184 IMPORTANCE OF A HEAVENLY {Chap. 11. rable ; all this " hope is laid up for us in heaven." Why, beloved Christians, have we so much interest, and so few thoughts there ? so near relation, and so little affection ? Doth it become us to be delighted in the companyof stran- gers, so as to forget our Father, and our Lord ? or to be so well pleased with those that hate and grieve us, as to forget our best and dearest friends ; or to be so fond of borrowed trifles, as to forget our own possession and trea- sure ? or to be so much impressed with fears and wants, as to forget our eternal joy and rest ? God usually pleads his property in us; and thence concludes he will do us good, even because we are his own people, whom he bath chosen out of all the world. Why then do we not plead our interest in him, and so raise our hearts above ; even because he is our own God, and because the place is our own possession ? Men commonly overlove and overvalue their own things, and mind them too much. O that we could mind our own inheritance, and value it half as much as it deserves. 12. Once more consider, there is nothing but heaven worth setting our hearts upon. If God have them not, who shall ? If thou mind not thy rest, what wilt thou mind ? Hast thou found out some other god ; or something that will. serve thee instead of rest ? Hast thou found on earth an eternal happiness ? Where is it ? What is it made of? Whowas the man that found it out ? Whowas he that last enjoyed it? Where dwelt he ? What was his name ? Or art thou the first that ever discovered heaven on earth ? Ah, wretch ! trust not to thy discoveries ; boast not of thy gain, till experience bid thee boast. Disquiet not thyself in looking for that which is not on earth , lest thou learn thy experience with the loss ofthy soul, which thou might- est have learned on easier terms; even by the warnings of God in his word, and the loss of thousands of souls be- fore thee. If Satan should "take thee up to the mountain of temptation, and show thee all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them," he could show thee nothing that is worthy thy thoughts, much less to be preferred be- fore thy rest. Indeed, so far as duty and necessity require it, we must be content to mind the things below; but who is he that contains himself within the compass of those limits ? And yet, if we ever so diligently contract our cares
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=