IÚ8 IMPORTANCE OF A HEAVENLY [Chap. 11. would count us ungodly ; why, then, may we not call our hearts ungodly, that have so little delight in Christ and heaven ? But I am speaking only to those, whose portion is in heaven, whose hopes are there, and whohave forsaken all to enjoy this glory ; and shall I be discouraged from per- suading such to be heavenly-minded ? Fellow-Christians, if you will not hear and obey, who will ? Well may we be discouraged to exhort the blind, ungodly world, and may say, as Moses did, "Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me ?" I require thee, reader, as ever thou hopest for a part in this glory, that thou presently take thy heart to task, chide it for its wilful strangeness to God, turn thy thoughts from the pursuit of vanity, bend thy soul to study eternity, busy it about the life to come, habituate thyself to such contem- plations, and let not those thoughts be seldom and cursory, but bathe thy soul in heaven's delights; and if thy bacl-,- ward soul begin to flag, and thy thoughts to scatter, call them back, hold them to their work, bear not with their laziness, nor connive at one neglect. And when thou hast, in obedience to God, tried this work, got acquainted with it, and kept a guard on thy thoughts till they are accus- tomed to obey, thou wilt then find thyself in the suburbs of heaven, and that there is, indeed, a sweetness in the work and way of God, and that the life of Christianity is a life ofjoy. Thou wilt meet with those abundant consola- tions which thou hast prayed, panted, and groaned after, and which so few Christians do ever here obtain, because they know not this way to them, or else make not con- science of walking in it. Say not, " We are unable to set our own hearts on heaven; this must be the work of God only." Though God be the chief disposer of your hearts, yet, next under him, you have the greatest command of them yourselves. Though without Christ you can do no- thing, yet under him you may do much, and must, or else it will be undone, and yourselves undone through your ne- glect. Christians, if your souls were healthful and vigorous, theywould perceive incomparably more delight and sweet- ness in the believing joyful thoughts of your future bless- edness, than the soundest stomach finds in its food, or the strongest senses in the enjoyment of their objects; so little
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