213 MeditationJ and Difcourju felf'tvho bath affi1red that even vt/'v ev 7i it~,f~ T!$J~ evtn no·w in this life, in this world, diftintl: from e- , ternallife; in the world to come, we [hall receive an hundredfold recompence for all that we can lofe or fuffer for his fake, Mat. 1 o. j o. as alfo unto the experience of them who in all ages have taken joyfully the fpoi~int, of their goods, as knowing in them(elves (by the experience which they have of its firft-fruirs) that thoy have in heaven a bettn· and more abiding (ubjlance, Heb. I 0. 29, 3o. If we come fhort in a parricipatiQn of thefe things, if we are ftrangers unto them, the b1ame is to be . laid on our felves alone, as it fha11 be immediately declared. • · NOW the defign of the Lord Chrift in thus withdrawing himfelf from us, and hiding his glory from our view, being the exercife ofour Graces, and to ftir us up unto diligence in our enquiries after him, here Jieth our guidance and dire[tion in this cafe. Do we find our fdves lifelefs in the fpiritual duties of Religion? Are we flrangers un· to the heavenly vi fits of confolation and joys, thofe vifitations of God ":hereby he preferves our fouls ? Do we feldom enJOY a fenfe of the fhedding abroad of his love in our hearts by the ~oly Gh1jl ?, We h~ve no way of Recovery but thiS alone. To thts ftrbng Tower muft we turn our felves as Pri(oners of hope ; unto Chrift muft we lool< that we may be faved. It is a fteady ~iew ' or contemplation of his Glory by faith alone, that will bring in all thefe things in a lively ex·· :perience into our hearts and fouls. AGAIN I
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