74 THE SOUL DRAWING N$AR TO 000. higher, as with eagles' wings ; we walk first without fainting, and then run without wearying, at last, we fly as - an eagle, and makehaste to the tidierpossession of our God ; Is. xi. 31. The soul is then detained in the presence of God with overpowering delight, and it cannot be taken away from theobject ofits dearest satisfaction. This is a joy above all otherjoys, above all the joys of sense, above all the joys of the intellectualworld that are not divine andholy. 'There are somepleasures that arise from philo- sophical and intellectual notions, that are superior to the plea, sures of sense ; but the pleasure of being near to God in devo- tion, far transcends all these. Animal nature, at such a season, may beworn out, and faint and die underit ; but the mind is not weary. It is possible for divine transports to rise so high as to break this feeble flame of flesh, and dissolve it ; and there have been instances of persons that have been near to a dissolution of mortalityunder thepower of divine ecstacies : but thesoul has not been faint, has felt no weariness. There are at such a season most pleasurable thoughts of heaven ; there are some bright glimpses of that blessed state when a Christian attains this nearness to God ; for heaven is a state of nearness to God everlasting and uninterrupted : nor are the blessed inhabitantsof that worldever weary of their company or their business ; and thus, when there is any thing akin to hea- ven brought down to the saints in this mortal state, they know it cannot be uninterrupted and perpetual ; and therefore there is a desire of frequent returns of such seasonsas these are, while they are here on earth. And as Christ, the bridegroom, speaks to his saints in the language of Solomon, Letme see thyface often, my spouse, my beloved, let me hear thyvoice; Song ii. 44. and viii. 13. So the saint says to his God at such a season, " O may I often see thy face in this manner, may I often hear such a voice as this isfrom thee, forI know not howto live without it. Flee, my beloved Saviour, and make hasteto a speedy return, and let there be anuninterrupted and everlasting converse between God andmy soul." Lastly, There is at such a season oftentimes a pouring out ofthe soul before God with some freedom in the gift, as well as the graceof prayer. Mere sighs and groans arefor persons at a distance ; but when we getnear to God, we speak to him even in his ear ; and tIse heart is full, and the tongueoverflows. I grant there may be the spirit ofprayer assisting a,poorsoul that cannot get near to God, but still cries after him when he is hidden, and expresses itself only in sighs and in groans unutterable ; so the apostle tells us ; Rom. viii. 26. Thespirit itself malceth inter- cession in us with groanings that cannot be uttered. And thus it. may be, while God hides himself, while there is a veil conceal-
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