(';pNT'EMPLATIO1T CÓNSIDEPI:D. ,' 249 up quickly, and follow me be sure thou then arise and follow, and thou shalt find thy chains fall off, and all doors will open, and thou wilt be at heaven before thou art aware. 16. Another peculiar season for this duty, is,, when thou art in a suffering, distressed, or tempted state. When should we take our cordials; but in time of faint- ing? When is it more seasonable to walk to heaven, than when we know not in what corner of earth to live with comfort ? Or when should our thoughts converse more above, than when they have nothing but grief below ? Where should Noah's dove be but in the ark, when the waters cover all the earth, and she cannot find rest for the sole of her foot? What should we think on, but our Father's house, when we have not even the husks of the world to feed upon ? Surely God sends thy afflictions to this very purpose. Happy art thou, poor man, if thou make this use of thy poverty ! and thou that art sick, if thou so improve thy sickness ! It is sea- sonable to go to the promised land, when our burdens are increased in Egypt, and our straits in the wilder- ness: Reader, if thou knewest what a cordial to thy griefs the serious views of glory are, thou 'wouldst less fear these harmless troubles, and more use that preserv- ing, reviving remedy. In the multitude of my troubled thoughts within me; saith David, thy con forts delight my soul.(c) "I reckon," saith Paul, " that the suffer- ings of this present tilde are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. "(d) " For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worked' fbr us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; .while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are' seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. "(e) § 17. And another season peculiarly fit for this hea- venly duty is, when the messengers of God summon us to die. When should we more frequently sweeten (c) $ s, xciv. 19. (d) Rom. i"..'18. (e) 2 Cor. iv. 16, 18.
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