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happier in a change? Is there any thing in this miserable world, that can be worthy to carry you away from the hopes and affectations of blessedness? Have ye not full often complained of the worthlessness and satiety of these poor vanities here below? Have ye not found their promises false, their performances unsatisfactory, their disappointment irksome? Away then, ye frivolous temptations, and solicit those minds that are low and empty, like yourselves. As for me, I disdain your motions; and, being taken up with higher employments, scorn to descend to your base suggestions, which tend to nothing but mere earthliness.

But as there is no fire which will not go out if it be not fed, it cannot be enough that thou hast entertained these gracious resolutions, unless thou dost also supply and nourish them, with holy meditations, devout prayers, continual ejaculations, and the due frequenting of all the holy ordinances of thy God: without which, if they shall languish through thy neglect, thou shalt find double more work and difficulty in reviving them, than there could have been in maintaining and upholding them in their former vigour. Be not, therefore, wanting to thyself in the perpetual exercise and improvement of all those holy means, that may further and perfect these heavenly longings after salvation: thy God shall not be wanting to thee, in blessing thee with an answerable success.

SECTION XI.

It is the just praise of the marvellous bounty of thy God, O my soul, that " he will fulfil the desires of them that fear him." If, therefore, thou canst hunger and thirst after righteousness, if thy heart can yearn after heaven, he will be sure to satisfy thee with goodness; and not only bring thee home at the last to that land of promised blessedness, but, in the mean time also, put thee into an inchoate fruition of happiness, which is the next degree of thine ascent to heaven.

That which is complete, may be the surest rule of

knowing and judging of that which is imperfect. Wherein doth the perfection of heavenly bliss consist, but in a perpetual enjoying of the presence of God, in a clear vision of the divine essence, in a perfect union with God, and an eternal participation of his life and glory? Now, as grace is glory begun, and glory is grace consummate, so dost thou, O my soul, being wrought to it by the power of the Spirit of thy God, even in this life, how weakly soever, enter upon all these acts and privileges of beatitude. Even here below thou art never out of the presence of thy God, and that presence can never be other than glorious; and that it is not beatifical here, is not out of any deficiency in it, but in thine own miserable incapacity, who, while thou abidest in this vale of tears, and art clogged with this flesh, art no fit subject of so happy a condition.

Yea, that blessed presence is ever comfortably acknowledged by thee, and enjoyed with such contentment and pleasure, that thou wouldst not part with it for a world, and that thou justly accountest all earthly delights but mere vexations to that alone. "Whom have I in heaven,

but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire, beside thee," Psalm lxxiii. 25. Balaam could say, how truly soever, "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh;" but Lord, I see thee even now; I behold thee so nigh to me, that I live in thee, and would rather die than live without thee. I see thee, though weakly and dimly, yet truly and really. I see thee as my God all sufficient, as my powerful Creator, my mercyful Redeemer, my gracious Comforter, I see thee the living God, the Father of lights, the God of spirits; dwelling in light inaccessible; animating, filling, comprehending this glorious world; and do awfully adore thine infiniteness.

Neither do I look at thee with a trembling astonishment, as some dreadful stranger, or terrible avenger; but I behold thy majesty so graciously complying with my wretchedness, that thou admittest me to a blessed union with thee: I take thee at thy word, O dear Saviour, even that sweet word of impetration which thou wert. pleased to utter to thy co-eternal Father, immediately

before thy meritorious passion; "I pray not for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word: that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they may be one in us. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one: and that the world may know, that thou hast sent me; and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me,” John xvii. 20-23. I know thou couldest not but be heard in all that thou prayedst; and, therefore, I take what thou suedst for, as done. Lord, I do believe in thee: unite thou me to thee; make me one spirit with thee. It is no presumption to sue and hope for what thou hast prayed for, and promised to perform. O make me, according to the capability of my weak humanity, partaker of thy divine nature. Vouchsafe to allow me, even me, poor wretched soul, to say of thee," I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine," Cant. vi. 3.

