and know no other conversation but earthly, no wonder if their understanding be darkened, and Satan takes them captive at his will. How can worms and moles see, whose dwelling is always in the earth? While this dust is in their eyes, no wonder they mistake gain for godliness, sin for grace, the world for God, their own wills for the law of Christ, and, in the Issue, hell for heaven. But when a Christian withdraws himself from his worldly thoughts, and begins to converse with God in heaven, methinks he is, as Nebuchadnezzar, taken from the beasts of the field to the throne, and his reason returneth unto him. When he hath had a glimpse of eternity, and looks down on the world again, how doth he charge with folly his neglects of Christ, his fleshly pleasures, his earthly cares! How doth he say to his laughter, it is mad! and to his vain mirth, what doth it! How doth he verily think there is no man in bedlam so truly mad, as wilful sinners, and unworthy slighters of Christ and glory! This makes a dying man usually wiser than others, because he looks on eternity as near, and hath more heart-piercing thoughts of it, than he ever had in health and prosperity. Then many of the most bitter enemies of the saints have their eyes opened, and, like Balaam, cry out, O that I might die the death of the righteous, and that my last end might be like his! Yet let the same men recover, and lose their apprehension of the life to come, and how quickly do they lose their understandings with it! Tell a dying sinner of the riches, honours, or pleasures of the world, and would he not answer, "What is all this to me, who must presently appear before God, and give an account of all my life?" Christian, if the apprehended nearness of eternity will work such strange effects upon the ungodly, and make them so much wiser than before; O what rare effects would it produce in thee, if thou couldest always dwell in the views of God, and in lively thoughts of thy everlasting state! Surely a believer, if he improve his faith, may ordinarily have more quickening apprehensions of the life

to come, in the time of his health, than an unbeliever hath at the hour of his death.

§ 8. A heavenly mind is also fortified against temptations, because the affections are thoroughly prepossessed with the high delights of another world. He that loves most, and not he that only knows most, will most easily resist the emotions of sin. The will doth as sweetly relish goodness, as the understanding doth truth; and here lies much of a Christian's strength. When thou hast had a fresh delightful taste of heaven, thou wilt not be so easily persuaded from it. You cannot persuade a child to part with his sweetmeats, while the taste is in his mouth. O that you would be much on feeding on the hidden manna, and frequently tasting the delights of heaven! How would this confirm thy resolutions, and make thee despise the fooleries of the world, and scorn to be cheated with such childish toys. Had the devil set upon Peter in the mount of transfiguration, when he saw Moses and Elias talking with Christ, would he so easily have been drawn to deny his Lord? What, with all that glory in his eye? No. So, if he should set upon a believing soul, when he is taken up in the mount with Christ, what would such a soul say? "Get thee behind me, Satan: Wouldest thou persuade me hence with trifling pleasures, and steal my heart from this my rest? Wouldest thou have me sell these joys for nothing? is any honour or delight like this? or can that be profit, for which I must lose this?" But Satan stays till we are come down, and the taste of heaven is out of our mouths, and the glory we saw is even forgotten, and then he easily deceives our hearts. Though the Israelites below, eat, and drink, and rise up to play, before their idol, Moses in the mount will not do so. O, if we could keep the taste of our souls continually delighted with the sweetness above, with what disdain should we spit out the baits of sin!

§ 9. Besides, whilst the heart is set on heaven, a man is under God's protection. If Satan then assault us, God is more engaged for our defence, and will

doubtless stand by us, and say, My grace is sufficient for thee. When a man is in the way of God's blessing, he is in the less danger of sin's enticing. Amidst thy temptations, Christian Reader, use much this powerful remedy-keep close with God by a heavenly mind; follow your business above with Christ, and you will find this a surer help than any other. The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.(d) Remember that Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation; for he walked with God: and that God said to Abraham, Walk before me, and be thou perfect.

