HEAVENLY MEDITATION. so3 pare me for it, and bring me to it. The eternal God of truth bath given me his promise, his seal and oath, that believing in Christ, 1 shall not perish, but have everlast- ing life. Thither shall my soul be speedily removed, and my body very shortly follow. And can my tongue say, that I shall shortly and surely live with God ; and vet my heart not leap within me 7 Can I say it with faith, and not joy ? Ah ! faith, how sensibly do I now per- ceive thy weakness ! But though unbelief darken my light, and dull my life, and suppress my joys, it shall not be able to conquer and destroy me ; though it envy all my comforts, yet some in spite of it I shall even here receive ; and if that did not hinder, what abundance might I have ! The light of heaven would shine into my heart; and I might be almost as familiar there, as I am on earth. Come away then, my soul; stop thine ears to the ignorant language of infidelity ; thou are able to answer all its arguments ; or if thou art not, yet tread them under thy feet. Come away ; stand not looking on that grave, nor turning those bones, nor reading thy lesson now in the dust ; those lines will soon be wiped out. But lift up thy head and look to heaven, and see thy name written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. What if an angel should tell thee, that there is a mansion in heaven prepared for thee, that it shall certainly be thine for ever ; would not such a message make thee ;lad? And dost thou make light of the infal- lible word of promise, which was delivered by the Spi- rit, and even by the Son himself! Suppose thou hadst seen a fiery chäriot come for thee, and fetch thee up to heaven, like Elijah, would not this rejoice thee? but thy Lord assures thee that the soul of Lazarus bath a convoy of angels to carry it into Abraham's bosom. Shall a drunkard be so merry among his cups, or the glutton in his delicious fare ; and shall not I rejoice, who must shortly be in heaven ? Can meat and drink delight me when I hunger and thirst? Can I find pleasure in walks, and gardens, and conve- nient dwellings ? Can beautiful objects delight mine eyes ; or grateful odours my smell; or melody my ears ? And shall not the forethought of celestial
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=