PART 3:

 

CONTAINING A DIRECTORY FOR THE GETTING AND KEEPING THE HEART IN HEAVEN, BY THE DILIGENT PRACTICE OF THAT EXCELLENT DUTY OF MEDITATION.

 

CHAPTER 1.

 

Reproving our Expectations of Rest on Earth.

 

 DOTH this Rest remain How great then is our sin and folly to seek and expect it here Where shall we find the Christian that deserves not this reproof Surely we may all cry guilty to this. We know not how to enjoy convenient houses, goods, lands, and revenues, but we seek rest in these enjoyments. We seldom, I fear, have such sweet and contenting thoughts of GOD and glory, as we have of our earthly delights. How much rest do we seek in buildings, walks, apparel, ease, recreation, sleep, pleasing meats and drinks, company, health, and strength, and long life Nay, we can scarce enjoy the necessary means that GOD has appointed for our spiritual good, but we are seeking rest in them. Our books, our Preachers, sermons, friends, abilities for duty, do not our hearts quiet themselves in them, even more than in GOD Indeed, in words we disclaim, and GOD has usually the pre-eminence in our tongues and professions: but we do not desire these more violently when we want them, than we do the LORD himself Do we not cry out more sensibly, O my friend, my goods, my health! than O my GOD! Do we not miss ministry and means more passionately than we miss our GOD Do we not bestir ourselves more to obtain and enjoy these, than we do to recover our communion with GOD Do we not delight more in the possession of these, than we do in the fruition of God himself Nay, are not those mercies and duties most pleasant to us, wherein we stand at greatest distance from GOD We can read, and study, and confer, preach and hear, day after- day, without much weariness; because in these we have to do with instruments and creatures; but in secret prayer, and conversing with GOD immediately, where no creature interposeth, how dull, how heartless and weary are we And if we lose creatures or means, doth it not trouble us more than our loss of GOD If we lose but a friend, or health, all the town will hear of it; but we can miss our God, and scarce bemoan our misery. Thus it is apparent, we make the creature our rest. Is it not enough that they are refreshing helps in our way to heaven; but they must also be made our heaven itself! Reader, I would as willingly make thee sensible of this sin, as of any sin in the world - for the LORD'S greatest quarrel with us is in this point. Therefore, I most earnestly beseech -thee to press upon thine own conscience these following considerations:

 

 1. It is gross idolatry to make any creature or means our rest: to settle the soul upon it, and say, Now I am well, upon the bare enjoyment of the creature: what is this, but to make it our God Certainly, to be the soul's rest is GOD’s own prerogative. And as it is palpable idolatry to place our rest in riches and honors, so it is but a more refined idolatry to take up our rest in excellent means, in the Church's prosperity, and in its reformation. When we would have all that out of GOD, which is to be had only in GOD; what is this but to turn away from him to the creature, and in our hearts to deny him When we fetch more of our comfort from the thoughts of prosperity, and those mercies which we have at a distance from God, than from the forethoughts of our everlasting blessedness in him! Are we Christians in judgment, and Pagans in affection Do we give our senses leave to be the choosers of our happiness, while reason and faith stand by O how ill must our dear LORD needs take it, when we give him cause to complain, as sometime he did of our fellow idolaters, (Jer. 1. 6,) that we have been lost sheep, and have forgotten our resting place! When we give him cause to say, My people can find rest in any thing rather than in me; they can find delight in one another, but none in me; they can rejoice in my creatures and ordinances, but not in me; yea, in their very labors and duty they seek for rest, but not in me; they had rather be any where than be with me: are these their gods Have these delivered and redeemed them Will these be better to them than I have been, or than I would be If yourselves have but a wife, a husband, a son, that had rather be any where than in your company, and is never so merry as when furthest from you, would you not take it ill yourselves Why so must our GOD needs do. For what do we but lay these things in one end of the balance, and GOD in the other, and foolishly prefer them before him As ELKANAH said to HANNAH, a Am not I better to thee than ten sons " So when we are longing after creatures, we may hear GOD say, Am not I better than all the creatures to thee

 

 2. Consider how thou contradicts the end of God in giving these things. He gave them to help thee to him, and dost thou take up with them in his stead He gave

 

them that they might be refreshments in thy journey; and wouldest thou now dwell in thy inn, and go no farther

 

 Thou dost not only contradict God herein, but losest that benefit which thou mightest receive by them, yea, and makest them thy great hurt and hinderence. Surely it may be said of all our comforts, and all ordinances, and the blessedest enjoyments in the Church on earth, as God said to the Israelites of his ark, " The ark of the covenant went before them, to search out for them a resting place." (Num. 10: 33.) So do all GOD'- mercies here. They are not that rest, (as JOHN professes he was not the CHRIST,) but they are voices crying in this wilderness, to bid us prepare; for the kingdom of God, our true rest, is at hand. Therefore to- rest here, were to turn all mercies clean contrary to their own ends, and our own advantages, and to destroy ourselves with that which should help us.

 

 3. Consider, whether it be not the most probable way to cause GOD, either, first, to deny those mercies which we desire; or, secondly, to take from us these which we enjoy; or, thirdly, to embitter them, or curse them to us Certainly, God is no where so jealous as here: if you had a servant, whom your wife loved better than she did yourself, would you not take it ill of such a wife, and rid your house of such a servant Why so, if the LORD see you begin to settle in the world, and say, Here I will rest; no wonder if he soon in his jealousy unsettle you. If he love you, no wonder if he take that from you wherewith he sees you about to destroy yourselves.

 

 It has been my long observation of many, that when they have attempted great works, and have just finished them; or have aimed at great things in the world, and have just obtained them; or have lived in much trouble, and just come to begin with some content to look upon their condition, and rest in it, they are near to death or ruin. When a man is once at this language, " Soul, take thy ease; " the next news usually is, " Thou fool, this night," or this month, or this year, " shall thy soul be, required of thee; and then whose shall these things be " O what house is there where this fool dwells not Let you and I consider, whether this be not our own case. Have I not, after such an unsettled life, and after so many longings and prayers for these days! have not I thought of them with too much content, and been ready to say, " Soul, take thy rest" Have not I comforted myself more in the forethoughts of enjoying these, than of coming to heaven, and enjoying GOD What wonder then if God cut me off, when I am just sitting down in this supposed rest And hash not the like been your condition Many of you have been soldiers, driven from house and home, endured a life of trouble and blood, been deprived of ministry and means: did you not reckon up all the comforts you should have at your return; and glad your hearts with such thoughts, more than with the thoughts of your coming to heaven Why, what wonder if GOD now cross you, and turn some of your joy into sadness Many a servant of God has been destroyed from the earth, by being overvalued and overloved. I pray GOD you may take warning for the time to come, that you rob not yourselves of all your mercies. I am persuaded our discontents and murmurings are not so provoking to GOD, nor so destructive to the sinner, as our too sweet enjoying, and rest of spirit in a pleasing state. If Go n have crossed any of you in wife, children, goods, friends, either by taking them from you, or the comfort of them; try whether this be not the cause: for wheresoever your desires stop, and you say, Now I am well; that condition you make your god, and engage the jealousy of GOD against it. Whether you be friends to God or enemies, you can never expect that GOD should suffer you quietly to enjoy your idols.

 

 4. Consider, if God should suffer thee thus to take up thy rest here, it were one of the greatest curses that could befall thee: it were better for thee if thou never hadst a day of ease in the world; for then weariness might make thee seek after true rest. But if he should suffer thee to sit down and rest here, where were thy rest when this deceives thee A restless wretch thou wouldest be through all eternity. To have their good things on the earth, is the lot of the most miserable perishing sinners. Doth it become Christians then to expect so much here Our rest is our heaven; and where we take our rest, there we make our heaven: and wouldest thou have but such a heaven as this It will be but a handful of waters to a man that is drowning, which will help to destroy, but not to save him.

 

 5. Consider, thou seekest rest where it is not to be found, and so wilt lose all thy labor., I think I shall easily evince this by these clear demonstrations following; First, Our rest is only in the full obtaining our ultimate end; but that is not to be expected in this life. Is GOD to be enjoyed in the best reformed Church here, as he is in heaven You confess he is not: how little of God (not only the multitude of the blind world, but sometimes) the saints themselves enjoy And how poor comforters are the best ordinances and enjoyments without GOD Should a traveler take up his rest in the way No, because his home is his journey's end. When you have all that creatures and means can afford, have you that you sought for Have you that you believe, pray, suffer for I think you dare not say so. Why then do we once dream of resting here We are like little children strayed from home; and God is now fetching us home; and we are' ready to turn into any house, stay and play with every thing in our way, and sit down on every green bank, and much ado there is to set us home.

 

 Secondly, As we have not yet obtained our end, so are we in the midst of labors and dangers; and is there any resting here What painful work doth he upon our bands Look to our brethren, to our souls, to GOD; and what a deal of work, in respect of each of these, doth he before us And can we rest in our labors Indeed we may ease ourselves sometimes in our troubles; but that is not the rest we are now speaking of: we may rest on earth, as the ark is said to rest in the midst of Jordan. (Josh. 3: 13.) Or as the angels of heaven are desired to turn in and rest them on earth. (Gen. 18: 4.) They would have been loath to have taken up their dwelling there. Should Israel have settled his rest in the wilderness, among serpents, and enemies, and weariness, and famine Should NOAH have made the ark his home, and been loath to come forth when the waters were fallen Should the mariner choose his dwelling on the sea, and settle his rest in the midst of rocks, and sands, and tempests Though he may adventure through all these for a commodity of worth, yet I think he takes it not for his rest. Should a soldier rest in the midst of fight, when he is in the very thickest of his enemies And are not Christians such travelers, such mariners, such soldiers

 

 Have you not fears within, and troubles without Are we not in the thickest of continual dangers We cannot eat, drink, sleep, labor, pray, hear, or confer, but in the midst of snares; and shall we sit down and rest here O Christian, follow thy work, look to thy danger, hold on to the end; win the field, and come off the ground, before thou think of a settling rest. I read that CHRIST, when he was on the cross, comforted the converted thief with this: 1' This day shalt thou be with me in paradise: “ but if he had only comforted him with telling him, that he should rest there on that cross, would he not have taken it for a derision Methinks it should be ill resting in the midst of sicknesses and pains, persecution and distresses; one would think it should be no contented dwelling for lambs among wolves. I say, therefore, to every one that thinketh of rest on earth,’ Arise ye! depart, this is not your rest.'

 

 6. Consult with experience, both other men's and your own; many thousands have made trial; but did ever one of these find a sufficient rest for his soul on earth Delights, I deny not but they lave found; but rest and satisfaction they never found: and shall we think to find that which never man could find before us AHAB's kingdom is nothing to him, except he had also NABOTH's vineyard. And did that satisfy him when he had obtained it If we had conquered. the whole world, we should perhaps do as ALEXANDER, sit down and weep because there was never another world to conquer. Go, ask honor, Is there rest here Why you may as well rest on the top of the tempestuous mountains, or in Etna's flames. Ask riches, Is there rest here Even such as is in a bed of thorns. Inquire of worldly pleasure and ease, Can they give -you any tidings of true rest Even such as the fish in swallowing the bait; when the pleasure is sweetest, death is the nearest. Such is the, rest that all worldly pleasures afford. Go to learning, to the purest, plentifulest, powerfulest ordinances; or compass sea and land to find out the most perfect Church; and inquire whether there your soul may rest You might haply receive from these an olive branch of hope, as they are means to your rest, and have relation to eternity; but in regard of any satisfaction in themselves, you would remain as restless as ever. O how well might all these answer us, as JACOB did RACHEL, "Am l instead of GOD" So may the highest perfections on earth say, Are we instead of GOD Go, take a view of all estates of men in the world, and see whether any of them have found this rest. Go to the husbandman, behold his endless labors, his continual care and toil, and weariness, and you will easily see, that there is no rest. Go to the tradesman, and you shall find the like. If I should send you lower, you would judge your labor lost. Go to the painful Minister, and there you will yet more easily be satisfied; for though his spending, endless labors are exceeding sweet, yet it is not because they are his rest, but in reference to his people's, and his own eternal rest. If you would ascend to magistracy, and inquire at the throne, you would find there is no condition so restless. Doubtless, neither court nor country, towns or cities, shops or fields, treasuries, libraries, solitariness, society, studies, or pulpits, can afford any such thing as this rest. If you could inquire of the dead of all generations, or if you could ask the living through all dominions, they would all tell you, Here is no rest; and all mankind may say, "All our days are sorrow, and our labor is grief; and our hearts take not rest." (Eccles. 2: 23.) 

