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part of our happiness in heaven, and it is a singular part of our furtherance to it, or hinderance from it.

lowliness will promote their intercourse. When a man is used to be much with God, and taken up in the study of his glorious attributes, he abhors himself in dust and ashes; and that selfabhorrence is his best preparative to obtain ad

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5. (4.) Avoid frequent disputes about lesser truths, and a religion that lies only in opinions. They are usually least acquainted with a heaven-mittance to God again. Therefore, after a soully life, who are 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 and Christ, will be most delightfully speaking of that happy time when he shall enjoy them. He is a rare and precious Christian, who is skilful to improve well-known truths. Therefore let me advise you who aspire after a heavenly life, not to spend too much of your thoughts, your time, your zeal, or your speech, upon disputes that less concern your souls; but while hypocrites are feeding on husks or shells, do you feed on the joys above. I wish you were able to defend every truth of God, and, to this end, would read and study; but still I would have the chief truths to be chiefly studied, and none to cast out your thoughts of eternity. The least controverted points are usually most weighty, and of most necessary, frequent use to our souls. Therefore, study well such scripture precepts as these: 'him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. Foolish and unlearned questions avoid; knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive. Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.'

6. (5.) 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, nor get him near thy heart, as long as this prevaileth in it. If it cast the angels out of heaven, it must needs keep thy heart from heaven. If it cast our first parents out of paradise, and separated between the Lord and us, and brought his curse on all the creatures here below, it will certainly keep our hearts from paradise, and increase the cursed separation from our God. In tercourse with God will keep men low, and that

humbling day, or in times of trouble, when the soul is lowest, it useth to have freest access to God, and savour most of the life above. The delight of God is in him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at his word;' and the delight of such a soul is in God; and where there is mutual delight, there will be freest admittance, heartiest welcome, and most frequent converse. But God is so far from dwelling in the soul that is proud, that he will not admit it to any near access: 'The proud he knoweth afar off. God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.' A proud mind is high in conceit, self-esteem, and carnal aspiring; a humble mind is high, indeed, in God's esteem, and in holy aspiring. These two sorts of high-mindedness are most of all opposite to each other, as we see most wars are between princes and princes, and not between a prince and a ploughman. Well then, art thou a man of worth in thy own eyes? Art thou delighted when thou hearest of thy esteem with men, and much dejected when thou hearest that they slight thee? Dost thou love those best that honour thee, and think meanly of them that do not, though they be otherwise men of godliness and honesty? Must thou have thy humours fulfilled, and thy judgment be a rule, and thy word a law to all about thee? Are thy passions kindled, if thy word or will be crossed? Art thou ready to judge humility to be sordid baseness, and knowest not how to submit to humble confession, when thou hast sinned against God, or injured thy brother? Art thou one that lookest strange at the godly poor, and art almost ashamed to be their companion? Canst thou not serve God in a low place as well as a high? Are thy boastings restrained more by prudence or artifice than humility? Dost thou desire to have all men's eyes upon thee, and to hear them say, 'This is he? Art thou unacquainted with the deceitfulness and wickedness of thy heart? Art thou more ready to defend thy innocence, than accuse thyself or confess thy fault? Canst thou hardly bear a close reproof, or digest plain dealing? If these symptoms be undeniably in thy heart, thou art a proud person. There is too much of hell abiding in thee, to have any acquaintance with heaven; thy soul is too like the devil, to have any familiarity with God. A proud man makes

