324 In High Places, Or, joy of that bliffeful flare, and offend all the guells that fit at the Table with them, yea, drive God out of his own rnanfion-houfe. A fecond fort would have heaven,but like him in Ruth, ch. 4. V. 2, 3, 4. who had a mince to his Kinfman Efimeiech.f land, and would have paid for the purchafe, but he liked not to have it by marrying Ruth, and fo miffed of it : Some feem very for- ward to have heaven and falvation, iftheir own righteoufneffe could procure the fame, (all the good they do, and duties they performe they lay up for this purchafe) but at hit be- caufe they clofe not with Chrift, and take not heaven in his right. A third fort are content to have it by Chrift, but their defires are fo impotent and lifflefre, that they put them upon no vigourous use of means to obtain him, and fo (like the fluggard) they flarve, becaufe they will not pull their hands out of their bofome of floth to reach their food that is before them : for the world they have mettal enough, and too much, they trudge far and near for that, and when they have run themfelves out of breath, can ftand and pant after the dull of the earth, as the Prophet phrafeth it, Amos 2.7. But for Chrift and obtaining intereft in him, ()how key-cold are they ! there is a kinde of cramp invades all the powers of their foules when they fhould pray, hear, examine their hearts, draw out their affections in hungrings and thirftings after his grace and Spirit. 'Tis ftrange to fee how they even now went full loop to the world, are fud denlybecalm'cl, not a breath of winde tiirring to anypurple in their foules after thefe things, and is it any wonder that Chrift and Heaven 1houldbe denied to them that have no moremind to them? Laftly,fome have zeal enough tohaveChrift &Heaven,but it is when the Nfafter of the houfe is rifen, and bath Phut to the door, and truly then they may Rand long enough rapping, be- fore any come to let them in, There is no Gofpel preached in (' I another world ; but as for thee poor foul, who art perfwaded to renounce thy lulls, throw away the conceit of thy own righ- teoufneffe, that thou may& run with more fpeed to Chrift, and art fo poffefl with the excellency of Chrift, thy own prefent need of him, and falvation by him, that thou panteft after him more then life it felf; In Gods Name go on and fpeed, be of good comfort, he calls thee byname to come unto him, that thoumayat have reft for thy foul, There is an office in the Word,
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