tinually in the presence of thy Lord, lie in the dust, and he will thence take thee up. "Learn of him" to be "meek and lowly, and thou shalt find rest unto thy soul!" Otherwise thy soul will be "like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt; and instead of these sweet delights in God, thy pride will fill thee with perpetual disquiet. As he that humbleth himself as a little child," shall hereafter "be greatest in the kingdom of heaven;" so shall he now be greatest in the foretastes of that kingdom. God "dwells with a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Therefore "humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." And "when others are cast down, then thou shalt say, there is lifting up, and he shall save the humble person."

§ 7. (6.) A slothful spirit is another impediment to this heavenly life. And I verily think, there is nothing hinders it more than this in men of a good understanding. If it were only the exercise of the body, the mov、 ing of the lips, the bending of the knee, men would as commonly step to heaven, as they go to visit a friend. But to separate our thoughts and affections from the world, to draw forth all our graces, and increase each in its proper object, and hold them to it till the work prospers in our hands; this, this is the difficulty. Reader, heaven is above thee, and dost thou think to travel this steep ascent without labour and resolution? Canst thou get that earthly heart to heaven, and bring that backward mind to God, while thou liest still, and takest thine ease? If lying down at the foot of a hill, and looking toward the top, and wishing we were there, would serve the turn, then we should have daily travellers for heaven. "But the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." There must be violence used to get these first fruits, as well as to get the full possession. Dost thou not feel it so, though I should not tell thee? Will thy heart get upwards, except thou drive it? Thou knowest that heaven is all thy hopes, that nothing below can yield thee rest, that a heart seldom thinking of heaven, can fetch but little, comfort thence; and yet dost thou not lose thy opportu nities, and lie below, when thou shouldest walk above, and live with God? Dost thou not commend the sweet

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ness of a heavenly life, and judge those the best Christians that use it, and yet never try it thyself? As the sluggard that stretches himself on his bed, and cries, O that this were working! So dost thou talk, and trifle, and live at thy ease, and say, O that I could get my heart to heaven! How many read books and hear sermons, expecting to hea of some easier way, or to meet with a shorter course to comfort, than they are ever like to find in Scripture? Or they ask for directions for a heavenly life, and if the hearing them will serve, they will be heavenly Christians; but if we show them their work, and tell them, they cannot have these delights on easier terms, then they leave us, as the young man left Christ sorrowful. If thou art convinced, reader, that this work is necessary to thy comfort, set upon it resolutely; if thy heart draw back, force it on with the command of reason: If thy reason begin to dispute, produce the command of God, and urge thy own necessity, with the other considerations suggested in the former chapter. Let not such an incomparable treasure lie before thee, with thy hand in thy bosom; nor thy life be a continual vexation, when it might be a continual feast, only because thou wilt not exert thyself. Sit not still with a disconsolate spirit, while comforts grow before thine eyes, like a man in the midst of a garden of flowers, that will not rise to get them and partake of their sweetness. This I know, Christ is the fountain: but the well is deep, and thou must get forth this water before thou canst be refreshed with it. I know, so far as you are spiritual, you need not all this striving and violence; but in part you are carnal, and as long as it is so, there is need of labor. It was a custom of the Parthians, not to give their children any meat in the morning, before they saw the sweat on their faces with some labor. And you shall find this to be God's usual course, not to give his children the taste of his delights, till they begin to sweat in seeking after them. Judge, therefore, whether a heavenly life or thy carnal case be better; and as a wise man, make thy choice accordingly. Yet let me add for thy encouragement, Thou needest not employ thy thoughts more than thou now dost; it is only to fix them upon better and more pleasant objects. Employ but as many serious thoughts every day upon the excellent glo

ry of the life to come, as thou now dost on worldly affairs, yea, on vanities and impertinences, and thy heart will soon be at heaven. On the whole, it is the field of the slothful, that is all grown over with thorns and nettles; and the desire of the slothful killeth his joys, for his hands refuse to labor; and it is the slothful man saith, there is a lion in the way, lion in the streets.As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom, it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth, though it be to feed himself with the food of life.What is this but throwing away our own consolations, and consequently the precious blood that bought them? For he that is slothful in his work, is vrother to him that is a great waster. Apply this to thy spiritual work, and study well the meaning of it.