§ 10. (5) The diligent keeping your hearts in heaven, will maintain the vigour of all your graces, and put life into all your duties. The heavenly Christian is the lively Christian. It is our strangeness to heaven that makes us so dull. How will the soldier hazard his life, and the mariner pass through storms and waves, and no difficulty keep them back, when they think of an uncertain perishing treasure! What life then would it put into a Christian's endeavours, if he would frequently think of his everlasting treasure! We run so slowly, and strive so lazily, because we so little mind the prize. Observe but the man who is much in heaven, and you shall see he is not like other Christians; there is something of what he hath seen above appeareth in all his duty and conversation. If a preacher, how heavenly are his sermons! If a private Christian, what heavenly converse, prayers, and deportment! Set upon this employment, and others will see the face of your conversation shine, and say, surely he hath been with God on the mount. But if you lie complaining of deadness and dulness; that you cannot love Christ, nor rejoice in his love; that you have no life in prayer, nor any other duty, and yet neglect this quickening employment; you are the cause of your own complaints. Is not thy life hid with Christ in God? Where must thou go but to Christ for it? And where is that, but to heaven, where Christ is? Thou wilt not come to Christ, (d) Prov. xv. 24.

that thou mayest have life. If thou, wouldest have light and heat, why art thou no more in the sun-shine? For want of this recourse to heaven, thy soul is as a lamp not lighted, and thy duties as a sacrifice without fire. Fetch one coal daily from this altar, and see if thy offering will not burn. Light thy lamp 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. In thy want of love to God, lift up thy eye of faith to heaven, behold his beauty, contemplate his excellencies, and see if his amiableness and perfect goodness will not ravish thy heart. As exercise gives appetite, strength, and vigour, to the body; so these heavenly exercises will quickly cause the increase of grace and spiritual life. Besides, it is not false or strange fire which you fetch from heaven for your sacrifices. The zeal which is kindled by your meditations on heaven, is most likely to be a heavenly zeal. Some men's fer vency is only drawn from their books, some from the sharpness of affliction, some from the mouth of a moving minister, and some from the attention of an auditory; but he that knows this way to heaven, and derives it daily from the true fountain, shall have his soul revived with the water of life, and enjoy that quickening which is peculiar to the saints. 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 that they are sincere. When others are ready, like Baal's priests, to cut themselves, because their sacrifice will not burn, thou mayest breathe the spirit of Elijah, and in the chariot of contemplation soar aloft, till thy soul and sacrifice gloriously flame, though the flesh and the world should cast upon them all the water of their opposing enmity. Say not, how can mortals ascend to heaven? Faith hath wings, and meditation is its chariot. Faith is a burning glass to thy sacrifice, and meditation sets it to the face of the sun; only take it not away too soon, but hold it there awhile, and thy sou

will feel the happy effect. Reader, art thou not thinking, when thou seest a lively Christian, and hearest his lively fervent prayers, and edifying discourse, "O how happy a man is this! O that my soul were in this bless, ed condition!" Why, I here advise thee from God, set thy soul conscientiously to this work, wash thee frequently in this Jordan, and thy leprous dead soul will revive, and thou shalt know that there is a God in Israel, and that thou mayest live a vigorous and joyful life, if thou dost not wilfully neglect thy own mercies. § 11. (6) The frequent believing views of glory are the most precious cordials in all afflictions. These cor dials, by cheering our spirits, render our sufferings far more easy, enable us to bear them with patience and joy, and to strengthen our resolutions, that we forsa not Christ for fear of trouble. If the way be ever rough, can it be tedious if it lead to heaven? O sweet sickness, reproaches, imprisonments, or death, accom panied with these tastes of our future rest! This keeps the suffering from the soul, so that it can only touch the flesh. Had it not been for that little (alas, too little) taste which I had for rest, my sufferings would have been grievous, and death more terrible. I may say, Ihad fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Unless this promised rest had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me. Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; 1 will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.(e) All suf ferings are nothing to us, so far as we have these supporting joys. When persecution and fear hath shut the doors, Christ can come in, and stand in the midst, and say to his disciples, Peace be unto you. Paul and

(e) Psalm xxvii. 13. cxix. 92. xxvij. 4, 6.

Dd