 

 If other men's experiences move you not, do but take a view of your own. Can you remember the estate that did fully satisfy you Or if you could, will it prove a lasting state For my own part, I have run through several states of life, and though I never had the necessities which might occasion discontent, yet did I never find a settlement for my soul; and I believe we may all say of our rest, as PAUL of our hopes, " If it were in this life only, we were of all men most miserable." If then either Scripture, or reason, or, the experience of ourselves, and all the world, will satisfy us, we may see there is no resting here. And yet how guilty are the generality of us of this sin!. How many halts and stops do we make, before we will make the LORD our rest! How must GOD even drive us, and fire us out of every condition, lest we should sit down and rest there! If he give us prosperity, riches, or honor, we do in our hearts dance before them, as the Israelites before their calf, and say, "These are thy gods," and conclude it is good being here. If he imbitter all these to us by crosses, how do we strive to have the cross removed, and are restless until our condition be sweetened to us, that we may sit down again, and rest where we were If the LORD, seeing our perverseness, shall now proceed in the cure, and take the creature quite away; then how do we labor, and care, and cry, and pray, that GOD would restore it, that we may make it our rest again! And while we are deprived of its enjoyment, and have not our former idol, yet rather than come to GOD, we delight ourselves in our hopes of recovering our former state; and as long as there is the least likelihood of obtaining it, we make those very hopes our rest: if the poor, by laboring all their days, have but hopes of a fuller estate when they are old, (though a hundred to one they die before they have obtained it,) yet do they rest themselves on these expectations. Or, if GOD doth take away both present enjoyments, and all hopes' of recovering them, how do we search about, from creature to creature, to find out something to supply the room, and to settle upon instead thereof Yea, if we can find no supply, but are sure we shall live in poverty, in sickness, in disgrace, while we are on earth, yet will we rather settle in this misery, and make a rest of a wretched being, than we will leave all and come to GOD.

 

 A man would think, that a multitude of poor people, who beg their bread, or can scarce, with their hardest labor, have sustenance for their lives, should easily be driven from resting here, and willingly look to heaven for rest; and the sick, who have not a day of ease, nor any hope of recovery left them. But, O the cursed averseness of our souls from God! We will rather account our misery our happiness, yea, that which we daily groan under as intolerable, than we will take up our happiness in God. If any place in hell were tolerable, the - soul would rather take up its rest there, than come to God. Yea, when he is bringing us over to him, and has convinced us of the worth of his ways and service, the last deceit of all is here, we will rather settle upon those ways that lead to him, and those ordinances that speak of him, and those gifts which flow from him, than we will come clean over to himself.

 

 Marvel not that I speak so much of resting in these; beware lest it prove thy own case. I suppose thou art so convinced of the vanity of riches, and honor, and- pleasure, that thou canst more easily disclaim these: but for thy spiritual helps, thou lookest on these with less suspicion, and thinkest thou canst not delight in them too much, especially seeing most of the world despise them, or delight in them too little. But doth not the increase of those helps dull thy longings after heaven I know the means of grace must be loved and valued; and he that delighteth in any worldly thing more than in them, is not a Christian: but when we are content with duty instead of GOD, and had rather be at a sermon than in heaven; and a member of a church here, than of that perfect Church, and rejoice in ordinances but as they are part of our earthly prosperity; this is a. sad mistake.

 

 So far rejoice in the creature as it comes from GOD, or leads to him, or brings thee some report of his love: So far let thy soul take comfort in ordinances as God doth accompany them, or gives himself unto thy soul by them. Still remembering, when thou hast even what thou dost most desire, yet this is not heaven; yet these are but the firstfruits. Is it not enough that GOD alloweth us all the comfort of travelers, and-accordingly to rejoice in all his mercies, but we must set up our staff as if we were at home While we are present in the body, we are absent from the Lose; and while we are absent from him, we are absent from our rest. If GOD were as willing to be absent from us, as we from him, and if he were as loath to be our rest, as we are loath to rest in him, we should be left to an eternal restless separation. In a word, as you are sensible of the sinfulness, of your earthly discontents, so be you also of your irregular contents, and pray GOD to pardon them much more. And above all the plagues and judgments of GOD, on this side hell, see that you watch and pray against this,' Of settling any where short of heaven, or reposing your souls on any thing below GOD;' or else, when the bough which you tread on breaks, and the things which you rest upon deceive you, you will perceive your labor all lost, and your highest hopes will make you ashamed. Try if you can persuade SATAN to leave tempting, and the world to cease troubling and seducing; if you can bring the glory of God from above, or remove the court from heaven to earth, and secure the continuance of this through eternity, then settle yourselves below, and say, Soul, take thy rest here; but until then admit not such a thought.

 

CHAPTER 2:

 

Motives to Heavenly-mindedness.

 

 WE have now, by the guidance of the word of the LORD, and by the assistance of his SPIRIT, showed you the nature of the rest of the saints; and acquainted you with some duties in relation thereto. We come now to the close of all, to press you to the great duty, which I chiefly intended when I began this subject.

 

 Is there a rest, and such a rest remaining for us Why then are our thoughts no more upon it Why are not our hearts continually there Why dwell we not there in constant contemplation Ask your hearts in good earnest, What, is the cause of this neglect Has the eternal GOD provided us such a glory, and promised to take us up to dwell with himself; and is not this worth the thinking on Should not the strongest desires of our hearts be after it; and the daily delights of our souls be there Can we forget and neglect it What is the matter Will not GOD give us leave to approach this light Or will he not suffer our souls to taste and see it Then what mean all his earnest invitations Why doth he so condemn our earthly-mindedness, and command us to set our affections above If the forethoughts of glory were forbidden fruits, perhaps we should be sooner drawn unto them. Sure I am, where GOD has forbidden us to place our thoughts and our delights, thither it is easy enough to draw them. If he say, " Love not the world, nor the things of the world," we doat upon it nevertheless. How unweariedly can we think of vanity, and day after day employ our minds about it; and have we no thoughts of this our rest How freely and how frequently can we think of our pleasures, our friends, our labors, our flesh, our studies, our news; yea, our very miseries, our wrongs, our sufferings, and our fears: but where is the Christian whose heart is on his rest What is the matter Why are we not taken up with the views of glory, and our souls more accustomed to these delightful meditations Are we so full of joy that we need no more; or is there no matter in heaven for our joyous thoughts; or rather, are not our hearts carnal and blockish Earth will to earth. Had we more spirit, it would be otherwise with us. As ST. AUGUSTIN cast by CICERO'S writings, because they contained not the name of JESUS; so let us humble and cast down these sensual hearts, that have in them no more Of CHRIST and glory. As we should not own our duties any further than somewhat of CHRIST is in them, so should we no further own our hearts: and as we should delight' in the creatures no longer than they have reference to CHRIST and eternity, so no further should we approve of our own hearts. Why did CHRIST pronounce his disciples' eyes and ears blessed, but as they were the doors to let in CHRIST, by his works and words into their heart Blessed are the eyes that so see, and the ears that so hear, that the heart is thereby raised to this heavenly frame. Sirs, so much of your hearts as is empty of CHRIST and heaven, let it be filled with shame and sorrow, and not with ease.

 

 But let me turn my reprehension to exhortation, that you would turn this conviction into reformation. And I have the more hope, because I here address myself to men of conscience, that dare not willfully disobey GOD; yea, because to men whose portion is there, whose hopes are there, and who have forsaken all that they may enjoy this glory; and shall I be discouraged from persuading such to be heavenly minded If you will not hear and obey, who will Whoever thou art, therefore, that readest these lines, I require thee, as thou tenderest thine allegiance to the God of heaven, as ever thou hopest for a part in this glory, that thou presently take thy heart to task; chide it for its willful strangeness to GOD; turn thy thought from the pursuit of vanity, bend thy soul to study eternity; habituate thyself to such contemplations, and let not those thoughts be seldom and cursory, but settle upon them; dwell here, hast thy soul in heaven's delights; drench thine affections in these rivers of pleasure; and if thy backward soul begin to flag, and thy thoughts to fly abroad, call them back, hold them to their work, put them on, bear not with their laziness; and when thou hast once tried this work, and followed on until thou hast got acquainted with it, and kept a close guard upon thy thoughts, until they are accustomed to obey, thou wilt then find thyself in the suburbs of heaven, and as it were in a new world; thou wilt then find that there is sweetness in the work and way of God, and that the life of Christianity is a life of joy. Thou wilt meet with those abundant consolations which thou hast prayed,- and panted, and groaned after, and which so few Christians obtain, because they know not the way to them, or else make not conscience of walking in it.

 

 You see the work now before you: This, this is that I would fain persuade you to practice: let me bespeak your consciences in the name of CHRIST, and command you by the authority I have received from CHRIST, that you faithfully set upon this duty, and fix your eye more steadfastly on your rest. Do not wonder that I persuade you-so earnestly, though indeed, if we were truly reasonable men, it would be a wonder that men should need so much persuasion to so sweet and plain a duty. But I know the employment is high, the heart is earthly, and will still draw back; the temptations and hindrances will be many and great, and therefore I fear all these persuasions are little enough: say not, We are unable to set our own hearts on heaven, this must be the work of GOD: therefore all your exhortation is in vain. I tell you, though GOD be the chief disposer of your hearts, yet, next under him, you have the greatest command of them yourselves, and a great power in the ordering of your own thoughts, and determining your own wills: though without CHRIST you can do nothing, yet under him you may do much, and must do much, or else you will be undone through your neglect. Do your own parts, and you have no cause to distrust whether CHRIST will do his.

 

 I will here lay down some considerations, which, if you will but deliberately weigh with an impartial judgment, I doubt not will prove effectual with your hearts, and make you resolve upon this excellent duty.

 

 1. Consider, a heart set upon heaven will be one of the most unquestionable evidences of a true work of saving grace upon thy soul. Would you have a sign infallible, not from me, or from the mouth of any man, but front the mouth of JESUS CHRIST himself, which all the enemies of the use of marks can lay no exceptions against Why here is such a one: ’Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matt. 6:21.) Know once assuredly where your heart is, and you may easily know that your treasure is there. God is the saints' treasure and happiness; heaven is the place where they fully enjoy him: a heart therefore set upon heaven is no more but a heart set upon God, desiring this full enjoyment: and surely a heart set upon God, through CHRIST, is the truest evidence of saving grace. External actions are the easiest discovered, but those of the heart are the surest evidences. When thy learning will be no good proof of thy grace; when thy knowledge, thy duties, and thy gifts, will fail thee; when arguments from thy tongue and thy hand may be confuted; then will this argument from the bent of thy heart prove thee sincere. Take a poor Christian that can scarce speak English about religion, that has a weak understanding, a failing memory, a stammering tongue: yet his heart is set on God, he has chosen him for his portion, his thoughts are on eternity, his desires there, his dwelling there; he cries out, O that I were there! He takes that day for a time of imprisonment, wherein he has not taken one refreshing view of eternity: I had rather die in this man's condition, than in the case of him that has the most eminent gifts, and is most admired for parts and duty, whose heart is not taken up with God. The man that CHRIST will find out at the last day, and condemn for want of a wedding garment, will be he that wants this frame of heart: the question will not then be, How much you have known and talked But how much you have loved, and where was your heart Why then, as you would have a sure testimony of the love of GOD, and a sure proof of your title to glory, labor to get your hearts above. God will acknowledge you love him, when he sees your hearts are set upon him. Get but your hearts once truly in heaven, and without all question yourselves' will follow. If sin and SATAN keep not thence your affections, they will never be able to keep away your persons.

