Chap. 13.] HEAVENLY CONTEMPLATION. 211 nothing ;" and therefore let us be doing while he is doing ; and be sure not to be out of the way, nor asleep, when he comes. When the Spirit finds thy heart, like Peter, in pri- son, and in irons, and smites thee, and says, " Arise up quickly, and followme," be sure thou then arise and follow, and thou shalt find thy chains falloff, and all doors will open, and thou wilt be at heaven before thou art aware. Another peculiar season for this duty is, when thou art in a suffering, distressed, or tempted state. When should we take our cordials, but in time of fainting ? When is it more seasonable to walk to heaven, than when we know not in what corner of earth to live with comfort ? Or when should our thoughts converse more above, than when we have no- thing but grief below ? Where should Noah's dove be but in the ark, when the waters cover all the earth, and she cannot find rest for the sole of her foot ? What should we think on but our Father's house, when we have not even the husks of the world to feed upon ? Surely God sends thy afflictions to this very purpose. Happy art thou, poor man, if thou make this use of thy poverty ! and thou that art sick, ifthou so improve thy sickness ! It is seasonable to go to the promised land, when our burdens are increased in Egypt, and our straits in the wilderness. Reader, if thou knewest what a cordial to thy griefs the serious views of glory are, thou wouldst less-fear these harmless troubles, and more_llse that preserving, reviving remedy. "In the multitude of my" troubled "thoughts within me," saith David, " thy comforts delight my soul." , " I reckon," saith Paul, " that the suffer- ings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." " For which cause we faint not ; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light afflic- tion, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." And another season peculiarly fit for this heavenly duty is, when the messengers of God summonus to die. When should we more frequently sweeten our souls with the be- lieving thoughts of another life, than when we find that this is almost ended ? No men have greater need of supporting
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