Chap. 14.] HEAVENLY CONTEMPLATION. 227 in love with it; thou longest after it ; thou hopest for it ; and thou art resolved to venture courageously for obtaining it. But is here any work for joy in this ? We delight in the good we possess ; it is present good that is the object of joy ; and thouwilt say, "Alas, I am yet without it !" But think a little further with thyself. Is it nothing to have a deed of gift from God ? Are his infallible promises no ground of joy ? Is it nothing to live in daily expectation of entering into the kingdom ? Is not my assurance of being hereafter glorified, a sufficient ground for inexpressible joy? Is it not a delight to the heir of a kingdom to think of what he must soon possess,thoughat present he little differ from aservant? Have we not both command and example for " rejoicing in hope of the gloryof GodV' Here, then, reader, take thy heart once more, and carry it to the top of the highest mount ; show it the kingdom of Christ, and the glory of it ; and say to it, " All this will thy Lord give thee, who hast believed in him, and been a worshipper of him. ' It is the Father's good pleasure to give thee this kingdom.' Seest thou this astonishing glory which is above thhe ? 411 this is thyown inheritance. This crown is thine, these pleasures are thine ; this company, this beautiful place, all are thine ; because thou art Christ's, and Christ is thine ; when thou wast united to him, thou hadst all these with him." Thus take thy heart into the land of promise ; show it the pleasant hills and fruitful valleys ; show it the clusters of grapes which thou hast gathered, to con- vince it that it is a blessed land, flowing with better than milk and honey. Enter the gates of the holy city, walk through the streets of the " New Jerusalem, walk about Sion, and go round about her ; tell the towers thereof; mark well her bulwarks ; consider her palaces ; that thou mayst tell it to" thy soul. Hath it not " the glory of God," and is not "her light like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal ?" See the " twelve founda- tions of her walls, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the buildingof the walls of it are of jasper ; and the city is pure gold, like unto clear glass ; and the foundations are garnished with all manner of pre- dons stones. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, every several gate is of one pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, as it were transparent glass ; there is no temple in it;
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