8 pitch, he is a glorified and immortal creature: This is life eternal, that they might know thee, and Jefus Christ whom thou haft fent. And, is not the knowledge more noble, according to the excellency of the objects, they being taken up congruoufly? O then! are they not feraphic creatures, whose minds are fet upon the only excellent things? Had we a fight of that furpaffing glory, how would our minds be elevated wonderfully above this base dunghill? how fhould we look down upon the greatest things of earth, as inconfiderable trifles, far below our fublime fpirits? how fhould we trample on crowns and fceptres, yea, many worlds, tho' exiftent, when elevated on our high places, clothed with the · fun, and having the moon under our feet? How fhould we laugh at filly earth worms, crawling over one another with great trouble and vexation? Ah childish fpirits! are you contending and wafting. your inch of time on trifles and fhining nothings? what is the gain, when all your projects are accomplished? Heirs of glory, no wonder you are termed by truth itfelt, the excellent ones of the earth; none of excellent and generous fpirits, but you. The opinion of blind worldlings concerning you is of no value; the excellency, and bafenefs of mankind is not yet laid open; mortality, and its black retinue, obfcure all; a little patience, and the Almighty fhall unmask the whole race of mankind. 12. A clear view of fo great rewards heartens to all duties. Am I The clear fight of the great recompenfe of reward, makes the creature chearful in duty. fo flow in my race, and the matchlefs inheritance at the fake? Cries not my Lord unto me, Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a crown crown of life? Is there fuch a neceffary connexion betwixt a momentary fight, and an everlasting triumph? O the difproportion! who would not fight? who would not wrestle? O let me run to the death! 13. The better we are verfed in the study of hea ven, the more we are fitted for it. Is not grace young glory; and the forethoughts of heaven, a preparation for heaven? even as black nature is a preparation for hell, the height and perfection of wickednefs: a fuitableness is congruous betwixt the creature and its condition. High fpirits are not for bafe, low things; as creeping fpirits are not for high. What things in heaven can delight a carnal foul? Earth, earth, and only earth, is its known object : give him earth, and he defires no more. There is congruity, and difcongruity betwixt the capacity and object': beasts have no uptaking of intellectual things; neither carnal men (termed beafts in fcripture) of the things of God. O fweet! how do the faints smell of glory, before they enter in? May they not fay, Whither Igo, I know, and the way I know? were I ignorant of the world I remove for ever into, could I be thus in fo joyful a frame? my foul is going to the place where my heart is already: I know in whom I have believed, and what is his reward. O joy unspeakable, and full of glory! 14. Noble uptakings of glory, make us in part pofJellors of heaven and glory. Serious meditating on heaven, renders us, in fome manner, poffeffors thereof: Our converfation is in heaven, faith the apoftle; and again,. You are (not to the mount vifible) unto mount Zion, and to the city of the living God. Converfe and prefence is only by benefit of the mind; were we dwelling come dwelling in heaven by faith, we might be faid to be in heaven before we were there; or rather heaven would come down unto our fouls; Chrift and all his glorious train would be intimate unto us. Ο then! we might fay, My company is fweet, my fellowship glorious: he, whofe prefence enlightens, enlivens and beautifies heaven, is ever present with me: I have fet the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, 1 fhall not be moved. A bundle of myrrhe is my Wellbeloved unto me, hefball lie all night betwixt my breafts. O paffing joys and sweetness! the fource of all joys and fweetnefs doth poffefs my heart. Blinded worldlings, you see but the outward garb of fense; faw you what were within, you could not but admire their happiness: the King's daughter is all glorious within. Saw you your own felves in your own genuine colours, ye would run from yourfelves, if it were poffible: hell lodgeth within you, and you know it not: but anon, when the confcience is awakened, ye fhall know it, to your dreadful experience. 15. Heaven is the proper place where all excellency dwells, Should we not then dwell mentally there? As the fields are most pleasant, fertile and beautiful, which lie neareft the perpendicular rays of the fun; fo the more nearly we approach the Sun of righteousness, the more vigorous and lively fhall our condition be: how fhall we bloom and flourish like a tree planted by the rivers of waters? O how beautiful fhall we become, in the eyes of God, angels, and faints! Worldlings, you live in a cold climate; can any thing befal you, except withering and decay? Come hither, this is the funny fide of the world were ye here, ye could not but cry out, The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, yea, I have a goodly heritage. 16. We 16. We are allowed to have our mind no where elfe but in heaven, that only being free of the contagion of fin. To have the mind in heaven is fafe; to let it fall down to earth is most dangerous: moftly from this do Satan, the world, and our vile hearts get fuch advantage against us: this is the place where Satan domineers; to dwell here, implies a fubmiffion to the fceptre of his government. No wonder fo many mischiefs befal earth-worms. Heaven is the faint's proper foil: if ye be wife, O citizens of the new Jerufalem, range not without the borders of your kingdom, left fome evil befal you. 17. According to the excellency of our knowledge, accordingly is the sphere of our activity; and confequently our fitness for doing great things for our Lord's glory. Who are most accomplished for the greatest actions and fufferings for Chrift? Who, but these who are most above? If the study of human fciences renders à man in some measure excellent; what will the ftudy of this hyperphyfical fcience do? all other fciences are fubordinate to this; it being a practic fcience, directing and illuminating our minds, in the right and folid uptaking of all things. Know much of God; and know much of all things. 18. What we know and affect, that we are; if earth, we are earthly; if heavenly, we are heavenly. The difference betwixt faints, and all worldlings, lies much here; as the man is, fo are his thoughts. Do the faculties of thy foul run most out on heaven and glory? Doth heaven more affect thee than earth? Is it the ordinary frame of thy fpirit? O the bleffednefs of thy condition! little canft thou conceive what thou art coming to. But doth thy mind run most upon earth? Is it the moft C moft delightfome object? and is heaven a frem'd and ftrange-like fubject to meditate upon? Is that the ordinary harmony of thy fpirit? O thy dreadful condition! who can conceive it? But thou fhalt know it ere long. And how fweetly and cordially are we invited to come up from this base earth, and partake of that noble fellowship with the Father and the Son? the gates of glory are caft wide open to all; the wells of falvation are not fealed: if you be eternally thrust out, blame yourselves. He complains, exhorts, arguments, Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. Why will ye die? Whosoever will, let him come, and take of the water of life freely. Ah fools! what are ye doing? doubt ye whether to come up or not? what have ye there but broken cifterns? Here, O here, are the fountains, the rivers the oceans of living waters. Beware, Sirs, this become not your eternal complaint, Heaven was wide open, and I would not come in and now, we, wo, wo for evermore! the gates are for ever shut against me. ; 19. It is dangerous to take a fuperficial view of glory, and no more: we are to fearch, and die fearching; fince earth hath fo ftrange a power upon creatures compofed of earth. O heirs of this never-fading glory, need we speak of the things you have a view of, far above all our expreffions? See you not what is inexpreffible? Are you not ravished with the goodness of your lot? Have you not been often upon the top of mount Pifgah, viewing the higher and lower world, the vast difference betwixt the childrens inheritance, and that of the bastards? Have ye not received a taste of the delicious fruits that grow on the tree of life? Have ye not received in your fouls, fome sparkles 3 ་ |