 

 2. Consider, a heavenly mind is a joyful mind: this is the nearest and the truest way to comfort; and without this you must needs be uncomfortable. Can a man be at the fire, and not be warm; or in the sunshine, and not have light Can your heart be in heaven, and not have comfort What could make such frozen, uncomfortable Christians, but living so far as they do from heaven; and what makes others so warm in comforts, but their frequent access so near to GOD When the sun in the spring draws near our part of the earth, how do all things congratulate its approach The earth looks green, and casteth off her mourning habit; the trees shoot forth, the plants revive, the birds sing, the face of all things smiles upon us, and all the creatures below rejoice. If we would but keep these hearts above, what a spring would be within us, and all our graces be fresh and green! How would the face of our souls be changed, and all that is within us rejoice! How should we forget our winter sorrows, and withdraw our souls from our sad retirements How early should we rise, (as those birds in the spring,) to sing the praise of our great Creator! O Christian, get above believe it, that region is warmer than this below: those that have been there have found it so, and those that have come thence have told us so; and I doubt not but thou hast sometimes tried it thyself. I dare appeal to thy own experience: When is it that you have largest comforts Is it not after such an exercise as this, when thou hast got up thy heart, and conversed with. Gob, and talked with the inhabitants of the higher world, and viewed the mansions of the saints and angels, and filled thy soul with the forethoughts of glory If thou know by experience what this practice is, I dare say thou knowest what spiritual joy is. If it be the countenance of God that fills us with joy, then they that most behold it must be fullest of these joys. If you never tried this, nor lived this life of heavenly contemplation, I never wonder that you walk uncomfortably, and know not what the joy of the saints means. Can you have comforts from God, and never think of him Can heaven rejoice you when you do not remember it Doth any thing in the world glad you, when you think not on Whom should we blame, then, that we are so void of consolation, but our own negligent unskillful hearts GOD has provided us a crown of glory, and promised to set it shortly on our heads, and we will not so much as think of it! He holdeth it out to us, and biddeth us behold, and rejoice; and we will not so much as look at it. What a perverse course is this, both against GOD and our own joys!

 

 I confess, though in fleshly things the presenting a comforting object is sufficient to produce an answerable delight, yet in spirituals we are more disabled: GOD must give the joy itself, as well as afford us matter for joy; but yet withal, it must be remembered, that God doth work upon us as men, and in a rational way doth raise our comforts; he enableth and exciteth us to mind these delightful objects, and from thence to gather our own comforts therefore he that is most skilful and painful in this gathering art, is usually the fullest of this spiritual sweetness. It is by believing that we are filled with joy and peace; and no longer than we continue our believing. It is in hope that the saints rejoice, yea, in this hope of the glory of GOD; and no longer than they continue hoping. And here let me warn you of a dangerous snare, an opinion which will rob you of all your comfort. Some think, if they should, thus fetch in their own, by believing and hoping, and work it out of Scripture-promises by their own thinking and studying, then it would be a comfort only of their own hammering out, (as they say,) and not the genuine joy of the HOLY GHOST. A desperate mistake, raised upon a ground that would overthrow almost all duty, as well as this; which is their setting the workings of GOD’s SPIRIT and their own spirits in opposition, when their spirits must stand in subordination to GOD’s: they are conjunct causes, co-operating to the producing of one and the same effect. GOD’s SPIRIT worketh our comforts, by setting our own spirits at work upon the promises, and raising our thoughts to the place of our comforts: As you would delight a covetous man by showing him money, or a voluptuous man with fleshly delights; so God uses to delight his people, by taking them as it were by the hand, and leading them into heaven, and showing them himself, and their rest with him. GOD uses not to cast in our joys while we are idle, or taken up with other things. It is true, he sometimes does it suddenly, but usually in the foresaid order: and his sometimes sudden extraordinary casting of comforting thoughts in our hearts, should be so far from hindering endeavors in a meditating way, that it should be a singular motive to quicken us to it; even as a taste given us of some cordial, will make us desire and seek the rest. GOD feedeth not saints as birds do their young, bringing it to them, and putting it in their mouth, while they he still in the nest, and only gape to receive it: but as he giveth to man the fruits of the earth, the increase of our land in corn and wine, while we plough and sow, and weed and water, and dung and dress, and then with patience expect his blessing; so doth he give the joys of the soul. Yet I deny not, that if any should so think as to work out his own comforts by meditation, as to attempt the work in his own strength, the work would prove to be like the workman, and the comfort he would gather would be like both, even mere vanity; even as the husbandman's labor without the sun and rain, and blessing of God.

 

 So then you may easily see, that close meditation on the matter and cause of our joy, is GOD’s way to procure solid joy. For my part, if I should find my joy of another kind, I should be very prone to doubt of its sincerity. If I find a great deal of comfort, and know not how it came, nor upon what rational ground it was raised, nor what considerations feed and continue it, I should be ready to question whether this be from GOD Our love to GOD should not be like that of fond lovers, who love violently, but they know not why. I think a Christian's joy should be rational joy, and not to rejoice and know not why. In some extraordinary case, God may cast in such an extraordinary kind of joy; yet it is not his usual way.’And if you observe the spirit of most uncomfortable Christians, you will find the reason to be, their expectation of such kind of joys; and accordingly are their spirits variously tossed, and inconstantly tempered: when they meet with such joys, then they are cheerful and lifted up; but because these are usually short-lived, therefore they are straight as low as hell. And thus they are tossed as a vessel at sea, up and down, but still in extremes; whereas, alas! GOD is most constant, CHRIST the same, heaven the. same, and the promise the same; and if we took the right course for fetching in our comfort from these, sure our comforts would be more settled and constant, though not always the same. Whoever thou art, therefore, that readest these lines, I entreat thee in the name of the LORD, and as thou valuest the life of constant joy, and that good conscience which is a continual feast, that thou wouldest seriously set upon this work, and learn the art of heavenly-mindedness, and thou shalt find the increase a hundred fold, and the benefit abundantly exceed thy labor.

 

 3. Consider, a heart in heaven will be a most excellent preservative against temptations, and a powerful means to save the conscience from the wounds of sin. GoD can pre. vent our sinning, though we be careless, and sometimes doth; but this is not his usual course; nor is this our safest way to escape. When the mind is either idle, or ill employed, the Devil needs not a greater advantage: if he find but the mind empty, there is room for any thing that he will bring in; but when he finds the heart in heaven, what hope that his motions should take Let him entice to any forbidden course, the soul will return NEHEMIAH'S answer, (I am doing a great work, and cannot come." (Neh. 6: 3.) Several ways will this preserve us against temptation: First, By keeping the heart employed. Secondly, By clearing the understanding, and confirming the will. Thirdly, By repossessing the affections.' Fourthly, By keeping us in the way of GOD’s blessing.

 

 First, By keeping the heart employed; When we are idle, we tempt the Devil to tempt us; as it is an encouragement to a thief to see your doors open, and nobody within; and as we use to say,’ careless persons make thieves;' so it will encourage SATAN, to find your hearts idle: but when the heart is taken up with God, it cannot have time to hearken to temptations; it cannot have time to be lustful and wanton, ambitious or worldly.

 

 If you were but busied in your lawful callings, you would not be so ready to hearken to temptations; much less if you were busied above with God. Will you leave your plough and harvest in the field Or leave the quenching of a fire in your houses, to run hunting of butterflies Would a judge rise, when he is sitting upon life and death, to go and play among the boys in the streets No more will a Christian, when he is busy with God, give ear to the alluring charms of SATAN. The love of God is never idle; it worketh great things when it truly is; and when it will not work, it is not love. Therefbre, being still thus working, it is still preserving.

 

 Secondly, A heavenly mind is freest from sin, because it is of the clearest understanding in spiritual matters. A man that is much in conversing above, has truer and livelier apprehensions of things concerning God and his soul, than any reading or learning can beget: though, perhaps, he may be ignorant in divers controversies, and matters that less concern salvation; yet those truths which must establish his soul, and preserve himm from temptation, he knows far better than the greatest scholars; he has so deep an insight into the evil of sin, the vanity of the creature, the brutishness of sensual delights, that temptations have little power on him; for these earthly vanities are SATAN's baits, which with the clear sighted have lost their force. "In vain," says SOLOmoN, "the net is spread in sight of any bird: " and in vain doth SATAN lay his snares to entrap the soul that plainly sees them. When the heavenly mind is above with God, he may from thence discern every danger that lies below: nay, if be did not discover the snare, yet were he likelier far to escape it, than any others. A net or bait that is laid on the ground, is unlikely to catch the bird that flies in the air; while she keeps above, she is out of the danger, and the higher the safer; so it is with us. SATAN'S temptations are laid on the earth; earth is the place, and earth is the ordinary bait: how shall these ensnare the Christian, who has left the earth and walks with GOD

 

 Do you not sensibly perceive, that when your hearts are seriously fixed on heaven, you become wiser than before Are not your understandings more solid, and your thoughts more sober Have you not truer apprehensions of things than you had For my own part, if ever I be wise, it is when I have been much above, and seriously studied the life to come. Methinks I find my understanding, after such contemplations, as much to differ from what it was before, as I before differed from a fool or an idiot. When my understanding is weakened and befooled with common employment, and with conversing long with the vanities below, methinks a few sober thoughts of my Father's house, and the blessed provision of his family in heaven, doth make me (with the prodigal) to come to myself again. Surely, when a Christian withdraws himself from his earthly thoughts, and begins to converse with GOD in heaven, he is as NEBUCHADNEZZAR, taken from the beasts of the field to the throne, and his understanding returneth to him again. O when a Christian has but a glimpse of eternity, and then looks down on the world again! How Both he say- to his laughter, " Thou art mad;" and to his vain mirth, "What doest thou " How could he even tear his flesh, and take revenge on himself for his folly! How verily doth he think that there is no man in Bedlam so mad as willful sinners, and lazy betrayers of their own souls, and unworthy slighters of CHRIST and glory!

 

 Do you not think, (except men are stark devils,) that it would be a harder matter to entice a man to sin, when he lies a dying, than it was before If the Devil, or his instruments, should then tell him of a cup of sack, of merry company, or of a stage play, do you think he would then be so taken with the motion If he should then tell him of riches, or honors, or show him cards, or dice, or a whore, would the temptation, think you, be as strong as before Would he not answer, Alas, what is all this to me, who must presently appear before GOD, and give an account of my life, and straight ways be in another world! Why, if the apprehension of the nearness of eternity will work' such strange effects upon the ungodly, and make them wiser than to be deceived so easily, as they were wont to be in time of health; what effects would it work in thee, if thou couldest always dwell in the views of GOD, and in lively thoughts of thine everlasting state Surely, a believer, if he improve his faith, may have truer apprehensions of the life to come, in the time of his health, than an unbeliever has at the hour of his death.