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himself his god, and sets up himself as his idol; thinking of heaven, can fetch but little comfort how then can his affections be set on God? How thence; and yet dost thou not lose thy opporcan he possibly have his heart in heaven? In-tunities, and lie below, when thou shouldst walk vention and memory may possibly furnish his above, and live with God? Dost thou not comtongue with humble and heavenly expressions, mend the sweetness of a heavenly life, and judge but in his spirit there is no more of heaven than those the best Christians that use it, and yet there is of humility. I speak the more of it, never try it thyself? As the sluggard that because it is the most common and dangerous stretches himself on his bed, and cries, O that sin in morality, and most promotes the great sin this were working! so dost thou talk, and trifle, of infidelity. O Christian! if thou wouldst live and live at thy ease, and say, O that I could continually in the presence of thy Lord, lie in get my heart to heaven! How many read books, the dust, and he will thence take thee up. Learn and hear sermons, expecting to hear of some of him to be meek and lowly, and thou shalt find easier way, or to meet with a shorter course to rest unto thy soul.' Otherwise thy soul will be comfort, than they are ever like to find in scrip'like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose ture. Or they ask for directions for a heavenly waters cast up mire and dirt;' and instead of life, and if the hearing them will serve, they will these sweet delights in God, thy pride will fill be heavenly Christians; but if we show them thee with perpetual disquiet. As he that hum- their work, and tell them they cannot have these bles himself as a little child, shall hereafter be delights on easier terms, then they leave us, as greatest in the kingdom of heaven; so shall he the young man left Christ, sorrowful. If thou now be greatest in the foretastes of that kingdom. art convinced, Reader, that this work is necesGod dwells with a contrite and humble spirit, sary to thy comfort, set upon it resolutely: if to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive thy heart draw back, force it on with the comthe heart of the contrite ones.' Therefore, mand of reason; if thy reason begin to dispute, 'humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and produce the command of God, and urge thy own he shall lift you up.' And when others are cast necessity, with the other considerations suggestdown, then thou shalt say, there is lifting up; ed in the former chapter. Let not such an inand he shall save the humble person.' comparable treasure lie before thee, with thy hand in thy bosom; nor thy life be a continual vexation, when it might be a continual feast, only because thou wilt not exert thyself. Sit not still with a disconsolate spirit, while comforts grow before thine eyes, like a man in the midst of a garden of flowers, that will not rise to get them, and partake of their sweetness. This I know, Christ is the fountain; but the well is deep, and thou must get forth this water before thou canst be refreshed with it. I know, so far as you are spiritual, you need not all this striving and violence; but in part you are carnal, and as long as it is so, there is need of labour. It was a custom of the Parthians, not to give their children any meat in the morning, before they saw the sweat on their faces with some labour. And you shall find this to be God's usual course, not to give his children the tastes of his delights till they begin to sweat in seeking after them. Judge, therefore, whether a heavenly life, or thy carnal ease, be better; and, as a wise man, make thy choice accordingly. Yea, let me add for thy encouragement, thou needest not employ thy thoughts more than thou now dost; it is only to fix them upon better and more pleasant objects. Employ but as many serious thoughts every day upon the excellent glory of the life to come, as thou now dost

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

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

others, thinking it enough that we have daily to do with it, though we never drink for the refreshment of our own souls.

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9. (II.) Having thus showed thee what hinderances will resist thee in the work, I expect that thou wilt resolve against them, consider them seriously, and avoid them faithfully, or else thy labour will be in vain. I must also tell thee, that I here expect thy promise, as thou valuest the delights of these foretastes of heaven, to make conscience of performing the following duties; the reading of which, without their constant practice, will not bring heaven unto thy heart. Particularly, be convinced that heaven is the only treasure and happiness ;-labour to know that it is thy own,-and how near it is ;frequently and seriously talk of it ;-endeavour to raise thy affections nearer to it in every duty; 8. (7.) Contentment with the mere prepara-to the same purpose improve every object and tives to this heavenly life, while we are utter event ;-be much in the angelical work of praise; strangers to the life itself, is also a dangerous-possess thy soul with believing thoughts of and secret hinderance. When we take up with the infinite love of God; carefully observe and the mere study of heavenly things, and the no- cherish the motions of the Spirit of God ;—n tions of them, or the talking with one another even neglect the due care of thy bodily health. about them; as if this were enough to make us 10. (1.) Be convinced that heaven is the only heavenly. None are in more danger of this treasure and happiness, and labour to know what snare, than those that are employed in leading a treasure and happiness it is. If thou do not the devotions of others, especially preachers of believe it to be the chief good, thou wilt never the gospel. O how easily may such be deceived! set thy heart upon it; and this conviction must While they do nothing so much as read and sink into thy affections; for if it be only a notion study of heaven; preach, and pray, and talk of it will have little efficacy. If Eve once supposes heaven; is not this the heavenly life? Alas! she sees more worth in the forbidden fruit, than all this is but mere preparation: this is but col- in the love and enjoyment of God, no wonder lecting the materials, not erecting the building if it have more of her heart than God. If your itself: it is but gathering the manna for others, judgment once prefer the delights of the flesh and not eating and digesting it ourselves. As before the delights of the presence of God, it is he that sits at home may draw exact maps of impossible your heart should be in heaven. countries, and yet never see them, nor travel it is ignorance of the emptiness of things below, toward them, so may you describe to others the that makes men so overvalue them; so it is igjoys of heaven, and yet never come near it in norance of the high delights above, which is the your own hearts. A blind man, by learning, may cause that men so little mind them. If you see dispute of light and colours; so may you set a purse of gold, and believe it to be but counforth to others that heavenly light, which never ters, it will not entice your affections to it. It enlightened your own souls, and bring that fire is not the real excellence of a thing itself, but its from the hearts of your people, which never known excellence, that excites desire. If an warmed your own hearts. What heavenly pas-ignorant man see a book, containing the secrets sages had Balaam in his prophecies, yet how little of it in his spirit! Nay, we are under a more subtle temptation, than any other men, to draw us from this heavenly life. Studying and preaching of heaven more resembles a heavenly life, than thinking and talking of the world does; and the resemblance is apt to deceive us. This is to die the most miserable death, even to famish ourselves, because we have bread on our tables; and to die for thirst, while we draw water for

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of arts or sciences, he values it no more than a common piece, because he knows not what is in it; but he that knows it, highly values it, and can even forbear his meat, drink, and sleep, to read it.

