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6. This Meditation is upon thy everlasting Reft. I would not have you caft-off your other Meditations; but furely, as Heaven hath the Preeminence in Perfection, it fhould have it alfo in our Meditation. That which will make us moft happy when we poffefs it, will make us moft joyful when we meditate upon it. Other Meditations are as numerous, as there are Lines in the Scripture, or Creatures in the Universe, or particular Providences in the Government of the World. But this is a Walk to Mount Sion; 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, Moon, and Stars, in the Garden and Paradife of God. It may feem far off; but Spirits are quick; whether in the Body, or out of the Body, their Motion is fwift. You need not fear, like the Men of the World, left thefe Thoughts fhould make you mad. It is Heaven, and not Hell, that I perfuade you to walk in. It is Joy, and not Sorrow, that I perfuade you to exercife. I urge you to look on no deformed Objects, but only upon the ravishing Glory of Saints, and the unfpeakable Excellencies of the God of Glory, and the Beams that ftream from the Face of his Son. Will it distract a Man to think of his only Happiness? Will it diftract the miferable to think of Mercy, or the Prifoner to foresee Deliverance, or the Poor to think of approaching Riches and Honour? Methinks it should rather make a Man mad, to think of living in a World of Woe, and abiding in Poverty and Sicknefs, among the Rage of wicked Men; than to think of living with Christ in Blifs. But Wisdom is juftified of all her Children (c). Knowledge hath no Enemy but the Ignorant, This heavenly Courfe was never fpoke against by any, but those that never knew it, or never used

(c) Luke vii. 35.

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it. I fear more the Neglect of Men that approve it, than the Oppofition or Arguments of any against

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$7. (II) As to the fittest Time for this heavenly Contemplation, let me only advise, that it be,ftated frequent,and feasonable.

$8. (1) Give it a fated Time. If thou fuit thy Time to the Advantage of the Work, without placing any Religion in the Time itself, thou haft no need to fear Superftition. Stated Time is a Hedge to Duty, and defends it against many Temptations to Omiffion. Some have not their Time at Command, and therefore cannot fet their Hours; and many are fo poor, that the Neceffities of their Families deny them this Freedom; fuch Perfons fhould be watchful to redeem Time as much as they can, and take their vacant Opportunities as they fall, and especially join Meditation and Prayer, as much as they can, with the Labours of their Callings. Yet thofe that have more Time to fpare from their worldly Neceffities, and are Masters of their Time, I ftill advife, to keep this Duty to a ftated Time. And indeed, if every Work of the Day had its appointed Time, we fhould be better skilled, both in redeeming Time, and in' performing Duty.

§9. (2) Let it be frequent, as well as ftated. How oft it fhould be, I cannot determine, becaufe Men's Circumftances differ. But in general, Scripture requires it to be frequent, when it mentions meditating Day and Night. For thofe, therefore, who can con veniently omit other Bufinefs, I advife, that it be once a Day at leaft. Frequency in heavenly Contemplation is particularly important,

§ 10. To prevent a Shynefs between God and thy Soul. Frequent Society breeds Familiarity, and Familiarity increafes Love and Delight, and makes us

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bold in our Addreffes. The chief End of this Duty is, to have Acquaintance and Fellowship with God, and therefore if thou come but seldom to it, thou wilt keep thyfelf a Stranger ftill. When a Man feels his Need of God, and must seek his Help in a Time of Neceffity, then it is great Encouragement to go to a God we know, and are acquainted with. "O!" faith the heavenly Chriftian, "I know both whither " [ and to whom. I have gone this Way many go, a Time before now. It is the fame God that I "daily converfe with: and the Way has been my daily Walk. God knows me well enough, and I "have fome Knowledge of Him." On the other Side, what a Horror and Difcouragement will it be to the Soul, when it is forced to fly to God in Straits, to think, "Alas! I know not whither to go. I ་ never went the Way before. I have no Ac"quaintance at the Court of Heaven. My Soul "knows not that God that I must speak to, and I "fear He will not know my Soul." But efpecially when we come to die, and muft immediately appear before this God, and expect to enter into his eternal Reft, then the Difference, will plainly appear; then what a Joy will it be to think, "I am going to the "Place that I daily converfed in; to the Place from "whence I tafted fuch frequent Delights; to that "God whom I have met in my Meditation fo often.

