551 / 674
bisc.
X.3
THE
IORATASTE
OF
HEAVEN.
+31
coldness
in the common
practices
of
religion and godli-
ness,
if
they
make
you fancy
that
commón
_ordinances
are
a
low
and needless dispensation,
if
they
seem to
ex-
cuse
you from diligence in
the
'common
duties
of
life
to-
wards
man,
or
religion towards
God,
there
is
great
.reason then to
suspect
them
There
is
danger lest they
should
be
mere suggestions, and deceitful workings
-
either
of your
own
,natural passions,
or the
crafty
snares
of
the artful and
busy
adversary
of
souls,
on
purpose to
make
you
neglect
solid religion, and make you
part
with
what
is
substantial for
,a
bright and
flashy
glimpse
of
-heavenly things.
But, on the
other
hand, if
you find
that
these special
,favours and enjoyments raise
your hearts
to a
greater
nearness
to
God,
and more
constant
converse
with him
;
if
they keep
you
deep
in humility,
and in everlasting
de-
.pendence
on the grace
of Christ
in
the
gospel,
and
warm
and
zealous
attendance
on the ordinances
of worship;
if
they teach and incline you to
fulfil
every
duty
of
love
to
your
neighbour,
and particularly
to
your
fellow
-
christians, then they
appear
to be
the fruits
of
the
Spirit;
and
as.
they
fit
you for every
duty and providence here
upon earth, there
is
very
good reason to hope they
are
real
visits from heaven,
and are sent from the
God
of
all
;grace,,
to make
you
the
more meet
for heavenly glory.
SECTION
II.
These
are
the four cautions.
I
proceed
now to
de
.scribe
some
of
these foretastes
of
the heavenly blessed
ness,
and
shew how
nearly they resemble the blessedness
and enjoyments
of
the heavenly
world.
Firs;
"
In
heaven
there
is
a
near
view
òf
God
in his
glories,
with stich
a fixed
contemplation
of
-his
several
:perfections,
as
draws
out
the
heart
into all
correspondent
..exercises, in
an uncommon,
transcendant, and supreme
degree.",
It
is described
as
one
of
the felicities
of
heaven,
that
"wo
shall see
God," Mat..
v, 3.
That
we
shall
"be-
hold
him face
to
face," and
not
in shadows
and
glasses,
1.
Gor.
xiii.
.
,2.
Let
us,
exhibit
some
particulars of
this
kind,
and
dwell
a little
upon' them
in
the most
easy
and
natural
method.
1.."
In
heaven the
blessed
inhabitants behold
the
.majesty and greatness
of God in
such.
alight
as
fixes
.their
thoughts
in
glorious wonder and the humblest
ado-
.