 

 Thirdly, A heavenly mind is fortified against temptations, because the affections are prepossessed with the delights of another world. When the soul is not affected with good, though the understanding never so clearly apprehend the truth, it is easy for SATAN to entice that soul. Mere speculations, (be they never so true,) which sink not into the affections, are poor preservatives against temptations. He that loves most, and not he that knows most, will easiest resist the motions of sin. There is in a Christian a kind of spiritual taste, whereby he knows these things, besides his mere reasoning power: the will doth as sweetly relish goodness, as the understanding doth truth; and here lies much of a Christian's strength. If you should dispute with a simple man, and labor to persuade him that sugar is not sweet, or that wormwood is not bitter; perhaps you might by sophistry over-argue his mere reason, but yet you could not persuade him against his sense; whereas, a man that has lost his taste, is easier deceived for all his reason. So it is here: When thou hast had a fresh delightful taste of heaven, thou wilt not be so easily persuaded from it. You cannot persuade a very child to part with his apple, while the taste of its sweetness is yet in his mouth.

 

 O that you would be persuaded to be much in feeding on the hidden manna, and to be frequently tasting the delights of heaven! It is true, it is a great way off from our sense, but faith can reach as far as that. How would this raise thy resolutions, and make thee laugh at’ the fooleries of the world, and scorn to be cheated with such childish toys! What if the Devil had set upon PAUL when he was in the third heaven, could he then have pershaded his heart to the pleasures, or profits, or honors of the world Though the Israelites below may be enticed to idolatry, and from eating and drinking to rise up to play; yet Mows in the mount with God will not do so: and if they had been where he was, and had but seen what he there saw, perhaps they would not "so easily have sinned. O if we could keep our souls continually delighted with the sweetness above, with what disdain should we spit out the baits of sin!

 

 Fourthly, Whilst the heart is set on heaven, a man is under GOD’S, protection; and therefore if SATAN then assault him, God is more engaged for his defense. Let me entreat thee, then, if thou be a man that is haunted with temptation, (as doubtless thou art if thou be a man,) if thou perceive thy danger, and wouldest fain escape it, use much this powerful remedy; keep close with God by a heavenly mind, and when the temptation comes, go straight to heaven, and turn thy thoughts to higher things; thou shalt find this a surer help than any other. Follow your business above with CHRIST, and keep your thoughts to their heavenly employment, and you sooner will this way vanquish the temptation, than if you argued or talked it out with the tempter.

 

 4. Consider, The diligent keeping of your hearts on heaven will preserve the vigor of all your graces, and put life into your duties. It is the heavenly Christian that is the lively Christian. It is our strangeness to heaven that: makes, us so dull; it is the end that quickens gill the means; and the. more frequently and clearly this end is beheld, the more vigorous will all our motions be. How doth it make men unweariedly labor, and fearlessly venture; when they do but think of the gainful prize! How will the" soldier hazard his life; and the mariner pass through storms and waves! How cheerfully do they compass sea and: land, when- they think of an uncertain perishing treasure! O what life, then, would it put into a Christian's endeavors,: if he would frequently think of his everlasting treasure! We run so slowly, and strive so lazily, because we so little mind the prize. When a Christian hash been tasting the hidden manna, and drinking of the streams of the paradise of GOD, what life doth this put into him! How fervent will his spirit be in prayer, when he considers that he prays for no less than heaven!

 

 Observe but the man who is much in heaven, and you shall see he is not like others; there is somewhat of that which he has seen above, appeareth in all his duty and conversation. Nay, take but the same man immediately when he is returned from these views of bliss, and you may easily perceive he excels himself. If he be a Preacher, how heavenly are his sermons! What clear descriptions, what high expressions has he of that rest If he be a private Christian, what heavenly conference, what heavenly prayers, what a heavenly carriage has he May you not even hear in a Preacher's sermons, or in the private duties of another, when they. have been. most above When MOSES had been with God in the mount, it made his face shine, that- the people could not behold him, If you would but set upon this employment, even so it would be with you. Men would see the face of your conversation shine, and say, Surely he has been with GOD.

 

 It is true, a heavenly nature goes before this heavenly employment; but yet the work will make it more heavenly. There must be life before we can feed; but our life is continued and increased by feeding. Therefore let me inform thee, if thou he complaining of deadness and dulness,-that thou canst not love CHRIST, nor rejoice in his love,-that thou hast no life in prayer, nor any other duty, and Vet never triedst this quickening course, or, at least, art careless and inconstant in it, thou art the cause of thy own complaints; thou dullest thine own heart; thou deniest thyself that life thou talkest of. Is not "thy life hid with CHRIST in GOD" Whither must thou go but to CHRIST for it And whither is that but to heaven, where he is ".Thou wilt not come to CHRIST, that thou mayest have life." If thou wouldest have light and heat, why art thou then no more in the sunshine If thou wouldest have more of that grace which flows from CHRIST, why art thou no more with CHRIST for it Thy strength is in heaven, and thy life in heaven, and there thou must daily fetch it, if thou wilt have it. For want of this recourse to heaven, thy soul is as a candle that is not lighted, and thy duties as a sacrifice which has no fire. Fetch one coal daily from this altar, and see if thy offering will not burn. Light thy candle- at this flame, and feed it daily with oil from hence, and see if it will not gloriously, shine. Keep close to this reviving fire, and see if thy affections will not be warm. Thou bewailest thy want of love to GOD; (and well thou mayest, for it is a heinous crime, a killing sin;) why, lift up thy eye of faith to heaven, behold his beauty, contemplate his excellencies; and see whether his amiableness will not fire thy affections, and his goodness ravish thy heart. As the, eye doth incense the sensual: affections, by gazing on alluring, objects; so doth the eye of faith in meditation, inflame our affections towards. our LORD, by gazing on that highest beauty. Whoever thou art, that art a stranger to this employment, be thy parts and profession ever so great, let me tell thee, thou spendest thy life but in -trifling or idleness thou seemest to live, but thou art dead; I may say of thee, as SENECA of idle VACIA, *. Thou knowest how-to lurk in idleness, but how to live thou knowest not.' And as the same SENECA would say, when he passed by that sluggard's dwelling Ibi situs est Vacias; so it may be said of thee, 4 There lies such a one, but not there lives such a one; for thou spendest thy days liker to the dead than the living.' One of DRACO'S laws to the Athenians was, That he who was convicted of idleness should be put to death. Thou dost execute this on thy own soul, whilst by thy idleness thou destroyest its life.

 

 Thou mayest many other ways exercise thy parts, but this is the way to exercise thy graces. They all come from GOD as their" fountain, and lead to God as their end, and are exercised on GOD as their chief object; so that GOD is their all in all. From heaven they come, and to heaven they will direct and move thee; and as exercisee maintaineth appetite, strength, and liveliness to the body, so doth it also to the soul. ~ Use limbs, and have limbs,' is the known proverb. And use grace and spiritual life in these heavenly exercises, and you shall find it quickly cause their increase. The exercise of your mere abilities of speech will not much advantage your graces; but the exercise of these' heavenly gifts will inconceivably help the growth of both. For as the moon is then most full and glorious, when it doth most directly face the sun; so will your souls be, both in gifts and graces, when you most nearly view the face of God. This will feed your tongue with matter, and make you abound and overflow, both in preaching, praying, and conferring. Besides, the fire which you fetch from. heaven for your sacrifices is no false -or strange fire; as your liveliness will be much more, so it will be also more sincere.

 

 The zeal which is kindled by your meditations on heaven, is` most likely to prove a heavenly zeal; and the liveliness of the spirit which you fetch from the face of God, must needs be the divinest life. Some men's fervency is drawn only from their books, and some from stinging affliction, and some from the mouth of a moving Minister, and some from the encouragement of an attentive auditory; but he that knows this way to heaven, and derives it daily from the pure fountain, shall have his soul revived with the water of life, and enjoy that quickening which is the saints' peculiar. By this faith thou mayest offer ABEL'S sacrifice, more excellent than that of common men, and by it obtain witness that thou art righteous, GOD testifying of thy gifts. (Heb. 11: 4.) When others are ready, as BAAL's priests, to beat themselves, and cut their flesh, because their sacrifice will not burn; then, if thou canst get but the spirit of ELIAS, and in the chariot of contemplation soar aloft, until thou approachest near to the quickening SPIRIT, thy soul and sacrifice will gloriously flame, though the flesh and the world should cast upon them the water of all their enmity. Say not now, How shall we get so high Or, How can mortals ascend to heaven For faith has wings, and meditation is its chariot; its office is to make absent things as present. Do you not see how a little piece of glass, if it do but rightly face the sun, will so contract its beams and heat, as to set on fire that which is behind it, which without it would have received but little warmth Why, thy faith is as the burning glass to thy sacrifice, and meditation sets it to face the sun; only take it not away too soon, but hold it there awhile, and thy soul will feel the happy effect.

 

 If we could get into the holy of holies, and bring thence the name and image of God, and get it closed up in our hearts, this would enable us to work wonders; every duty we performed would be a wonder; and they that heard would be ready to say, Never man spake as this man speaketh. The SPIRIT would possess us, as those flaming tongues, and make us every one speak' (not in the variety of the confounded languages, but) in the primitive, pure language of Canaan, the wonderful works of God. We should then be in every duty, whether prayer, exhortation, or, brotherly reproof, as PAUL was at Athens; his spirit was stirred within him; and should be ready to say, as JEREMIAH did:’" His word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I was weary with for bearing, and I could not stay." (Jer. 20: 9.)

 

 Christian Reader, Art thou not thinking, when thou seest a lively believer, and Nearest his melting prayers and ravishing discourse, O how happy a man is this! O that my soul were in this state! Why, I here direct and advise thee from GOD. Try this course, and set thy soul to this work, and thou shalt be in as good a case. Wash thee frequently in this Jordan, and thy dead soul shall revive, and thou shalt know there is a GOD in Israel; and that thou mayest live a vigorous and joyous life, if thou neglect not thine own mercies. If thou truly value this strong and active frame of spirit, show it by thy present attempting this heavenly exercise. Thou hast heard the way to obtain this life in thy soul, and in thy duties; if thou wilt vet neglect it, blame thyself.

 

 But, alas! the multitude of professors come to a Minister, just as NAAMAN came to ELIAS; they ask us, How shall I overcome a hard heart, and get the strength and life of grace But they expect that some easy means should do it, and think we should cure them with the very answer to their question, and teach them a way to be quickly well; but when they hear of a daily trading in heaven, and constant meditation on the joys above, this is a greater task than they expected, and they turn their backs, as. NAAMAN to ELIAS,-or the young man on CHRIST. Will not preaching, and praying, and conference serve, (say they,) without this dwelling still in heaven I entreat thee, Reader, beware of this folly: fall to the work. The comfort of spiritual health will countervail all the trouble: it is but the flesh. that repines, which thou knowest was never a friend to thy soul. If God had set thee on some grievous work, shouldest thou not have done it for the life of thy soul How much more when he doth but invite thee to himself

 

 5. Consider, The frequent believing views of glory are the most precious cordial in all afflictions. 1. To sustain our spirits, and make our sufferings far more easy. 2. To stay us from repining. And 3. To strengthen our resolutions, that we forsake not CHRIST for fear of trouble. A man will more quietly endure the lancing of his sores, when he thinks of the ease that will follow. What then will not a believer endure, when he thinks of the rest to which it tendeth What if the way be never so rough, can it be tedious if it lead to heaven O sweet sickness! Sweet reproaches, imprisonments, or death, which is accompanied with these tastes of our future rest. Believe it, thou wilt suffer heavily, thou wilt die most sadly, if thou hast not at hand the foretastes of this rest. There fore, as thou wilt then be ready with DAVID to pray, "Be not far from me, for trouble is near " so let it be thy chief care not to be far from God and heaven, when trouble is near, and thou wilt find. him "a very present help in trouble."

