216 IMPORTANCE OF LEADING A him face to face ? Since the heavens must receive him, until the times of restitution of all things ; let them also receive our hearts with him. There also is new Jerusalem, which is the mother of us all.(i) And there are multitudes of our elder brethren'. There are our friends and old acquaintance, whose society in the flesh we so much delighted in, and whose departure hence we so much lamented ; and is this no attractive to thy thoughts ? If they were within thy reach on earth, thou woúildst go and visit them, and why not oftener visit them in spirit, and rejoice before-hand to think of meeting them there? "Socrates rejoiced that he should die, because he believed he should see Homer, Hesiod, and other eminent persons. How much more do I rejoice, said a pious old minister, who am sure to see Christ my Saviour, the eternal Son of God, in his assumed flesh ; besides so many wise, holy, and renowned patriarchs, prophets, apos- tles," &c. A believer should look to heaven, and contemplate the blessed state of the saints, and think with himself, " Though .I am not yet so happy as to be with you, yet this is my daily comfort, you are my brethren and fellow - members in Christ, and therefore your joys are my joys,,and your glory, by this near relation, is my glory ; especially while I believe in the same Christ, and hold fast the same faith and obedi- ence, by which you were thus dignified, and rejoice in spirit with you, and congratulate your happiness. in my daily meditations. i 17. Moreover, our house and home is above. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. "Why do we then look no oftener towards it, and groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. "(k) If our home were far meaner, sure we should remember it because it is our home. If you were but banished into a strange land, how frequently would your thoughts be at home? And why is it not thus with us in respect of heaven ? Is not that more (i) Gal. iv. 26. (k) 2 Cor. v. 1, 2.
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