Chap.8 . ~ea 7• ~entta.t£on. 1 ;ght manner , to look at the fpiritual part, and fpiritual exce!le~cy in heaven, which confitts in the vifion of G'od, andfrmrjon (J God; m the u:tage cf ~od, an~ Conu~mmon wuh God: 0 gi;·e me thus to fee, and to know the r_eahty of tlus Etcrmty. Gsve m~ Lo,·d JVhac 1Vtlt tho~t give? Gtvc me an heavenly prmctple that will carry me heaven– ward': the Church is compared to pzllars offmok!; that afcend ~tpward to heaven.' though the Church be black and dark in regard of her infirmities, yet lhe hath a prmciple to carry her npward to heaven: and the Saints are compared to Eagles that fhc aloft C•nr. > 0 towards heaven, though their bodies are not there, yet their hearts and fuuls are th~re : Why Lord, my treaf~tre is in hettvm, Oh let my hearc be there! Oh, wherdhould tt be but there? is not heaven the place and center of my heart P and h1Ve not.all thtngs in nature a principle to carry them to their pr?~cr place.? .experience tells me that as. the ploce of fire is on htgh, fo fire hath a \'rmctpoe toc~ny tt on htgh; .and as the place of earth is below, fo earth hath a pnnctplc to carry tt below: , and tf the place and . cemer of my heart be in kaven,mutt it not have a pnnctple to move natur~lly thither? 0 the confcicnces of many tell them thetr fouls work downward to vantty and fen– fua!ity : but 0 Lord let my fotil work heavenward ! 0 Chrdl: let my fou l move tO· wards thee! thou3h I have \\'eights of corruption that would we1gh me down, yet give me & affure me ofthat principle that does work tv heaven. Gtvcme Lord, what wilt rho;, xivc? give me fome beginnings of eternal life wrought in me here , give me the ,,, firft fruits of heaven. The Scripture faith, that whom he hath Jitftified, them he hathgloJ(om.B. 3o. rijied. (i.) they have the glory of heaven be~un in them: why Lord give me this. earnell; give me an heart enlarged wtth Gods tmage; now ts the tmag.e ofGod ?egun, and in heaven the ,image of God fhall be renewed : Oh gtve me th1s unage, gtvc me 71 ghreoufrieJle and holimjfe , for that is the image of G~d; gtve me thy prefence, give Epb. 4· ,.,~· me the vijions <f God, and frnitions of God; fuch thmgs are m heaven ; and o-s the earnefl: of my inheritance give me the firtl:-fruits, give me fomc acquaintance of thy blelfecl fclf in every ordinance, let there be a ll:ronger union betwixt God and my foul :' let me enjoy God in th<; creature, and God inthe ordinances, and God in all things; yea let me enjoy God m my felf, and my felf m God: 0 let the Sabbaths be my delight, as a beginning of that Eternal Sabbath that I fhall keep in heaven; and thus before I go iuto heaven , let heaven come into me; let me tafl:c o~ Eternity by thefe real experiments in my own foul. And now Lord, that thou haft tn fome fweet meafure affured me, in that thou beginnell: to warm my heart, and to pcrfwacie my foul that [ have a right and interell: to this Eternity; what elfe means this, he that believeth on the Sonne ofGod, hath the witnefsin him[elf--·-·- and this is the record that God hathgiven to rJoh,s.ro, rl: "'eternal life ? 0 then howlhould I. but grow bold and confident? chear up 0 my foul, ehear up m)' love, Chrifts fatre one, f or loe the lVmter tS alm•ft paft, & thttime of the Jinging of birds is almo(fcome. It is but a while, & I fhall be free from' the body of fin and of death ; it is but a while, and the image ofGod fhall be made perfeCi: in me it is but a while and I fhall behold the blc!led face of God, and fhalllive to the praife of that bleffed God without any intermiffion, and fhalljoyn with thofe blelfed creatures that are Eternally bleffing and prailing God; thofe tall:es I have formerly had affure 1 nl of this. Believe it, believe on the Sonne, believe tht promifcs; be content to venture aU ·thofe greatthings of Eternity, upon that bare word ofGod, Pfal. 89. I 5. I Joh. z. 2). I Joh. 5' . I 3· Cant. 2. 3·--3· .6. Rom. 8. 30. Eph. 4 · 24. I Joh. 5. 10, I r. What? doll: thou beluve? furely thts one work of God, to maks thee clofe with the Promi[e.' and to '!!tnture all on the Promifc, cloth ofit felf interefi: thee in this Eternity; fonhtsts a work of the Spirit, it is from a Divine principle to be able to do this: 0 belteve, and do not only believe a tall:e, but a hearty draught ofEternity : thefe tafres are bu.t earnell:s, but there is a Promife of everlall:ing fruition : Hath he not given John 3· 1 6, theehts word for Eternal hfe, for an Ererna} inheritline<, for everlafting rightcoufneffi, Heb. 9· 1 s for an tnherttance ·~corruptzble, Jmdejiled, and thatfadeeh not a1.ay? Awake, arife, 0 D.m. 9·->4• my foul,ancllay hold on the promifes of thisblelfedEternity; be not difmay'd by reafon 1 P<t·. 1 " 4· of thy unwo1thmelfe, for the Promife is of Grace, freely offered, and freely given to them that be unworthy m their own eyes: Chrill: hath purchafed rightcoufnefs a.nd everlafb~g l1fe, behe'"e m htm, and liv~ to all Eternity. 0 my foul, why art thou dull and Ouggtlh, wherefore doft thou not putforth thy felf to embrace and receive this promtfe of Eterntty .' .Gods promifes are ever certain, never lelfe, but ratlier more in accompltlhment then mtender; why deft thou not call: thy fdf upon this bleffed iffue lfGodbe mmif"l, I a:.zeternallyhappy? It is thefure promifeofGod, Thathetha; Jolm. 3 Jd brlieveth
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