 

 All sufferings are nothing to us, so far as we have the foresight of this salvation. No bolts, nor bars, nor dis tance of place, can shut out these supporting joys, because they cannot confine our faith and thoughts, although they may confine our flesh. CHRIST and faith are- spiritual, and therefore prisons and banishments cannot hinder-their intercourse. Even when persecution and fear have shut the doors, CHRIST can come in, and stand in the midst, and say," Peace be unto you." It is not the place that gives the rest, but the presence and beholding of CHRIST in it. If the SON of God will walk with us in it, we may walk safely in the midst of those flames which shall devour those that cast us in. Why then keep thy soul above with CHRIST; be as little as may be out of his company, and then all conditions will be alike to thee. What made MOSES "choose affliction with the people of GOD, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season He had respect to the recompence of reward." Yea, our. LORD himself did fetch his encouragements to sufferings from the foresight of his glory "For to this end he both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be the LORD both of the dead and living." (Rom. 14: 9.) "Even Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of GOD."

 

 6. Consider, It is he that has his conversation in heaven, who is the profitable Christian to all about him. With him you may take sweet counsel] and go up to the celestial house of GOD. When a man is in a strange country, far from home, how glad is he of the company of one of his own nation! How delightful is it to them to talk of their country, of their acquaintance, and the affairs of their home! Why, with a heavenly Christian thou mayest have such discourse; for he has been there in the spirit, and can tell thee of the glory and rest above. To discourse with able men, of clear understandings, about the difficulties of religion, yea, about languages and sciences, is both pleasant and profitable; but nothing to this heavenly discourse of a believer. O how refreshing are his expressions! How his words pierce the heart! How they transform the hearers! " How doth his doctrine drop as the rain, and his speech distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass; while his tongue is expressing the name of the Lord, and ascribing greatness to his GOD!" This is the man who is as Jon, "when the candle of GOD did shine upon his head, and when by his light he walked through darkness; when the secret of God was upon his tabernacle, and when the ALMIGHTY was yet with him then the ear that heard him did bless him, and the eye that saw him gave witness to him." (Job 29: 3-5, 1l.) Happy the people that have a heavenly Minister! Happy the children and servants that have a heavenly father or master! Happy the man that has heavenly associates; if they have but hearts to know their happiness! This is the companion, who will watch over thy ways; who will strengthen thee when thou art weak; who will cheer thee when thou art drooping, and comfort thee with the same comforts wherewith he has been so often comforted himself. This is he that will be blowing the spark of thy spiritual life, and always drawing- thy soul to God, and will be saying to thee, as the Samaritan woman, "Come, and see one that has told me all that ever I did;" one that has ravished my heart with his beauty; one that has loved our souls to the death. Is not this the CHRIST Is not the knowledge of GOD and him eternal life Is it not the glory of the saints to see his glory If thou travel with this man on the way, he will be directing and quickening thee in thy journey to heaven; if thou be buying or selling, or trading with him in the world, he will be counseling thee to lay out for the inestimable treasure; if thou wrong him, he can pardon thee, remembering that CHRIST has not only pardoned. great offences to him, but will also give him this invaluable portion. This is the Christian of the right stamp; this is the servant that is like his LORD; these be the innocent that save the island, and all about them are the better where they dwell. I fear the men I have described are very rare; -but were it not for our shameful negligence, such men might we all be

 

CHAPTER 3:

 

Containing some Hindrances of Heavenly-mindedness.

 

 As thou valuest the comforts of a heavenly conversation, I here charge thee from GOD to beware most carefully of these impediments.

 

 1. The first is, The living in a known sin. Observe this. What havoc will this make in thy soul! O the joys that this has destroyed! The blessed communion with GOD that this has interrupted! The ruins it has made amongst men's graces! The duties that it has hindered! And above all others, it is an enemy to this great duty.

 

 I desire thee in the fear of God, stay here a little, and search thy heart. Art thou one that has used violence with thy conscience Art thou a willful neglecter of known duties, either public or private Art thou a slave to thine appetite, in eating or drinking, or to any other commanding sense Art thou a seeker of thine own esteem, and a man that must needs have men's good opinion Art thou a peevish or passionate person, ready to take fire at every word, or every supposed slight Art thou a deceiver of others in thy dealing; or one that has set thyself to rise in the world Not to speak of greater sins, which all take notice of. If this be thy case, I dare say heaven and thy soul are very great strangers; I dare say thou art seldom with God, and there is little hope it should be better, as long as thou continuest in these transgressions: these beams in thine eyes will not suffer thee to look to heaven; these will be a cloud between thee and GOD. How shouldest thou take comfort from heaven, who takest so much pleasure in the lusts of thy flesh Every willful sin will be to thy comforts as water to fire when thou thinkest to quicken them, this will quench them; when thy heart begins to draw near to God, this will presently fill thee with doubting. Besides, it doth utterly indispose thee, and disable thee to this work: when thou shouldest wind up thy heart to heaven, it is biased another way; it is entangled, and can no more ascend in divine meditation, than the bird can fly whose wings are clipped, or that is taken in the snare. Sin doth cut the very sinews of the soul; therefore I say of this heavenly life, as MR. BOLTON says of prayer:’' Either it will make thee leave sinning, or sin will make thee leave it," and that quickly too; for these cannot continue together. If heaven and hell can meet together, then mayest thou live in thy sin, and in the tastes of glory. If therefore thou find thyself guilty, never doubt but this is the cause. that estrangeth thee from heaven; and take heed lest it keep, out thee, as it keeps out thy heart. Yea, if thou be a man that hitherto hast escaped, and knowest no reigning sin in thy soul, yet let this warning move thee to prevention, and stir up a dread of this danger in thy spirit. Especially resolve to keep from the occasions of sin, and, as much as possible, out of the way of temptations.

 

 2. A second hindrance carefully to be avoided, is, an earthly mind: for you may easily conceive, that this cannot stand with a heavenly mind. GOD and mammon, earth and heaven, cannot both have the delight of thy heart. This makes thee like ANSELM's bird, with a stone tied to the foot; which, as oft as she took flight, did pluck her to the earth again. If thou be a man that has fancied to thyself some happiness to be found on earth, and beginnest to taste a sweetness in gain, and to aspire after a higher estate, and art driving on thy design; believe it, thou art marching with thy back upon CHRIST, and art posting apace from this heavenly life. Has not the world that from thee, which GOD has from the believer When he is blessing himself in GOD, and rejoicing in hope of the glory to come, then thou art blessing thyself in thy prosperity.

 

 It may be thou holdest on thy course of duty, and prayest as oft as thou didst before; it may be thou keepest in with good Ministers, and with good men, and seemest as forward in religion as ever: but what is all this to the purpose Mock not thy soul, man; for GOD will not be mocked. Thine earthly mind may consist with thy common duties; but it cannot consist with this heavenly duty. I need not tell thee this, if thou wouldest not be a traitor to thy own soul: thou knowest thyself how seldom and cold, how cursory and strange thy thoughts have been of the joys hereafter, ever since thou didst trade so eagerly for the world.

 

 Methinks I even perceive thy conscience stir now, and tell thee plainly, that this is thy case. Hear it, man! O hear it now;.lest thou hear it in another manner when thou wouldest be full loath. O the cursed madness of many that seem to be religious, who thrust themselves into the multitude of employments, and think they can never have business enough, until they are so loaded with labors, and clogged with cares, that their souls are as unfit to converse with GOD, as a man to walk with a mountain on his back. And when all is done, and they have lost that heaven they might have had upon earth, they take up a few rotten arguments to prove it lawful, and then they think that they have salved all. They miss not the pleasures of this heavenly life, if they can but quiet their consciences, while they fasten upon lower and baser pleasures.

 

 For thee, O Christian, who hast tasted of these pleasures, I advise thee, as thou valuest their enjoyment, as ever thou wouldest taste of them any more, take heed of this gulf of an earthly mind: for if once thou comest to this, that " thou wilt be rich, thou fallest into temptation, and a snare, and into divers foolish and hurtful lusts." Keep these things, as thy upper garments, still loose about thee, that thou mayest lay them by whenever there is cause but let God and glory be next thy heart; yea, as the very blood and spirit by which thou livest: still remember that of the SPIRIT, " The friendship of the world is enmity with God: whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God." And, "Love not the world, nor the things of the world: if any man love the world, the love of the FATHER is not in him." This is plain dealing; and happy he that faithfully receives it.

 

 3. A third hindrance which I must advise thee to beware, is, the company of ungodly and sensual men. Not that I would dissuade thee from necessary converse, or from doing them any office of love: nor would I have thee conclude them to be dogs and swine, that so thou mayest evade the duty of reproof; nor yet to judge them such at all, before thou art certain they are such indeed. But it is the unnecessary society of ungodly men, and familiarity with unprofitable companions, though they be not so apparently ungodly, that I dissuade you from. It is not only the open profane, the swearer, the drunkard, that will prove hurtful to us; but dead-hearted formalists, or persons merely civil and moral, or whose conference is empty, unsavory, and barren, may much divert our thoughts from heaven. As mere idleness and forgetting GOD will keep a soul as certainly from heaven, as a profane, licentious, fleshly life; so also will useless company as surely keep our hearts from heaven, as the company of men more dissolute and profane. Alas, our dullness and backwardness are such, that we have need of the most constant and powerful helps; a clod or a stone that lies on the earth is as prone to arise and fly in the air, as our hearts are to move towards heaven. You need not hold them from flying up to the skies; it is sufficient if you do not help them. If our spirits have not great assistance, they may easily be kept from flying aloft, though they never should meet with the least impediment. O think of this in the choice of your company: when your spirits need no help to lift them up, but as the flames, you are always mounting upward, and carrying with you all that is in your way, then you may indeed be less careful of your company; but, until then, be careful therein. As it is reported of a LORD, that was near his death, and the doctor that prayed with him read over the Litany; " For all women laboring with child, for all sick persons, and young children," &c. " From lightning and tempest.; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death." Alas, says he, what is this to me, who must presently die So mayest thou say of such men's conference, Alas, what is this to me, who must shortly be in rest What will it advantage thee to a life with GOD, to hear where the fair is such a day, or how the market goes, or what weather it is, or is like to be, or when the moon changed, or what news is stirring What will it conduce to the raising thy heart God ward, to hear that this is an able Minister, or that an able Christian, or that this was an excellent sermon, or that is an excellent book; to hear a discourse of baptisms, ceremonies, the-order of GOD’s decrees, or other such controversies of great difficulty, and less importance Yet this, for the most part, is the sweetest discourse that you are likely to have of a formal dead-hearted professor. If thou hadst newly been warming thy heart with the joys above, would not this discourse quickly freeze it again I appeal to the judgment of any man that has tried it, and maketh observations on the frame of his spirit.

 

 4. A fourth hindrance to heavenly conversation, is, disputes about lesser truths, and especially when a man's religion lies only in his opinions; a sure sign of an unsanctified soul. If sad examples be regarded, I need say the less upon this. It is legibly written in the faces of thousands; it is visible in the complexion of our diseased nation. They are men least acquainted with a heavenly life, who are the violent disputers about the circumstantials of religion: he whose religion is all in his opinions, will be most frequently and zealously speaking his opinions; and he whose religion lies in the knowledge and love of God in CHRIST, of that time when he shall enjoy GOD and CHRIST. As the body doth languish in consuming fevers, when the native heat abates within, and an unnatural heat inflaming the external parts succeeds; so when the zeal of a Christian doth leave the internals of religion, and fly to externals, or inferior things, the soul must needs consume and languish. Yea, though you were sure your opinions were true, yet when the chief of your zeal is turned thither, and the chief of your conference there, laid out, the life of grace decays within.

 

 Therefore let me advise you that aspire after this joyous life, spend not your thoughts, your time, your zeal, or your speeches, upon quarrels that less concern your souls but when others are feeding on husks or shells, or on this heated food which will burn their lips, far sooner than warm and strengthen their hearts; then do you feed on the joys above. I could wish you were all understanding men, able to defend every truth of GOD; but still I would have the chief to be chiefly studied, and none to shoulder out your thoughts of eternity: the least controverted points are usually most weighty, and of most necessary use to our souls.

