296 AN EXA11IPLE OF What need bath God to flatter or deceive thee ? Why should he promise thee more than he will perform ? Dare not to charge the wise, almighty, faithful God, with this. How many of the promises have, been per- formed to thee in thy conversion ? Would God so pow- erfully concur with. a feigned word? O wretched heart of unbelief! Hath God made thee a promise of rest, and wilt thou come short of it? Thine eyes, thine ears, and all thy senses, may prove delusions, sooner than a promise of God can delude thee. Thou mayest be surer of that which is written in the word, than if thou see it with thine eyes, or feel it with thine hands. Art thou sure thou art alive, or that this is earth thou standest on, or that thine eyes see the sun ? As sure is all this glory to the saints ; as sure shall I be higher than yonder stars, and live for ever in the holy city, and joyfully sound forth the praises of my Redeemer ; if I be not shut out by this evil heart of unbelief, causing me to depart from the living God. 10. "And is this rest so sweet and so sure? Then what means the careless world ? Know they what they neglect ? Did they ever hear of it, or are they yet asleep. or are they dead ? Do they certainly know that the crown is before them, while they thus sit still, or follow trifles? Undoubtedly they are beside themselves, to mind so much their provision by the way, when they are halting so fast to another world, and their eternal happiness lies at stake. Were there left one spark of reason they would never sell their rest for toil, nor their glory for worldly vanities, nor venture heaven for sin - ful pleasure. Poor men ! O that you would once consi- der what you hazard, and then you would scorn these tempting baits ! Blessed for ever be that love, which bath rescued me from this bewitching darkness ! il. " Draw yet near, O my soul ! with thy most fervent love. Here is matter for it to work upon, some- thing worth thy loving. O see what beauty presents itself! Is not all the beauty in the world united here? Is not all other beauty but deformity ? Dost thou now need to be persuaded to love? Here is a feast for thine eyes, and all the powers of thy soul: dost thou need
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