My Heart hath been at Heaven before now, and "hath often tafted its reviving Sweetness; and if my "Eyes were fo enlightened, and my Spirits fo re"frefhed, when I had but a Tafte, what will it be "when I fhall feed on it freely?" On the contrary, what a Terror will it be to think," I muft

die, and go I know not whither; from a Place "where I am acquainted, to a Place where I have "no Familiarity or Knowledge!" It is inexpreffible.

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275 Horror to a dying Man, to have ftrange Thoughts of God and Heaven. I am perfuaded the Neglect of this Duty fo commonly makes Death, even to godly Men, unwelcome and uncomfortable. Therefore I perfuade to Frequency in this Duty. And as it will prevent Shynefs between thee and God, fo alfo,

$11.It will prevent Unfkilfulness in the Duty itfelf How aukwardly do Men fet their Hands to a Work they are seldom employed in? Whereas Frequency will habituate thy Heart to the Work, and make it more eafy and delightful. The Hill which made thee pant and blow at firft going up, thou mayft easily run up, when thou art once accustomed

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§ 12. Thou wilt also prevent the Lofs of that Heat and Life thou haft obtained. If thou eat but once in two or three Days, thou wilt lofe thy Strength as faft as it comes.' If in holy Meditation thou get near to Chrift, and warm thy Heart with the Fire of Love, and then come but feldom, thy former Coldnefs will foon return; efpecially as the Work is fo fpiritual, and against the Bent of depraved Nature. It is true, the intermixing of other Duties, efpecially fecret Prayer, may do much to the keeping thy Heart above; but Meditation is the Life of most other Duties, and the View of Heaven is the Life of Meditation.

$13. (3) Chufe alfo the most feafonable Time. All Things are beautiful and excellent in their Season. Unfeasonableness may lose the Fruit of thy Labour, may raife Difficulties in the Work, and may turn a Duty to a Sin. The fame Hour may be feasonable to one, and unfeasonable to another. Servants and Labourers must take that Seafon which their Bufinefs will beft afford; either while at work, or in travelling, or when they lie awake in the Night. Such as can chufe what Time of the Day they will, fhould obferve, N 6

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when they find their Spirits moft active and fit for Contemplation, and fix upon that as the stated Time. I have always found that the fitte Time for myself is the Evening, from Sun-fetting to the Twilight. I the rather mention this, because it was the Experience of a better and wifer Man; for it is exprefsly faid, Ifaac went out to meditate in the Field at the Even-tide (d). -The Lord's Day is exceeding feasonable for this Exercife. When fhould we more feasonably contemplate on Reft, than on that Day of Reft which typifies it to us? It being a Day appropriated to ffiritual Duties, methinks we should never exclude this Duty which is fo eminently fpiritual. I verily think this is the chief Work of a Chriftian Sabbath, and moft agreeable to the Defign of its pofitive Inflitution. What fitter Time to converfe with our Lord, than on the Lord's Day? What fitter Day to afcend to Heaven, than that on which He arofe from Earth, and fully triumphed over Death and Hell. The fitteft Temper for a true Chriftian, is, like John, to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day (e). And what can bring us to this Joy in the Spirit, but the fpiritual beholding of our approaching Glory? Take Notice of this, you that spend the Lord's Day only in publick Worship; your allowing no Time to private Duty, and therefore neglecting this fpiritual Duty of Meditation, is very hurtful to your Souls. You also that have Time on the Lord's Day for Idleness, and vain Difcourse, were you but acquainted with this Duty of Contemplation, you would need no other Paftime; you would think the longeft Day fhort enough, and be forry that the Night hath fhortened your Pleafure. Chriftians, let Heaven have more Share in your Sabbaths, where you must shortly keep your everlafting Sabbath. Ufe your Sabbaths as Steps to Glory, till you have paffed

(d) Gen. xxiv. 63.

(e) Rev. i. 10.

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