290 CONTEMPLATION GUARDED. of thy eternal blessed abode no more than this ?" If the ravening fowls of wandering thoughts devour the medi- tations intended for heaven, they devour the life and joy of thy thoughts; therefore drive them away from thy sacrifice, and strictly keep thy heart to the work. 17. (4) Abruptly ending thy meditation before it is well begun, is another way in which thy heart will deceive thee. Thou mayest easily perceive this in other duties. In secret prayer, is not thy heart urging thee to cut it short, and frequently making a motion to have done? So in heavenly contemplation thy heart will be weary of the work, and will stop thy heavenly walk be= fore thou art well warm. But charge it in the name of God to stay, and not do so great a work by halves. Say to it, " Foolish Heart ! if thou beg awhile, and goest away before thou hast thy alms, is not thy begging a lost labour ? If thou stoppest before the end of thy journey, is not thy travel lost? Thou earnest hither in hope to have a sight of the glory which thou must inherit; and wilt thou stop when thou art almost at the top of the hill, and turn back before thou hast taken thy survey ? Thou earnest hither in hope to speak with God, and wilt thou go before thou hast seen him ? Thou 'earnest to bathe thyself in the streams of consolation, and to that end didst unclothe thyself of thy earthly thoughts ; and wilt thou only touch the bank and return ? Thou earnest to spy out the land of promise; go not back without one cluster of grapes, to show thy brethren for their encouragement. Let them see that thou hast tasted of the wine, by the gladness of thy heart; and that thou hast been anointed with the oil, by the cheerfulness of thy countenance ; and hast fed of the milk and honey, by the mildness of thy disposition, and the sweetness of thy conversation. This heavenly fire would melt thy frozen heart, and refine and spiritualize it; but it must have time to operate. Thus pursue the work till some- thing be done, till thy graces be in exercise, thy aftec., tions raised, and thy soul refreshed with the delights above ; or if thou canst not attain these ends at once, be the more earnest at another time. Blessed is that ser- vant whom his lord, when he corneal, shall find so doing,
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