 

 5, As you value the comforts of a heavenly life, take heed of a proud and lofty spirit. There is such an antipathy between this sin and God, that thou wilt never get thy heart near him, as long as this prevaileth in it. If it cast the angels from heaven that were in it, it must needs keep thy heart estranged from it. If it cast our first parents out of paradise, and separated between the LORD and us, it must needs keep our hearts from paradise, and increase the cursed separation from our God. The delight of GOD is a humble soul, even him that is contrite, and trembleth at his word; and the delight of a humble soul is in GOD: and sure where there is mutual delight, there will be freest admittance, and heartiest welcome, and most frequent converse. Well then; art thou a man of worth in thine own eyes, and very tender of thine esteem with others Art thou one that much valuest applause, and feelest delight when thou Nearest of thy great esteem with men; and art dejected when thou nearest that men slight thee Dost thou love those most who best honor thee;. and doth thy heart bear a grudge at those that thou thinkest undervalue thee Wilt thou not be brought to shame thyself, by humble confession, when thou hast sinned against God, or injured thy brother Art thou one that honorest the rich, and thinkest thyself somebody if they value and own thee; but lookest strangely at the poor, and art almost ashamed to be their companion. Art thou unacquainted with the deceitfullness and wickedness of thy heart or knowest thyself to be vile only by reading, not by feeling thy vileness Art thou readier to defend thyself and maintain thine innocency, than to accuse thyself, or confess thy fault Canst thou hardly hear a close reproof, or plain dealing, without difficulty and distaste Art thou readier in thy discourse to teach than to learn; and to dictate to others, than to hearken to their instructions Art thou bold and confident of thy own opinions, and little suspicious of the weakness of thy understanding But a slighter of the judgment of all that are against thee. Is thy spirit more disposed to command than to obey Art thou ready to censure the doctrine of thy teachers, the actions of thy rulers,-and the persons of thy brethren; and to think, if thou wert a Judge, thou wouldest be more just; or if thou wert a Minister, thou wouldest be more fruitful and more faithful If these symptoms be in thy heart, beyond doubt thou art a proud person. Thou art abominably proud; there is too much of hell abiding in thee, for thee to have any acquaintance at heaven: thy soul is too like the Devil, to have any familiarity with God.

 

 I entreat you be very jealous of your souls on this point; there is nothing will more estrange you from GOD; I speak the more of it, because it is the most common and dangerous sin, and most promoting the great sin of infidelity: you would little think what humble carriage, what exclaiming against pride, what self-accusing, may stand with this devilish sin of pride. O Christian, if thou wouldest live continually in the presence of thy LORD, and he in the dust, he would thence take thee up; descend first with him into the grave, and thence thou mayest ascend with him to glory. Learn of him to be meek and lowly, and then thou mayest taste of this rest to thy soul. Thy soul else will be 11 as the troubled sea, which cannot' rest: “ and instead of these sweet delights in GOD, thy pride will fill thee with perpetual disquietness.

 

 6. Another impediment to this heavenly life, is, laziness, and slothfullness of spirit: and I verily think for knowing men, there is nothing hinders more than this., If it were only the exercise of the body, the moving of the lips, the bending of the knee; then men would as commonly step to Heaven, as they go a few miles to visit a friend yea, if it were to spend our days in numbering beads, and repeating certain words and prayers, or in the outward parts of duties commanded by God, yet it were comparatively easy. Further, if it were only in the exercise of parts and gifts, it were easier to be heavenly-minded. But it is a work more difficult than all this: to separate our thoughts and affections from the world; to draw forth all our graces in their order, and exercise each on its proper object; to hold them to this, until the work doth thrive and prosper in their hands; this is the difficult task. Heaven is above thee, the way is upwards: dost thou think, who art a feeble sinner, to travel daily this steep ascent without a great deal of labor 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 the hill, and looking toward the top; and wishing we were there, would serve the turn, then we should have daily travelers for heaven. But " the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." There must be violence used to get the 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 Dost thou find it easy to dwell in the delights above It is true the work is sweet, and no condition on earth so desirable; but therefore it is that our hearts are so backward, especially in the beginning, until we are acquainted with it. O how many, who can easily bring their hearts to ordinary duties, as reading, hearing, praying, conferring, could never yet, in all their lives, bring them, and keep them to a heavenly contemplation one half hour together! Consider here, reader, as before the Loin, whether this be not thine own case. Thou hast known that heaven is all thy hopes; thou knowest thou must shortly be turned hence, and that nothing below can yield thee rest; thou knowest also, that a strange heart, a seldom and careless thinking of heaven, can fetch but little comfort thence; and dost thou yet for all this let slip thy opportunities, when thou shouldest walk above, and live with GOD Dost thou commend the sweetness of a heavenly life, and yet didst never once try it thyself But as the sluggard, that stretched himself on his bed, and cried, O that this were working; so dost thou live at thy ease, and say, O that I could get my heart to heaven! How many read books, and hear sermons, in expectation to hear of some easy course, or to meet with a shorter cut to comforts, than ever they are like to find

 

 And if they can hear of none from the preachers of truth, they will snatch it with rejoicing from the teachers of falsehood; and presently applaud the excellency of the doctrine, because it has fitted their lazy temper; and think there is no other doctrine will comfort the soul, because it will not comfort it with hearing and looking on. And while they pretend enmity only to the Law, they oppose the easier conditions of the Gospel, and cast off the burden which all must bear that, find rest to their souls. The LORD of light, and Spirit of comfort, show these men in time a surer way for lasting comfort! It was an established law among the Argi, that if a man were perceived to be idle and lazy, he must give an account before the magistrate, how he came by his victuals and maintenance: and sure, when I see these men lazy in the use of GOD’s appointed means for comfort, I cannot but question how they came by their comforts: I would they would examine it thoroughly themselves; for GOD will require an account of it from them. Idleness, and not improving the truth in painful duty, is the common cause of men's seeking comfort from error: even as the people of Israel, when they had no comfortable answer from GOD, because of their own sin and neglect, would run to seek it from the idols of the heathens: so when men are false-hearted, and the Spirit of Truth denies them comfort, because they deny him obedience, they will seek it from a lying Spirit.

 

 My advice to such a lazy sinner, is this: as thou art convicted that this work is necessary to thy comfort, so resolvedly set upon it: if thy heart draw back, and be indisposed, force it on with the command of reason; and if thy reason begin to dispute the work, force it with producing the command of GOD; and quicken it with the consideration of thy necessity, and the other motives before propounded: and let the enforcements that brought thee to the work, be still in thy mind to quicken thee in it. Do not let such an incomparable treasure he before thee, while thou liest still with thy hand in thy bosom: let not thy life be a continual vexation, which might be a continual feast; and all because thou wilt not be at the pains. When thou hast once tasted the sweetness of it, and a little used thy heart to the work, thou wilt find the pains thou, takest abundantly recompensed. Only sit not still with a disconsolate spirit, while comforts grow before thine eyes. Neither is it a few formal, lazy, running thoughts, that will fetch thee this consolation from above; no more than a few lazy, formal words will prevail with GOD instead of fervent prayer. I know CHRIST is the fountain; and I know this, as every other gift, is of GOD: but yet, if thou ask my advice how to obtain these waters of consolation, I must tell thee, there is something also for thee to do the Gospel has its conditions, and works, though not such impossible ones as the Law. CHRIST has his yoke and his burden, though easy, and thou must take it up, or thou wilt never find rest to thy soul. I know so far as you are spiritual, you need not all this striving and violence, but that is but in part, and in part you are carnal; and as long as it is so, there is no talk of ease. It was the Parthians' custom, that none must give their children any meat in the morning, before they saw the sweat on their faces; and you shall find this to be GOD’s most usual course, not to give his children the taste of his delights, until they begin to sweat in seeking after them. Therefore lay them both together, and judge whether a heavenly life, or thy ease, be better; and make the choice accordingly. Yet this, let me say, Thou needest not expend thy thoughts more than now thou dost; it is but only to employ them better. I press thee not to busy thy mind much more than thou doest; but to busy it upon better and more pleasant objects. Employ but so many serious thoughts every day upon the excellent glory of the life to come, as thou now employest on the affairs in the world; nay, as thou daily losest on vanities; and thy heart will be at heaven in a Short space.

 

 7. It is also a dangerous hindrance, to content ourselves with the mere preparatives to this heavenly life, while we are strangers to the life itself: when we take up with the mere studies of heavenly things, and the notions and thoughts of them in our brain, or the talking of them with one another, as if this were all that makes us heavenly people. There is none in more danger of this snare, than those that are much in public duty, especially Preachers of the Gospel. O how easily may they be deceived here, while they do nothing more than read of heaven, and study of heaven, and preach of heaven, and pray, and talk of heaven What, is not this the heavenly life O that GOD would reveal to our hearts the danger of this snare! Alas! all this is but mere preparation: this is not the life we speak of, though it is a help thereto. I entreat every one of my brethren in the ministry, that they search and watch against this temptation: this is but gathering the materials, and not the erecting the building: this is but gathering manna for others, not eating and digesting ourselves; as he that sits at home may study geography, and draw most exact descriptions 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: if you should study of nothing but heaven while you lived, and preach of nothing but heaven to your people, yet might your own hearts be strangers to it; we are under a more subtle temptation than other men, to draw us from this heavenly life: if our employments lay at a greater distance from heaven, we should not be so apt to be thus deluded; but when we find ourselves employed upon nothing else, we are easier drawn to take up here studying and preaching of heaven is liker to a heavenly life, than thinking and talking of the world is; and the likeness is it that may 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 it.

 

 CHAPTER 4:

 

Some General Helps to this Heavenly-mindedness.

 

 HAVING thus showed thee what hindrances will resist thee in the work; I shall now lay down some positive helps. But first, I expect that thou resolve against the fore mentioned impediments, that thou read them seriously, and avoid them faithfully, or else thy labor will be all in vain; thou dost but go about to reconcile light and darkness, CHRIST and BELIAL, heaven and hell, in thy spirit: I must tell thee also, that I expect thy promise, faithfully to set upon the helps which I prescribe thee, and that the reading of them will not bring heaven into thy heart, but in their constant practice, the SPIRIT will do it.

 

 As thou valuest, then, these foretastes of heaven, make conscience of performing these following duties:

 

 1. Know heaven to be the only treasure, and labor to know what a treasure it is; be convinced that thou hast no other happiness, and be convinced what happiness is there. If thou dost not soundly 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 operation.

 

 2. Labor as to know heaven to be the only happiness, so also to be thy happiness. Though the knowledge of excellency and suitableness may stir up that love which worketh by desire; yet there must be the knowledge of our interest or propriety, to the setting at work our love of complacency. 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 obtainment to be but probable; but we can never delightfully rejoice in it, until we are persuaded of our title to it. What comfort is it to a man that is naked, to see the rich attire of others Or, to a man that has not a bit to put in his mouth, to see a feast which he must not taste of What delight has a man that has 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 misery So, for a man to know the excellencies of heaven, and not to know whether he shall ever enjoy them, may well raise desire to seek it, but it will raise but little joy and content.

