ASSISTED BY SENSIBLE OBJECTS. 287 for ever to behold it ! Or if thou hast not yet felt these sweet foretastes (for every believer bath not felt them) then make use of such delights as thou hast felt, in order the better to discern what thou shalt hereafter feel. § 12. (lI.) I am now to show how heavenly contem- plation may be preserved from a wandering heart.- - Our chief work is here to discover the danger, and that will direct to the fittest remedy. The heart will prove the greatest hinderance in this heavenly employment; either, by backwardness to it ; or, by trifling in it or, by frequent excursions to other objects ;or, by abruptly ending the work before it is well begun. As you value the comfort of this work, these dangerous evils must be faithfully resisted. § 13. (2) Thou wilt find thy heart as backward to this, I think, as to any work in the world. O what ex- cuses will it make! What evasions will it find out ! What delays and demurs, when it is ever so much con- vinced ! Either it will question whether it be a duty or not; or, if it be so to others, whether to thyself. It will tell thee, "This is a work for ministers that have nothing else to study; or for persons that have more leisure than thou hast." If thou be a minister, it will tell thee, "This is the duty of the people; it is enough for thee to medi- tate for their instruction, and let them meditate on what they have heard." As if it was thy duty, only to cook their meat, and serve it up, and they alone must eat it, digest it, and live upon it. If all this will not do, thy heart will tell thee of other business, or set thee upon some other duty, for it had rather go to any duty than this. Perhaps it will tell thee, "Other duties are greater, and therefore this must give place to them, because thou. hast no time for both. Public business is more impor- tant : to study and preach for the saving of souls must be preferred before these private contemplations." As if thou hadst not time to care for thy own salvation, for looking after that of others. Or thy charity to others were so great, that it obliges thee to neglect thy own eternal welfare. Or as if there were any better way to fit us to be useful to others, than making this proof of our doctrine ourselves. Certainly heaven is the best
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