HEAVENLY LIFE UPON EARTH. 215 persuaded to set our hearts on Christ and glory, and ascend to him in our daily affections, who so much con- descends to us. Christian, dost thou not perceive that the heart of God is set upon thee, and that he is still minding thee:with tender love, even when thou forget - est both thyself and hire ? Is he not following thee with daily mercies, moving upon thy soul, providing for thy body, preserving both ? Doth he not bear thee Continually in the arms pf love, and promise that all shall work together for thy good, and suit all his deal- ings to thy greatest advantage, and give his angels charge over thee ? And canst thou be taken up with the joys below, and forget thy Lord who forgets not thee? Unkind ingratitude! When he speaks of his own kindness, hear what he says, " Zion said, the Lord bath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, she may for- get, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are conti- nually before me.(g) But when he speaks of our regards to him, the case is otherwise. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a brideher attire ? yet my people hath for- gotten me days without number. "(h) As if he should say, " You will not rise one morning, but you will remem- ber to cover your nakedness, nor forget your vanity of dress ; and are these of more worth than your God ? of more importance than your eternal life? And yet you can forget these day after day. " Give not GOd cause thus to expostulate with us. Rather let our souls get up to God, and visit him every morning, and our hearts be towards him ever moment. § 16. (11) Should not our interest in heaven, and our relation to it, continually keep our hearts upon it? There our Father keeps his court. We call him, Our Father, who art in heaven. Unworthy children ! that can be so. taken up in their play, as to be mindless of such a Father. There also is Christ our head, our husband, our life ; and shall we not look towards him, and send to him as oft as we can, till we come to see (g) Isaiah xlix. 14, 46. (h) Jer.
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