dom, to think of what he must soon possess, though at present he little differ from a servant? Have we not both command, and example, for "rejoicing in hope of the glory of God?"

§ 17. Here then, Reader, take thy heart once more, and carry it to the top of the highest mount; "show it the kingdom of Christ and the glory of it," and say to it, "All this will thy Lord give thee who hast believed in him, and been a worshipper of him. It is the Father's good pleasure to give thee this kingdom. Seest thou this astonishing glory which is above thee? All this is thy own inheritance. This crown is thine, these pleasures are thine, this company, this beautiful place, all are thine; because thou art Christ's and Christ is thine; when thou wast united to him, thou hadst all these with him." Thus take thy heart into the land of promise; show it the pleasant hills and fruitful vallies; show it the clusters of grapes which thou hast gathered, to convince it that it is a blessed land, flowing with better than milk and honey: Enter the gates of the holy city, walk through the streets of the New Jerusalem; walk about Sion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof; mark well her bulwarks; consider her palaces, that thou mayest tell it to thy soul. Hath it not the glory of God, and is not her light like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal? See the twelve foundations of her walls, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the building of the walls of it are of jasper; and the city is pure gold, like unto clear glass; and the foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, every several gate is of one pearl; and the street of the city is pure gold, as it were transparent glass. There is no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple of it. It hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon in it; for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; and the nations of them which are saved, shall walk in the light of it.These sayings are faithful and true: And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angels and his own Son, to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Say now to all this, "This is thy rest, O my soul! And this must be the place of thy everlasting habitation. Let all the sons of Sion rejoice, let the daughters of Jerusalem be glad; for great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our

-God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful fer situation the joy of the whole earth is Mount Sion.God is known in her palaces for a refuge."

§ 18. Yet proceed on. The soul that loves, ascends frequently, and runs familiarly through the streets of the heavenly Jerusalem, visiting the patriarchs and prophets, saluting the apostles, and admiring the armies of martyrs: So do thou lead on thy heart as from street to street; bring it into the palace of the Great King; lead it, as it were, from chamber to chamber.Say to it, "Here must I lodge; here must I live; here must I praise; here must I love, and be beloved. I must shortly be one of this heavenly choir, and be better skilled in the music. Among this blessed company must I take up my place, my voice must join to make up the melody. My tears will then be wiped away; my groans be turned to another tune; my cottage of clay be changed to this palace; my prison rags to these splended robes; and my sordid flesh shall be put off, and such a sun-like spiritual body be put on: For the former things are here passed away. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God! When I look upon this glorious place, what a dunghill and dungeon methinks is earth! O what difference betwixt a man feeble, pained, groaning, dying, rotting in the grave, and one of these triumphant, shining saints! Here shall I drink of the river of pleasures, the streams whereof make glad the city of God. Must Israel, under the bondage of the law, serve the Lord with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things? Surely I shall serve him with joyfulness and gladness of heart, for the abundance of glory. Did persecuted saints take joyfully the spoiling of their goods? And shall not I take joyfully such a full reparation of all my losses? Was it a celebrated day wherein the Jews rested from their enemies because it was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day? What a day then will that be to my soul, whose rest and change will be inconceivably greater? When the wise men saw the star that led to Christ, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. But I shall shortly see him who is himself the bright and morning star. If the disciples departed from the sepulchre with great joy, when they had but heard that their Lord was risen from the dead; what will be my joy, when I shall see him reigning in glory, and myself raised to a blessed communion with him! Then

shall I indeed have "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; and Sion shall be "made an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations." Why then do I not arise from the dust, and cease my complaints? Why do I not trample on vain delights, and feed on the foreseen delights of glory? Why is not my life a continual joy, and the savour of heaven perpetually on my spirit?"

§ 19. Let me here observe, that there is no necessity to exercise these affections, either exactly in this order, or all at one time. Sometimes one of thy af fections may need more exciting, or may be more lively than the rest; or if thy time be short, one may be exercised one day and another on the next; all which must be left to thy prudence to determine. Thou hast also an opportunity, if inclined to make use of it, to exercise opposite and more mixed affections; such as hatred of sin, which would deprive thy soul of these immortal joys; godly fear, lest thou shouldst abuse thy mercy; godly shame and grief, for having abused it; unfeigned repentance; self-indignation; jealousy over thy heart; and pity for those who are in danger of losing these immortal joys.