And, by virtue of this indissoluble union, why shouldest thou not, O my soul, find thyself endowed with a blessed participation of that heavenly life and glory, which is in and with him? In that thou art united to thy body, thou impartest to it vegetation, sense, motion; and givest it a share in the exercise of all thy noble faculties: how much more entire and beneficial is the spiritual union of thy God and thee! Alas, that bond of natural conjunction is easily dissolved by ten thousand ways of death; this heavenly knot is so fast tied, that all the powers of hell cannot unloose it. And the blessings communicated to thee by this divine match are so much more excellent, as the infinite Giver of them is above thy meanness. Lo, now thou art actually interested in all that thy God is or hath; his kingdom is thine, his glory is thine, to all eternity.

SECTION XII.

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AND what now can follow, O my soul, upon the hension of thus enjoying the presence of thy God, and

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the vision of so blessed an object, and thine union with him and participation of him; but a sensible ravishment of spirit, with a "joy unspeakable and full of glory?" If some great friend should heretofore have brought me to the court; and, having shewed me the splendour and magnificence of that seat of majesty, should have brought me into the sight of his royal person; and should have procured me, not only a familiar conference with him, but the entire affection of a favourite; and from thence there should have been heaped upon me titles of honour and large revenues, and yet higher, a consociation of princely dignity; how should I have been transported with the sense of so eminent an advancement! great and happy should I have seemed, not more in other's eyes, than in my own! What big thoughts had hereupon swollen up my heart, in the days of my vanity! But, alas, what poor things are these, in comparison with those heavenly promotions! I might have been brought into the stateliest court of this world, and have been honoured, not only with the presence, but the highest favours of the best and greatest of kings; and yet have been most miserable. Yea, which of those monarchs who have the command and dispensation of all greatness, can secure himself from the saddest infelicities? But these spiritual prerogatives are above the reach of all possible miseries, and can and do put thee, in some degree, into an unfailing possession, both real and personal, of eternal blessedness.

I cannot wonder that Peter, when, with the other two disciples upon mount Tabor, he saw the glorious transfiguration of my Saviour, was out of himself for the time and knew not what he said; yet, not thinking himself and his partners any other ways concerned than in the sight of so heavenly a vision, he mentions only three tabernacles, for Christ, Moses, Elias; none for themselves; it was enough for him, if, without doors, he might be still blessed with such a prospect: but how had he been rapt from himself, if he had found himself taken into the society of this wondrous transformation, and interested in the communion of this glory! Thy renovation,

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and the power of thy faith, O my soul, put thee into that happy condition. Thou art spiritually transfigured into the similitude of thy blessed Saviour, shining with his righteousness and holiness; Rom. xii. 2; Eph. iv. 24; so that he is glorified in thee, and thou in him; John xvii. 10; 2 Thes. i. 12;-glorified, not in the fulness of that perfection which will be, but in the pledge and earnest of what shall and must be hereafter.

O then with what unspeakable joy and jubilation, dost thou entertain thy happiness! How canst thou contain thyself any longer within these bounds of my flesh, when thou feelest thyself thus initiated into glory? Art thou in heaven, and knowest it not? Knowest thou not, that he who is within the entry or behind the screen, is as truly within the house, as he who walks in the hall or sits in the parlour? and canst thou pretend to be within the verge of heaven, and not rejoice? What is it that makes heaven, but joy and felicity? Thy very thought cannot separate these two, any more than it can sever the sun and light; for both these are equally the originals and fountains of light and joy; from whence they both flow, and in which both are complete. There is no light which is not derived from the sun, no true joy but from heaven: as, therefore, the nearer to the body of the sun, the more light and heat, so the nearer to heaven, the more excess of joy. And certainly, O my soul, there is nothing but infidelity, can keep thee from an exuberance of joy and delight in the apprehension of heaven.

Can the weary traveller, after he hath measured many tedious miles, and passed many dangers both by sea and land, and felt the harsh entertainments of a stranger, choose but rejoice to draw near, in his return, to a rich and pleasant home? Can the ward, after a hard pupilage, choose but rejoice that the day is coming, wherein he shall freely enjoy all his lordly revenues and royalties? Can a Joseph choose but find himself inwardly joyed, when, out of the dungeon, he shall be called up not to liberty only, but to honour and shall be arrayed with a vesture of fine linen, and graced with Pharaoh's ring and chain, and set in his second chariot, and in the next chair to the

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