240 CONTEMPLATION ASSISTED [Chap. 15. things myself, and possess what I see."Once more, think of praising God in concert with his saints : " What if I had been in the place of those shepherds, who saw, and heard, the heavenly host singing, ' Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men !' But I shall see and hear more glorious things. How blessed should I have thought myself, had I heard Christ in his thanksgivings to his Father ! Howmuch more, when I shall hear him pronounce me blessed ! If there was such joy at bringing back the ark, or at rebuilding the temple ; what will there be in the New Jerusalem ! If the earth rent, when the peo- ple rejoiced at Solomon's coronation ; what a joyful shout will there be at the appearing of the King of the church ! If, " when the foundations of the earth were laid, the morn- ing stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy;' what a joyful song will there be, when the world of glory is both founded and finished, when the top -stone is laid, and when ' the holy city is adorned as the bride, the Lamb's wife !' " Compare the joys thou shalt have in heaven with what the saints have found in the way to it, and in the foretastes of it. When did God ever reveal the least of himself to any of his saints, but the joy of their hearts was answerable to the revelation? In what an ecstacy was Peter on the mount of transfiguration! "Master," says he, " it is good for us to be here : let us make three tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." As if he had said, " O let us not go down again to yonder persecuting rabble ; let us not return to our mean and suffering state. Is it not better to stay here, nowwe are here ? Is not here better company, and sweeter pleasure V' How was Paul lifted up with what he saw ! How did the face of Moses shine, when he had been talking with God ! These were all extraordinary fore. tastes ; but little to the full beatifical vision. How often have we read and heard of dying saints who have been full of joy ; and when their bodies have felt the extremity of sickness and pain, have had so much of heaven in their spi- rits, that their joy hath far exceeded their sorrows ! If a spark of this fire be so glorious, even amidst the sea of ad- versity; what then is glory itself ! O the joy that the mar- tyrs have felt in the flames ! They were flesh and blood, as well as we ; it must therefore be some excellent thing that
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