AN 804 AN EXAMPLE OF bliss delight me? Methinks among my books I could employ myself in sweet content, and bid the world farewell, and pity the rich and great that know not this happiness; what then will my happiness in heaven be, where my knowledge will be perfect ! If the queen of Sheba came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and see his glöry ; how cheer- fully should I pass from earth to heaven, to see the glory of the eternal Majesty, and attain the height of wisdom ; compared with which the most learned on earth are but fools and idiots! What if God had made me commander of the earth ; what if I could remove mountains, heal diseases with a word or a touch, or cast out .devils ; should I not rejoice in such privileges and honours as these? And shall I not much more rejoice that my name is written in heaven? I cannot here en- joy my parents, or my near and belóved friends, with- out some delight : especially when I did freely let out my affection to my friend, how sweet was that exercise of my love ! O what will it then be to live in the per- petual love of God? For brethren do dwell together in unity here, how good and how pleasant it is ! To see a family live in love, husband and wife, parents, children, and servants, doing all in love to one another ; to see a . town live together in love, without any envyings, brawl - ings or contentions, law- suits, factions, or divisions, but every man loving his neighbour as himself; think- ing they can never do too much for one another, but striving to go beyond each other's love; how happy, how delightful a sight is this ! O then, what a blessed society will the family of heaven be, and those peaceful inhabitants of the New Jerusalem, where there is no division nor differing judgments, no disaffection nor strangeness, no deceitful friendship, no not one unkind expression, not an angry look or thought ; but all are one in Christ, who is one with the Father, and all live in the love ofhim, who is love itself! The soul is not more where it lives, than where it loves. How near then will my soul be united to God, when I shall so heartily, strongly, and incessantly .love him ! Ah, wretched unbelieving heart, that can think of such a
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