To the Reader. dying.;·writeth thus, . An aEt of living in Chrift, t~nd on Ch1ift, in. the 11rts offeeing, enj9Jing, embracing , loving, refting on ?im, is that ndone-day divinity, and fheology ofbeatijical vijion: there ss agmm!l affi.mbly ofimmediAtely illumin;md f])ivine.; round about the throne, who ftudy,leEturt,preach,prlli{e Chrifl night and day:Ohwhat rayes, . what irradi~ttions and d,mings of inte/leCtu~lfruition, beholding, en- · joying, lfving in him, andfervour of loving come from rhat face, that God·v~fage of the Lord Goa Almighty, 11nd ofthe Lambe that is in , the midftof them? and oh what rijleElsans, and reAchingsforthof intelleEtual 'lJijion, embracing, loving, wondering ttfe returning b~tcft to himagAin in H circle of glory? Now if this be the Saints duty, who arc perfeCt in glory; do not we .imitate them, and feele · foinething of heaven in our imitation, in our /ookjng ~tlfountu Jefm? I write what in fome mcafln:e I have.felt; and of which I hope to feel net morc;and therefore wboevj!r thou art that readeft,~ bcfeech thee, come, warmc thy heart at this bleffed fire ! 0 , ,come, and fmell the preciou> oyntments of J efus Chriil: ! 0 come, . an1Jit ~own ~mder hu fhadowwith ,gre~~t deli,~ht ! Oh that all men . ( clpeC!ally into whofe hands th1s book {ball. come) would prefently fall upon the pracbfe ofthisGofpel-art of lookjnj unto [efm ! ifher~in they finde nothing of heaven, my skill will faile me; only let.them pray, that as they lookJo.him, fo venue may go out ofhim; and fill their fouls: , Reader , One thing more J have to fay to thee;if thou wouldft ': know how·to carry on this duty conftantly, as thou doft thy morning, and thy evening prayer; it were not a mifs if every day, ~ither morning, or evening, .thou wouldft takeiome part of it at one time, andfomepart of it at another time, · at leaft for fotne fpacc: .oftime together. I know fome, that in aconftant dayly .courfe carry Qn in fecrc:t thofe two neceffary dutyes of medit,uion and pra/!!; what the fubjeet matter of their meditation is I am not very certaine; only our experience caa tell us that be it heaven, or be it hell ; be it fin, or be it grace, or be it' what it will if we be in exercife ofthe felf-fat;le fubject either conftantly or frequently, we are apt to grow remiffe or cold or formal; and the :eafo~ is, one; thing tyre> quickly ,u~lefs that'one be all; now that lS Chnil/or he i5 ali~Col.p I ._if- hen but once a day thou woul4ft make ~hts.'fe/m Chrift thy fubJeCt to kzww,cQnjider, dejire,h<pe,beleeve,Jv) tn, call upqn, and conforme unto, in his fc:veral rc:fpcets of plotting, promifing, performing thy redemption in his birth, life, , death, .1.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=