 

 3. Another help to the foretaste of rest is this: Labor to apprehend how near it is; think seriously of its speedy approach. That which we think is near at hand, we are more sensible of, than that which we behold at a distance. When we hear of war or famine in another country, it troubleth us not so much; or if we hear it prophesied of a long time hence: so if we hear of plenty a great way off, or of a golden age that shall fall out, who knows when, this never rejoiceth us. But if judgments or mercies draw near, then they affect us. This makes men think on heaven so insensibly, because they conceit it at a great distance: they look on it as twenty, or thirty, or forty years off;, and this is it that dulls their sense. As wicked men are fearless and senseless of judgment, because the sentence is not speedily executed; so are the good deceived of their comforts, by supposing them farther off than they are. How much better were it to receive the sentence of death in ourselves, and to look on eternity as near at hand Surely, Reader, thou standest at the door, and hundreds of diseases are ready waiting to open the door and let thee in. Are not the thirty or forty years of thy life that are past, quickly gone Are they not a very little time when thou lookest back on them And will not all the rest be shortly so too Do not days and nights come very thick Dost thou not feel that building of flesh to shake, and perceive thy house of clay to totter Look on thy glass, see how it runs: look on thy watch, how fast it getteth; what a short moment is between us and our rest; what a step is it from hence to everlastingness While I am thinking and writing of it, it hasteth near, and I am even entering into it before I am aware. While thou.art reading this, it posteth on, and thy life will be gone as a tale that is told. Mayest thou not easily foresee thy dying time, and look upon thyself as ready to depart It is but a few days until thy friends shall lay thee in the grave, and others do the like for them. If you verily believed you should die tomorrow, how seriously would you think of heaven to night The true apprehensions of the nearness of eternity, doth make men's thoughts of it quick and piercing; put life into their fears and sorrows, if they be unfit; and into their desires and joys, if they have assurance of its glory.

 

 4. Another help to this is, to be much in serious discoursing of it, especially with those that can speak from their hearts. It is pity,' says MR. BOLTON, that Christians should ever meet together, without some talk of their meeting in heaven: it is pity so much precious time is spent in vain discourses and useless disputes, and not a sober word of heaven.' Methinks we should meet together on purpose to warm our spirits with discoursing of our rest. To hear a Minister, or private Christian, set forth that glorious state, with power and life from the promises of the Gospel, methinks should make us say, as the two disciples, a Did not our hearts burn within us, while he was opening to us the Scripture " While he was opening to us the windows of heaven Get then together, fellow Christians, and talk of the affairs of your country and kingdom, and comfort one another with such words. This may make our hearts revive within us, as it did JACOB'S to hear the message that called him to Goshen, and to see the chariots that should bring him to JOSEPH. O that we were furnished with skill and resolution to turn the stream of men's common discourse to these more sublime and precious things! And when men begin to talk of things unprofitable, that we could tell how to put in a word for heaven.

 

 5. Another help is this, make it thy business in every duty, to wind up thy affections nearer heaven. A man's attainments from GOD are answerable to his own desires and ends; that which- he sincerely seeks, he finds; GOD’s end in the institution of his ordinances was, that they be as so many stepping-stones to our rest, and as the stairs by which (in subordination to CHRIST) we may daily ascend unto it in our affections: let this be thy end in using them, as it was GOD’s end in ordaining them; and doubtless they will not be unsuccessful. Men that are separated by sea and land, can yet by letters carry on great trades, even to the value of their whole estate. And may not a Christian in the wise improvement of duties, drive on this happy trade for rest’ Come not, therefore, with any lower ends to duties: renounce formality, customariness, and applause. When thou kneelest down in secret or public prayer, let it be in hope to get thy heart nearer GOD, before thou risest off thy knees. When thou openest thy Bible or other books, let it be with this hope, to meet with some passage of divine truth, and some such blessings of the SPIRIT with it, as may raise thy affections nearer heaven. When thou art setting thy foot out of thy door to go to the public worship, say, I hope to meet with somewhat from GOD, that may raise my affections before I return; I hope the SPIRIT will give me the meeting, and sweeten my heart with those celestial delights; I hope that CHRIST will appear to me in the way, and shine about me with light from heaven, and let me hear his instructing and reviving voice, and cause the scales to fall from mine eyes, that I may see more of that glory than I ever yet saw; I hope before I return to my house, my LORD will take my heart in hand, and bring it within the view of rest, and set it before his FATHER'S presence, that I may return, as the shepherds from the heavenly vision, glorifying and praising GOD. Remember, also, to pray for thy teacher, that GOD would put some divine message into his mouth, which may leave a heavenly relish on thy spirit.

 

If these were our ends, and this our course when we set to duty, we should not be so strange as we are to heaven.

 

 6. Another help is thus: Make an advantage of every object thou seest, and of every passage of divine providence, and of every thing that befalls in thy labor and calling, to mind thy soul of its approaching rest. As all providences and creatures are means to our rest, so do they point us to that as their end. Every creature has the name of God and of our final rest written upon it, which a considerate believer may as truly discern, as he can read upon a hand in a cross way, the name of the town or city it points to. This spiritual use of creatures and providences is GOD’s great end in bestowing them on man; and he that overlooks this end, must needs rob God of his chief praise, and deny him the greatest part of his thanks. This relation that our present mercies have to our great eternal mercies, is the very quintessence and spirit of all these mercies; therefore do they lose the very spirit of all their mercies, and take nothing but the husks, who overlook this relation, and draw not forth the sweetness of it in their contemplations. GOD’s sweetest dealings with us would not be half so sweet as they are, if they did not intimate some further sweetness. As ourselves have a fleshly and a spiritual substance, so have our mercies a fleshly and a spiritual use, and are fitted to the nourishing of both our parts. He that receives the carnal part, and no more, may have his body comforted by them, but not his soul. O therefore, that Christians were skilled in this art! You can open your Bibles, and read there of GOD and of glory: O learn to open the creatures, and the several passages of providence, to read of GOD and glory there. Certainly by such a skilful improvement, we might have a fuller taste of CHRIST and heaven, in every bit we eat, and in every draught we drink, than most men have in the use of the sacrament.

 

 If thou prosper in the world, let it make thee more sensible of thy perpetual prosperity: if thou be weary of thy labors, let it make thy thoughts of rest more sweet: if things go cross with thee, let it make thee more earnestly desire that day, when all thy sufferings and sorrows shall cease. Is thy body refreshed with food or sleep Remember the inconceivable refreshings with CHRIST. Dost thou hear any news that makes thee glad Remember what glad tidings it will be to hear the sound of the trump of GOD, and the absolving sentence of CHRIST our Judge. Art thou delighting thyself in the society of the saints Remember the everlasting amiable society thou shalt have with perfected saints in rest. Is God communicating himself to thy spirit Remember that time when thy joy shall be full. Dost thou bear or feel the tempest of wars, or see any cloud of blood arising Remember the day that thou shalt be housed with CHRIST, where there is nothing but calmness and amiable union, and where we shall solace ourselves in perfect peace, under the wings of the Prince of Peace. Thus you may see what advantages to a heavenly life, every condition and creature doth afford us, if we have but hearts to apprehend and improve them.

 

 7. Another singular help is this: Be much in that angelical work of praise. As the most heavenly spirits will have the most heavenly employment, go the more heavenly the employment, the more will it make the spirit heavenly. Though the heart be the fountain of all our actions, yet do those actions, by a kind of reflection, work much on the heart from whence they spring: the like also may be said of our speeches. So that the work of praising GOD, being the most heavenly work, is likely to raise us to the most heavenly temper. This is the work of those saints and angels, and this will be our own everlasting work: if we were more taken up in this employment now, we should be liker to what we shall be then. When ARISTOTLE was asked what he thought of music, he answers, *; that JUPITER did neither sing, nor play on the harp: thinking it an unprofitable art to men, which was no more delightful to GOD. But Christians may better argue from the like ground, that singing of praise is a most profitable duty, because it is, as it were, so delightful to GOD himself, that he has made it his people's eternal work; for "they shall sing the song of MOSES, and the song of the Lamb." As desire, and faith, and hope, are of shorter continuance than love and joy; so also preaching, and prayer, and sacraments, and all means for confirmation, and expression of faith and hope shall cease, when our thanks, and praise, and triumphant expressions of love and joy shall abide for ever. The liveliest emblem of heaven that I know upon earth is, when the people of God, in the deep sense of his excellency and bounty, from hearts abounding with love and joy, join together both in heart and voice, in the cheerful and melodious singing of his praises. Those that deny the use of singing, disclose their unheavenly, inexperienced hearts, as well as their ignorant understandings. Had they felt the heavenly delights, that many of their brethren in such duties have felt, they would have been of another mind. And whereas they are wont to question, whether such delights be genuine, or any better than carnal and delusive Surely, the very relish of GOD and heaven that is in them, the example of the saints in Scripture, whose spirits have been raised by the same duty, and the command of Scripture for the use of this means, one would think, should quickly destroy the controversy. And a man may as truly say of these delights, as of the testimony of the SPIRIT, that they witness themselves to be of GOD.

 

 Little do, we know how we. wrong ourselves, by shutting out of our prayers the praises of God, or allowing them so narrow a room as we usually do. Reader, I entreat thee, remember this: let praises have a larger room in thy duties: keep ready at hand matter to feed thy praise, as well as matter for confession and petition. To this end study the excellencies and goodness of the LORD, as frequently as thy own necessities and vileness; study the mercies which thou hast received, and which are promised; both their own worth, and their aggravating circumstances, as often as thou studiest the sins thou hast committed. O let GOD’s praise be much in your mouths! Seven times a day did DAVID praise him. As he that offereth praise glorifieth GOD, so doth he most rejoice and glad his own soul. " Offer, therefore, the sacrifice of praise continually; in the midst of the Church let us sing his praise."

 

 I confess, to a. man of a languishing body, where the heart faints and the spirits are feeble, the cheerful praising of God is more difficult; because the body is the soul's instrument, and when it lies unstringed, or untuned, the music is likely to be accordingly; yet a spiritual cheerfulness there may be within, and the heart may praise, if not the voice. But- where the body is strong, the spirits lively, and the heart cheerful, and the voice at command, what advantage have such for this heavenly work! With what alacrity may they sing forth praises! O the madness of healthful youth, that lay out this vigor of body and mind upon vain delights, which is so fit for the noblest work of men! And O the sinful folly of many, who drench their spirits in continual sadness, and waste their days in complaints and groans, and so make themselves unfit for this sweet and heavenly work! that when they should join with the people of GOD in his praises, and delight their souls in singing to his name, they are studying their miseries, and so rob GOD of his praise, and themselves of their solace. But the greatest destroyer of our comfort in this duty is, our sticking in the tune and melody, and suffering the heart to be all the while idle, which should perform the chief part of the work.

 

 8. Another thing I will advise you to is this: Be a careful observer of the drawings of the SPIRIT, and fearful of quenching its motions,-of resisting its workings. If ever thy soul get above this earth, and get acquainted with this living in heaven, the SPIRIT of God must be to thee as the chariot to ELIJAH; yea, the very living principle by which thou must move and ascend to heaven. O, then, grieve not thy Guide; quench not thy Life. If thou dost, no wonder if thy soul be at a loss: you little think how much the life of all your graces depends upon your ready and cordial obedience to the SPIRIT. When the SPIRIT urgeth thee to secret prayer, and thou refusest obedience; when he forbids thee a known transgression, and yet thou wilt go on; when he tells thee which is the way, and which not, and thou wilt not regard, no wonder if heaven and thy soul be strange. If thou wilt not follow the SPIRIT, while it would draw thee to CHRIST and to duty, how should it lead thee to heaven, and bring thy heart into the presence of GOD O what bold access shall that soul find in its approaches to the ALMIGHTY, that is accustomed to a constant obeying of the SPIRIT! And how backward, how dull, and strange, and ashamed will he be to these addresses, who has long used to break away from the SPIRIT that would' have guided him! I beseech thee learn well this lesson, and try this course; let not the motions of thy body only, but the thoughts of thy heart, be at the SPIRIT's beck. Dost thou not feel sometimes a strong impulsion to retire from the world, and draw near to GOD O do not thou disobey, but take the offer, and hoist up sail while thou mayest have this blessed gale. When this wind blows strongest, thou goest fastest, either backward or forward. The more of this SPIRIT we resist, the deeper will it wound; and the more we obey, the speedier is our pace; as, he goes heaviest that has the wind in his face, and he easiest that has it in his back.