§ 20. (III.) We are also to take notice how heavenly contemplation is promoted by soliloquy and prayer. Though consideration be the chief instrument in this work, yet, by itself, it is not so likely to affect the heart. In this respect contemplation is like preaching, where the mere explaining of truths and duties is seldom attended with such success, as the lively application of them to the conscience; and especially when a divine blessing is earnestly sought to accompany such application.

21. (1.) By soliloquy, or a pleading the case with 'thyself, thou must in thy meditation quicken thy own heart. Enter into a serious debate with it. Plead with it in the most moving and affecting language, and urge it with the most powerful and weighty arguments. It is what holy men of God have practised in all ages.— Thus David, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul! And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." And again, "Bless the Lord, O my soul! and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul! and forget not all his benefits," &c. This soliloquy is to be

made use of according to the several affections of the soul, and according to its several necessities. It is a preaching to one's self: For as every good master or father of a family is a good preacher to his own fami ly; so every good Christian is a good preacher to his own soul. Therefore, the very same method which a minister should use in his preaching to others, every Christian should endeavor after in speaking to himself. Observe the matter and manner of the most heart-affecting minister; let him be as a pattern for your imitation; and the same way that he takes with the hearts of his people, do thou also take with thy own heart. Do this in thy heavenly contemplation; explain to thyself the things on which thou dost meditate; confirm thy faith in them from Scripture; and then apply them to thyself, according to their nature, and thy own ne cessity. There is no need to object against this, from a sense of thy own inability. Doth not God command thee to "teach the Scriptures diligently unto thy children, and talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up?" And if thou must have some ability to teach thy children, much more to teach thyself; and if thou canst talk of divine things to others, why not also to thine own heart?

§ 22. (2.) Heavenly contemplation is also promoted by speaking to God in prayer, as well as by speaking to ourselves in soliloquy. Ejaculatory prayer may very properly be intermixed with meditation, as a part of the duty. How often do we find David, in the same psalm, sometimes pleading with his soul, and sometimes with God? The apostle bids us "speak to ourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs;" and no doubt we may also speak to God in them. This keeps the soul sensible of the divine presence, and tends greatly to quicken and raise it. As God is the highest object of our thoughts, so our viewing of him, speaking to him, and pleading with him, more elevates the soul, and excites the affections, than any other part of meditation. Though we remain un◄ affected, while we plead the case with ourselves; yet, when we turn our speech to God, it may strike us with awe; and the holiness and majesty of him whom we speak to, may cause both the matter and words to pierce the deeper. When we read, that Isaac went out to meditate in the field, the margin says, to pray, for the Hebrew word signifies both. Thus in our medita

tions to intermix soliloquy and prayer, sometimes speaking to our own hearts, and sometimes to God, is I apprehend, the highest step we can advance in this heavenly work. Nor should we imagine, it will be as well to take up with prayer alone, and lay aside meditation. For they are distinct duties and must both of them be performed. We need one as well as the other, and therefore shall wrong ourselves by neglecting either. Besides the mixture of them, like music, will be more engaging; as the one serves to put life into the other. And our speaking to ourselves in meditation, should go before our speaking to God in prayer. For want of attending to this due order, men speak to God with far less reverence and affection than they would speak to an angel, if he should appear to them, or to a judge, if they were speaking for their lives. Speaking to the God of heaven in prayer, is a weightier duty than most are aware of.

CHAPTER XV....

Heavenly Contemplation assisted by sensible objects, and guarded against a treacherous heart.

§1. As it is difficult to maintain a lively impression of heavenly things, therefore, § 2. (I.) Heavenly contemplation may be assisted by sensible objects; § 3. (1.) If we draw strong suppositions from sense, and § 4-11. (2.) If we compare the objects of sense with the objects of faith, several instances of which are produced. § 12. (II.) Heavenly contemplation may also be guarded against a treacherous heart, by considering, § 13, 14. (1.) The great backwardness of the heart to this duty, § 15. (2.) Its trifling in it; § 16. (3.) Its wandering from it, and, § 17. (4.) Its too abruptly putting an end to it.

§ 1. THE most difficult part of heavenly contemplation is to maintain a lively sense of heavenly things on our hearts. It is easier, merely to think of heaven a whole day, than to be lively and affectionate in those thoughts a quarter of an hour. Faith is imperfect, for we are renewing but in part; and goes against a world of resistance; and, being supernatural, is prone to decline and languish, unless it be continually excited. Sense is strong, according to the strength of the flesh; and being natural, continues while nature continues 2. L