HEAVENLY LIFE UPON EARTH. 239 himself! it would not then be so hard to have our hearts ever with him ! Where we love most heartily, we shall think most sweetly, and most freely. I fear most Christians think higher of the love of a hearty friend than of the love of God ; and what wonder then if they love their friends better than God, and trust them more confidently than God, and had rather live with them than with God. § 20. (9) Carefully observe and cherish the motions of the Spirit of God. If ever thy soul get above this earth, and get acquainted with this heavenly life, the Spirit of God must be to thee, as the chariot of Elijah ; yea, the very living principle by which thou must move and ascend. O then grieve not thy guide, quench not thy life, knock not off thy chariot wheels ! You little think how much the life of all your graces, and the happiness of your souls, depend upon your ready and cordial obedience to the Spirit. When the Spirit urges thee to secret prayer, or forbids thee thy known transgressions, or points out to thee the way in which thou shouldst go, and thou wilt not regard ; no wonder if heaven and thy soul be strange. If thou wilt not follow the Spirit, while it would draw thee to Christ and thy duty ; how should it lead thee to heaven, and bring thy heart into the presence of God ? What su- pernatural help, what bold access, shall the soul, find in its approaches to the Almighty, that constantly obeys the Spirit ! And how backward, how dull, how ashamed, will he be in these addresses, who hath often broke away from the Spirit that would have guided him ! Christian Reader, dost thou not feel sometimes a strong impression to retire from the world, and draw near to God ? Do not disobey, but take the offer, and hoist up thy sails while this blessed gale may be had. The more of the Spirit we resist, the deeper will it wound ; and the more we obey, the speedier will be our pace. § 21. (10) I advise thee, as a farther help to this heavenly life, not to neglect the due care of thy bo- dily health. Thy body is a useful servant, if thou give it its due, and no more than its due; but it is a
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