 

CHAPTER 5: Description of Heavenly Contemplation.

 

 THE main thing intended is yet behind, and that which I aimed at when I set upon this work. All that I have said is but the preparation to this. I once more entreat thee, therefore, as thou art a man that makest conscience of a revealed duty, and that darest not willfully resist the SPIRIT; as thou valuest the high delights of a saint, and as thou art faithful to the peace and prosperity of thine own soul, that thou diligently study the directions following; and that thou speedily and faithfully put them in practice. I pray thee, therefore, resolve, before thou readest any further, and promise here, as before the Lord, that if the following advice be wholesome to thy soul, thou wilt seriously set thyself to the work; and that no laziness of spirit shall take thee off, nor lesser business interrupt thy course, but that thou wilt approve thyself a doer of this word, and not an idle hearer only. Is this thy promise and wilt thou stand to it Resolve, man! and then I shall be encouraged to give thee my advice; only try it thoroughly, and then judge. If in the faithful following of this course, thou dost not find an increase of all thy graces, and art not made more serviceable in thy place; if thy soul enjoy not more fellowship with God, and thy life be not fuller of pleasure, and thou have not comfort readier by thee at a dying hour, and when thou hast greatest need; then throw these directions back in my face, and exclaim against me as a deceiver for ever. Except God should leave thee uncomfortable for a little season, for the more glorious manifestation of his attributes, and thy integrity; and single thee out, as he did JOB, for an example of constancy and patience, which would be but a preparative for thy fuller comfort; certainly God will not forsake this his own ordinance, but will be found of those that thus diligently seek him. GOD has, as it were, appointed to meet thee in this way: do not thou fail to give him the meeting, and thou shalt find by experience that he will not fail.

 

 The duty which I press upon thee so earnestly, I shall now describe: It is the set and solemn acting of all the powers of the soul upon this most perfect object, [rest,] by meditation. I will a little more fully explain the meaning of this description, that so the duty may he plain before thee. 1. The general title that I give this duty is, Meditation.

 

 Not as it is precisely distinguished from cogitation, consideration, and contemplation; but as it is taken in the larger and usual sense for cogitation on things spiritual, and so comprehending consideration and contemplation.

 

 That meditation is a duty of GOD’s ordaining, not only in his written law, but also in nature itself, I never met with the man that would deny; but that it is a duty constantly practiced, I must with sorrow deny. It is, in word, confessed to be a duty by all; but, by the constant neglect, denied by most., And I know not by what fatal security it comes to pass, that men are very tender conscienced towards most other duties, yet as easily overslip this, as if they knew it not to be a duty at all. They that are presently troubled if they omit a sermon, a fast, a prayer in public or in private, yet were never troubled that they have omitted meditation, perhaps all their life-time to this very day; though it be that duty by which all other duties are improved, and by which the soul digesteth truths, and draweth forth their strength for its nourishment. Certainly I think, that as a man is but half an hour taking into his stomach that meat which he must have seven or eight hours to digest; so a man may take into his understanding and memory more truth in one hour, than he is able well to digest in many. Therefore God commanded JOSHUA, "that the book of the law should not depart out of his mouth, but that he should meditate therein day and night; that he might observe to do according to that which is written therein." As digestion is the turning of the food into chyle, and blood, and spirits, and flesh; so meditation, rightly managed, turneth the truths received and remembered into warm affection, raised resolution, and holy conversation. Therefore what good those men are likely to get by sermons or providences, who are unaccustomed to meditation, you may easily judge. And why so much preaching is lost among us, and men can run from sermon to sermon, and yet have such languishing, starved souls, I know no truer cause than their neglect of meditation. 

 

 If men heard one hour, and meditated seven, if they did as constantly digest their sermons as they hear them, they would find another kind of benefit by sermons than the ordinary sort of Christians do. 

 

 But because meditation is a general word, and it is not all meditation that I here intend, I shall therefore lay down the difference whereby this I am urging is discerned from all other sorts of meditation: and the difference is taken from the act, and from the object of it. 1. From the act, which I call the set and solemn acting of all the powers of the soul. 

 

 (1.) I call it the acting of them, for it is action that we are directing you in now, and not dispositions; yet these also are necessarily presupposed. It must be a soul that is qualified for the work, by the supernatural grace of the SPIRIT, which must be able to perform this heavenly exercise. It is the work of the living, and not of the dead; it is a work of all other the most spiritual, and therefore not to be well performed by a heart that is merely carnal.

 

 (2.) I call this meditation the acting of the powers of the soul, meaning the soul as rational. It is the work of the soul; for bodily exercise doth here profit but little. The soul has its labor and its ease, its business and its idleness, as well as the body; and diligent students are usually as sensible of the labor and weariness of their spirits, as they are of that of the members of the body. This action of the soul is it I persuade thee to.

 

 (3.) I call it the acting of ALL the powers of the soul, to difference it from the common meditation of students, which is usually the mere employment of the brain. It is not a bare thinking that I mean, nor the mere use of invention or memory, but a business of a higher and more excellent nature.

 

 The understanding is not the whole soul, and therefore cannot do the whole work. As God has made several parts in man, to perform their several offices for his nourishing and life; so has he ordained the faculties of the soul to perform their several offices for his spiritual life: so the understanding must take in truths, and prepare them for the will, and it must receive them, and commend them to the affections. The best digestion is in the bottom of the stomach: the affections are, as it were, the bottom of the soul; and therefore the best digestion is there. While truth is but a speculation swimming in the brain, the soul has not taken fast hold of it: CHRIST and heaven have various excellencies, and therefore GOD has formed the soul with a power of divers way of apprehending, that so we might be capable of enjoying those excellencies.

 

What good could all the glory of heaven have done us, or what pleasure should we have had in the goodness of God himself, if we had been without the affections of love and joy, whereby we are capable of being delighted in that goodness So also, what strength or sweetness canst thou receive by thy meditations on eternity, while thou dost not exercise those affections which are the senses of the soul, by which it must receive this strength and sweetness

 

 This is it that has deceived Christians in this business. They have thought meditation is nothing but the bare thinking on truths, and the rolling of them in the understanding and memory, when every school-boy can do this.

 

 Therefore this is the great task in hand, and this is the work that I would set thee on: To get these truths from thy head to thy heart; that all the sermons which thou hast heard of heaven, and all the notions thou hast conceived of this rest, may be turned into the blood and spirits of affection, and thou mayest feel them revive thee, and warm thee at the heart, and mayest so think of heaven as heaven should be thought on.

 

 If thou shouldest study nothing but heaven while thou livest, and shouldest have thy thoughts at command, to turn them hither on every occasion, and yet shouldest proceed no further than this; this were not the meditation that I intend. As it is thy whole soul that must possess God hereafter, so must the whole in a lower manner possess him here. I have shown you in the beginning of this Treatise, how the soul must enjoy the Lou]) in glory; to wit, by knowing, by loving, by joying in him: why, the very same way must thou begin thy enjoyment here.

 

 So much as thy understanding and affections are sincerely acted upon GOD, so much dost thou enjoy him and this is the happy work of this meditation: so that you see here is somewhat more to be done, than barely to remember and think of heaven. As running, and such like labors, do not only stir a hand or foot, but strain and exercise the whole body; so doth meditation the whole soul.

 

 As the whole was filled with sin before, so the whole must be filled with God now. As ST. PAUL says of knowledge, and gifts, and faith to remove mountains, that if thou hast all these without love, thou art but " as a sounding brass, or as a tinkling cymbal;" so I may say of the exercise of these, if in this work of meditation thou exercise knowledge, and gifts, and faith of miracles, and not love and joy, thou doest nothing. If thy meditation tends to fill thy note-book with notions and good sayings concerning GOD, and not thy heart with longings after him, and delight in him, for aught I know thy book is as much a Christian as thou.

 

 I call this meditation set and solemn, to difference it from that which is occasional. As there is prayer which is solemn, when we set ourselves wholly to the duty; and prayer which is sudden and short, commonly called ejaculations, when a man, in the midst of other business, doth send up some brief request to GOD; so also there is meditation solemn, when we apply ourselves only to that work; and there is meditation which is short and cursory, when in the midst of our business we have some good thoughts of GOD in our minds. And as solemn prayer is either first set, when a Christian, observing it as a standing duty, doth resolvedly practice it in a constant course; or secondly, occasional, when some unusual occasion doth put us upon it at a season extraordinary: so also meditation.

 

 Now, though I would persuade you to that meditation which is mixed with your common labors, and to that which special occasions direct you to; yet these are not the main things which I here intend: but that you would make it a constant standing duty, as you do hearing, and praying, and reading the Scripture; and that you would solemnly set yourselves about it, and make it for that time your whole work, and intermix other matters no more with it, than you would do with prayer, or other duties.

 

Thus you see what kind of meditation it is that we speak of, viz., the set and solemn acting of all the powers of the soul.

 

 The second part of the difference is drawn from its object, which is rest; or, the most blessed estate of man in his everlasting enjoyment of GOD in heaven. Meditation has a large field to walk in, and has as many objects to work upon as there are matters, and lines, and words in the Scriptures; as there are known creatures in the whole creation; and as there are particular discernible passages of Providence in the government of persons and' actions through the world: but the meditation that I now direct you in, is only of the end of all these, and of these as they refer to that end. It is not a walk from mountains to valleys, from sea to land, from kingdom to kingdom, from planet to planet; but it is a walk from mountains and valleys to the holy Mount Zion; from sea and land to the land of the living; from the kingdoms of this world to the kingdom of saints; from earth to heaven; from time to eternity. It is a walking upon sun, and moon, and stars; it is a walk in the garden and paradise of GOD. It may seem far off, but spirits are quick; whether in the body, or out of the body, their motion is swift; they are not so heavy or dull as these earthly lumps, nor so slow of motion as these clods of flesh. I would not have you cast off your other meditations; but surely as heaven has the pre-eminence in perfection, so should it have the preeminence also in our meditation. That which will make us most happy when we possess it, will make us most joyful when we meditate upon it; especially when-that meditation is a degree of possession, if it be such affecting meditation as I here describe.

 

 You need not here be troubled with fear, lest studying so much on these high matters should make you mad. If I set you to meditate as much on sin and wrath, and to study nothing but judgment and damnation, then you might fear such an issue. But it is heaven, and not hell, that I would persuade you to walk in; it is joy, and not sorrow, that I persuade you to exercise. I would urge you to look on no deformed object, but only upon the ravishing glory of saints, and the unspeakable excellencies of the GOD of glory, and the beams that stream from the face of his SON. Are these sad thoughts Will it distract a man to think of his happiness Will it distract the miserable to think of mercy Or the captive or prisoner to foresee deliverance Neither do I persuade your thoughts to matters of great difficulty, or to study knotty controversies of heaven, or to search out things beyond your reach. If you should thus set your wit upon the tenters, you might be quickly distracted indeed; but it is your affections more than your inventions that must be used in this heavenly employment we speak of. They are truths which are commonly known, which your souls must draw forth and feed upon. The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting, are articles of your creed, and not nicer controversies. Methinks it should be liker to make a man mad, to think of living in a world of woe, to think of abiding among the rage of wicked men, than to think of living with CHRIST in bliss. Methinks, if we be not mad already, it should sooner distract us to hear the tempests and roaring waves, to see the billows, and rocks, and sands, and gulfs, than to think of arriving safe at rest; "but wisdom is justified of all her children." Knowledge has no enemy but the ignorant. This heavenly course was never spoken against by any, but those that never either knew it, or used it. I more fear the neglect of men that do approve it, than the opposition or arguments of any against it. Truth loseth more by loose friends, than by sharpest enemies.