§ 8. (7.) Contentment, with the mere preparatives to this heavenly life, while we are utter strangers to the life itself, is also a dangerous and secret hinderance: When we take up with the mere study of heavenly things, and the notions of them, or the talking with one another about them, as if this were enough to make us heavenly. None are in more danger of this snare, than those that are employed in leading the devotions of others, especially preachers of the gospel. O how easily may such be deceived! While they do nothing so much as read and study of heaven; preach and pray, and talk of heaven; is not this the heavenly life? Alas! all this is but mere preparation: This is but collecting the materials, not erecting the building itself: It is but gathering the manna for others, and not eating and digesting it ourselves. As he that sits at home may draw exact maps of countries and yet never see them, nor travel toward them; so may you describe to others the joys of heaven, and yet never come near it in your own hearts. A blind man, by learning, may dispute of light and colors; so may you set forth to others that heavenly light which never enlightened your own souls, and bring that fire for the hearts of your people, which never warmed your own hearts. What heavenly passages had Balaam in his prophecies, yet how little of it in his spirit? Nay, we are under a more subtle temptation, than any other men, to draw us from this heavenly life. Studying and preaching of heaven more re

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sembles a heavenly life than thinking and talking of the world does; and the resemblance is apt to deceive us. This is to die the most miserable death, even to famish ourselves, because we have bread on our tables, and to die for thirst, while we draw water for others, thinking it enough that we have daily to do with it, though we never drink for the refreshment of our own souls.

§ 9. (II.) Having thus showed that the hinderances will resist thee in the work, I expect that thou resolve against them, consider them seriously, and avoid them faithfully, or else thy labor will be in vain. I must also tell thee, that I here expect thy promise, as thou valuest the delights of these foretastes of heaven, to make conscience of performing the following duties; the reading of which, without their constant practice, will not bring heaven into thy heart. Particularly be convinced that heaven is the only treasure and happiness; labor to know that it is thy own, and how near it is; frequently and seriously talk of it, endeavor to raise thy affections nearer to it in every duty; to the same purpose improve every object and event; be much in the angelic work of praise; possess thy soul with believing thoughts of the infinite love of God; carefully observe and cherish the motions of the Spirit of God; nor even neglect the due care of thy bodily health.

10. (1.) Be convinced that heaven is the only treasure and happiness, and labor to know what a treasure and happiness it is. If thou do not believe it to be the chief good, thou wilt never set thy heart upon it; and this conviction must sink into thy affections; for if it be only a notion, it will have little efficacy. If Eve once supposes she sees more worth in the forbidden fruit, than in the love and enjoyment of God, no wonder if it have more of her heart than God. If your judgment once prefers the delights of the flesh, before the delights in the presence of God, it is impossible your heart should be in heaven. As it is ignorance of the emptiness of things below, that makes men so overvalue them; so it is ignorance of the high delights above, which is the cause that men so little mind them. If you see a purse of gold, and believe it to be but counters, it will not entice your affections to it. It is not the real excellence of a thing itself, but its known

excellence, that excites desire. If an ignorant man see a book, containing the secrets of arts or sciences, he values it no more than a common piece, because he knows not what is in it; but he that knows it, highly values it, and can even forbear his meat, drink, and sleep to read it. As the Jews killed the Messiah, while they waited for him, because they did not know him; so the world cries out for rest, and busily seeks for delight and happiness, because they know it not; for did they thoroughly know what it is, they could not so slight the everlasting treasure.

§ 11. (2.) Labor also to know that heaven is thy own happiness. We may confess heaven to be the best condition, though we despair of enjoying it; and we may desire and seek it, if we see the attainment but probable; but we can never delightfully rejoice in it, till we are in some measure persuaded of our title to it.What comfort is it to a man that is naked, to see the rich attire of others? What delight is it for a man that hath not a house to put his head in, to see the sumptuous buildings of others? Would not all this rather increase his anguish, and make him more sensible of his own misery? So for a man to know the excellencies of heaven, and not know whether ever he shall enjoy them may raise desire, and urge pursuit, but he will have little joy. Who will set his heart on another man's possessions? If your houses, your goods, your cattle, your children, were not your own, you would less mind them, and less delight in them. O Christian! rest not, therefore, till you can call this rest your own: Bring thy heart to the bar of trial: Set the qualifications of the saints on one side, and thy soul on the other, and then judge how near they resemble. Thou hast the same word to judge thyself by now, as thou must be judged by at the great day. Mistake not the Scripture's description of a saint, that thou neither acquit nor condemn thyself upon mistakes. For as groundless hopes tend to confusion, and are the greatest cause of most men's damnation, so groundless doubts tend to, and are the great cause of the saint's perplexity and distress. Therefore lay thy foundation for trial safely, and proceed in the work deliberately, and resolutely, nor give over till thou canst say, either thou hast, or hast not yet a title to this rest! O, if men did truly