As the Jews killed the Messiah, while they waited for him, because they did not know him; so the world cries out for rest, and busily seeks for delight and happiness, because they know it not; for did they thoroughly know what it is, they could not so slight the everlasting treasure.

11. (2.) Labour also to know that heaven is thy own happiness. We may confess heaven to be the best condition, though we despair of enjoying it; and we may desire and seek it, if we see the attainment but probable; but we can never delightfully rejoice in it, till we are in some measure persuaded of our title to it. What comfort is it to a man that is naked, to see the rich attire of others? What delight is it for a man that hath not a house to put his head in, to see the sumptuous buildings of others? Would not all this rather increase his anguish, and make him more sensible of his own misery? So, for a man to know the excellencies of heaven, and not know whether ever he shall enjoy them, may raise desire, and urge pursuit, but he will have little joy. Who will set his heart on another man's possessions? If your houses, your goods, your cattle, your children, were not your own, you would less mind them, and less delight in them. O Christian! rest not, therefore, till you can call this rest your own: bring thy heart to the bar of trial: set the qualifications of the saints on one side, and of thy soul on the other, and then judge how near they resemble. Thou hast the same word to judge thyself by now, as thou must be judged by at the great day. Mistake not the scripture's description of a saint, that thou neither acquit nor condemn thyself upon mistakes. For as groundless hopes tend to confusion, and are the greatest cause of most men's damnation; so groundless doubts tend to, and are the great cause of, the saint's perplexity and distress. Therefore, lay thy foundation for trial safely, and proceed in the work deliberately and resolutely, nor give over till thou canst say, either thou hast, or hast not yet, a title to this rest. O! if men did truly know, that God is their own Father, and Christ their own Redeemer and Head, and that those are their own everlasting habitations, and that there they must abide and be happy for ever; how could they choose but be transported with the forethoughts thereof! If a Christian could but look upon sun, moon, and stars, and reckon all his own in Christ, and say, 'These are the blessings that my Lord hath procured me, and things incomparably greater than these ;' what holy raptures would his spirit feel! 12. The more do they sin against their own comforts, as well as against the grace of the gospel, who plead for their unbelief, and cherish distrustful thoughts of God, and injurious thoughts of their Redeemer; who represent the covenant as if it were of works, and not of grace: and Christ as an enemy, rather than a Saviour; as if he were willing they should die in their unbe

lief, when he hath invited them so often and so affectionately, and suffered the agonies that they should suffer. Wretches that we are! to be keeping up jealousies of our Lord, when we should be rejoicing in his love. As if any man could choose Christ, before Christ hath chosen him, or any man were more willing to be happy, than Christ is to make him happy. Away with these injurious, if not blasphemous thoughts! If ever thou hast harboured such thoughts in thy breast, cast them from thee, and take heed how thou ever entertainest them more. God hath written the names of his people in heaven, as you use to write your names or marks on your goods; and shall we be attempting to raze them out, and to write our names on the doors of hell? But blessed be God, whose foundation standeth sure; and who 'keepeth us by his power through faith unto salvation!'

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13. (3.) Labour to apprehend how near thy rest is. What we think near at hand, we are more sensible of than that which we behold at a distance. When judgments or mercies are afar off, we talk of them with little concern; but when they draw close to us, we tremble at, or rejoice in them. This makes men think on heaven so insensibly, because they conceit it at too great a distance; they look on it as twenty, thirty, or forty years off. How much better were it to receive the sentence of death in ourselves,' and to look on eternity as near at hand! While I am writing, and thinking of it, it hasteth near, and I am even, entering into it before I am aware. While thou art reading this, whoever thou art, time posteth on, and thy life will be gone ‘as a tale that is told.' If you verily believed you should die to morrow, how seriously would you think of heaven to-night! When Samuel had told Saul, To-morrow shalt thou be with me;' this struck him to the heart. And if Christ should say to a believing soul, 'To-morrow shalt thou be with me;' this would bring him in spirit to heaven beforehand. Do but suppose that you are still entering into heaven, and it will greatly help you more seriously to mind it.

