heaven, so in the imperfect reflection of it in the Gospel.

1. Because they are more capable to conceive of the Torments of Hell, than the Joys of Heaven. Storms and Darkness are more easily drawn by a Pencil, than a calm bright Day. Fire and Brimstone are very painful to Sense, and the imagination strongly represents its vehemence in tormenting the Body, and what an evil the uncessant remorse of the guilty Conscience will be hereafter, is in part understood by the secret accusations and twinges of self-condemning Sinners here: but they are absolutely Strangers to the Joys of the Holy Ghost, the Delights of the Soul in the Contemplation and Love of God, the peace and contentment of Conseience in his Favour. They cannot without Experience know how good the Lord is, no more than see a taste. To discourse to them of the Spiritual Pleasures that flow from the divine Presence, of the Happiness of the Saints that are before