14. (4.) Let thy eternal rest be the subject of thy frequent serious discourse; especially with those that can speak from their hearts, and are seasoned themselves with a heavenly nature. It is great pity Christians should ever meet together, without some talk of their meeting in heaven, or of the way to it, before they part. It is pity so much time is spent in vain conversation, and useless disputes, and not a serious word of heaven among them. Methinks we should meet together on purpose to warm our spirits

with discoursing of our rest. To hear a Chris- | in secret or public prayer, with hope to get thy tian set forth that blessed, glorious state, with heart nearer to God, before thou risest up. life and power, from the promises of the gospel, When thou openest thy Bible, or other book, methinks should make us say, 'Did not our hope to meet with some passage of divine truth, hearts burn within us, while he opened to us the and such blessing of the Spirit with it, as will scriptures?" If a Felix will tremble when he give thee a fuller taste of heaven. When thou hears his judgment powerfully represented, why art going to the house of God, say, 'I hope to should not the believer be revived, when he hears meet with somewhat from God to raise my afhis eternal rest described? Wicked men can fections, before I return; I hope the Spirit will be delighted in talking together of their wicked- give me the meeting, and sweeten my heart with ness; and should not Christians then be delighted those celestial delights; I hope Christ will apin talking of Christ; and the heirs of heaven in pear to me in that way, and shine about me with talking of their inheritance? This may make light from heaven; let me hear his instructing our hearts revive, as it did Jacob's, to hear the and reviving voice, and cause the scales to fall message that called him to Goshen, and to see from my eyes, that I may see more of that glory the chariots that should bring him to Joseph. than I ever yet saw. I hope, before I return, O that we were furnished with skill and resolu- my Lord will bring my heart within the view of tion, to turn the stream of men's common dis- rest, and set it before his Father's presence, that course to these more sublime and precious I may return as the shepherds from the heavenly things! and, when men begin to talk of things vision, “glorifying and praising God, for all the unprofitable, that we could tell how to put in a things I have heard and seen."' When the Inword for heaven, and say, as Peter of his bodily dians first saw that the English could converse food, Not so, for I have never eaten any thing together by letters, they thought there was some that is common or unclean.' O the good that spirit enclosed in them. So would by-standers we might both do and receive by this course! admire when Christians have communion with Had it not been to deter us from unprofitable God in duties-what there is in those scriptures, conversation, Christ would not have talked of in that sermon, in that prayer, that fills their our giving an account of every idle word in the hearts so full of joy, and so transports them day of judgment. Say then, as the Psalmist, above themselves. Certainly God would not when you are in company, Let my tongue cleave fail us in our duties, if we did not fail ourselves. to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem Remember, therefore, always to pray for your above my chief joy. Then you shall find it minister, that God would put some divine mestrue, that a wholesome tongue is a tree of life.' sage into his mouth, which may leave a heavenly 15. (5.) Endeavour, in every duty, to raise thy relish upon your spirit. affections nearer to heaven. God's end in the institution of his ordinances was, that they should be as so many steps to advance us to our rest, and by which, in subordination to Christ, we might daily ascend in our affections. Let this be thy end in using them, and doubtless they will not be unsuccessful. How have you been rejoiced by a few lines from a friend, when you could not see him face to face! And may we not have intercourse with God in his ordinances, though our persons be yet so far remote? May not our spirits rejoice in reading those lines, which contain our legacy and charter for heaven? With what gladness and triumph may we read the expressions of divine love, and hear of our celestial country, though we have not yet the happiness to behold it! Men that are separated by sea and land, can by letters carry on great and gainful trades; and may not a Christian, in the wise improvement of duties, drive on this happy trade for rest? Come then, renounce formality, custom, and applause, and kneel down

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16. (6.) Improve every object and every event, to mind thy soul of its approaching rest. As all providences and creatures are means to our rest, so they point us to that as their end. God's sweetest dealings with us at the present, would not be half so sweet as they are, if they did not intimate some further sweetness. Thou takest but the bare earnest, and overlookest the main sum, when thou receivest thy mercies, and forgettest thy crown. O that Christians were skilful in this art! You can open your Bibles; learn to open the volumes of creation and providence, to read there also of God and glory. Thus we might have a fuller taste of Christ and heaven in every common meal, than most men have in a sacrament. If thou prosper in the world, let it make thee more sensible of thy perpetual prosperity. If thou art weary with labour, let it make the thoughts of thy eternal rest more sweet. If things go cross, let thy desires be more earnest to have sorrows and sufferings for ever cease. Is thy body refreshed with food or

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