vest, without ploughing or sowing; my joy without a preacher or a promise; even all from the face of God himself. Whatever mixture is in the

streams, there is nothing but pure joy in the fountain. Here shall I be encircled with eternity and ever live, and ever, ever praise the Lord. My face will not wrinkle, nor my hair be grey; for this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal immortality and death shall be swallowed up in victory, O death, where is now thy sting! O grave where is thy victory! The date of my lease will no more expire, nor shall I trouble myself with thoughts of death, nor lose my joys through fear of losing them. When millions of ages are passed, my glory is but beginning; and when millions more are passed, it is no nearer ending. Every day is all noon, every month is harvest, every year is a jubilee, every age is full manhood, and all this is one eternity. O blessed eternity! The glory of my glory! the perfection of my perfection!"

8. "Ah drowsy, earthly heart! How coldly dost thou think of this reviving day! Hadst thou rather sit down in dirt, than walk in the palace of God? Art thou now remembering thy worldly business, or thinking of thy lusts, earthly delights and merry company? Is it better to be here, than above with God? Is the company better? Are the pleasures greater? Come away; make no excuse, nor delay; God commands, and I command thee; gird up thy loins; ascend the mount; look about thee with faith and seriousness. Look not back upon the way of the wilderness except it be to compare the kingdom with that howling des ert, more sensibly to perceive the wide difference.

Yonder is thy Father's glory; yonder, O my soul ! must thou remove, when thou departest from this body; and when the power of thy Lord hath raised it again, and joined thee too it, yonder must thou live with God forever. There is the glorious new Jerusalem, the gates of pearl, the foundations of pearl, the streets and pavement of transparent gold. That sun, which lighteth all this world, will be useless there; even thyself shalt be as bright as yonder shining sun; God will be the sun, and Christ the light, and in his light shalt thou have light."

9. "O my soul! dost thou stagger at the promise of God through unbelief? I much suspect thee; didst thou believe indeed thou wouldst be more affected with it. Is it not under the hand, and seal and oath of God? Can God lie? Can he that is truth itself be false? What need hath God to flatter or deceive thee? Why should he promise thee more than he will perform? Dare not to charge the wise, almighty faithful God with this. How many of the promises have been performed to thee in thy conversion! Would God so powerfully concur with a feigned word? O wretched heart of unbelief! Hath God made thee a promise of rest, and wilt thou come short of it? Thine eyes, thy ears, and all thy senses, may prove delusions, sooner than a promise of God can delude thee. Thou mayest be surer of that which is written in the word, than if thou see it with thine eyes, or feel it with thine hands. Art thou sure thou art alive, or that this is earth thou standest on, or that thine eyes see the sun? As sure is all this glory to the saints; as sure shall I be higher than yonder stars, and live forever in the holy city, and joyful

ly sound forth the praise of my Redeemer; if I be not shut out by this evil heart of unbelief, causing me to depart from the living God."

10. And is this rest so sweet, and so sure? Then what means the careless world? Know they what they neglect? Did they ever hear of it, or are they yet asleep, or are they dead? Do they certainly know that the crown is before them, while they thus sit still or follow trifles? Undoubtedly they are beside themselves, to mind so much their provision by the way, when they are hasting so fast to another world, and their eternal happiness lies at stake. Were there left one spark of reason, they would never sell their rest for toil, nor their glory for worldly vanities, nor venture heaven for sinful pleasure. Poor men! O that you would once consider what you hazard, and then you would scorn these tempting baits! Blessed forever be that love, which hath rescued me from this bewitching darkness!”

§ 11. "Draw yet nearer, my soul! with thy most fervent love. Here is matter for it to work upon, something worth thy loving. O see what beauty presents! Is not all the beauty in the world united here? Is not all other beauty but deformity? Dost thou need to be persuaded to love? Here is a feast for thine eyes, and all the powers of thy soul; dost thou now need entreaties to feed upon it? Canst thou love a little shining earth, a walking piece of clay? And canst thou not love that God, that Christ, that glory, which is so truly and unmeasurably lovely? Thou canst love thy friend, because he loves thee; and is the love of thy friend like the love of Christ? Their weeping or bleeding for thee do not ease thee, nor stay the

course of thy tears or blood: But the tears and blood that fell from thy Lord, have a sovereign healing virtue. O my soul! if love deserves, and should beget love, what incomprehensible love is here before thee! Pour out all the store of thy affections here, and all is too little. O that it were more! O that it were many thousand times more! Let him be first served, that served thee first. Let him have the first-born, and strength of thy soul, who parted with strength and life in love for thee. O my soul! Dost thou love for excellency? Yonder is the region of light. This is a land of darkness. Yonder twinkling stars, that shining moon, and radiant sun, are all but lanthorns hung out of thy Father's house, to light thee while thou walkest in this dark world: But how little dost thou know the glory and blessedness that is within! Dost thou love for suitableness? What person more suitable than Christ! His Godhead and humanity, his fulness and freeness, his willingness and constancy, all proclaim him thy most suitable friend. What state more suitable to thy misery, than mercy? Or to thy sin and pollution, than honour and perfection? What place more suitable to thee than heaven? Does this world agree with thy desires? Hast thou not had a sufficient trial of it? Or dost thou love for interest and near relation? Where hast thou better interest than in heaven, or nearer relation than there ?"

12. "Dost thou love for acquaintance and familiarity? Though thine eyes have never seen thy Lord, yet thou hast heard his voice, received his benefits, and lived in his bosom: He taught thee to know thyself and him; he opened thee that first window through which thou sawest into hea

ven. Hast thou forgotten since thy heart was careless, and he awakened it; hard, and he softened it; stubborn, and he made it yield; at peace, and he troubled it; whole, and he broke it; and broken, till he healed it again? Hast thou forgotten the times when he found thee in tears; when he heard thy secret sighs and groans, and left all to come and comfort thee; when he took thee, as it were, in his arms, and asked thee, "Poor soul, what ails thee? Dost thou weep, when I have wept so much? Be of good cheer; thy wounds are saving, and not deadly; it is I have made them, who mean thee no hurt; though I let out thy blood, I will not let out thy life." I remember

his voice. How gently did he take me up! How carefully did he dress my wounds! Methinks I hear him still saying to me, "Poor sinner, though thou hast dealt unkindly with me, and cast me off; yet I will not do so by thee. Though thou hast set light by me and all my mercies, yet they and myself are all thine. What wouldst thou have that I can give thee? And what dost thou want that I cannot give thee? If any thing I have will pleasure thee, thou shalt have it. Wouldst thou have pardon? I freely forgive thee all the debt. Wouldst thou have grace and peace? Thou shalt have them both. Wouldst thou have myself? Behold I am thine, thy Friend, thy Lord, thy Brother, Husband, and Head. Wouldst thou have the Father? I will bring thee to him, and thou shalt have him, in and by me." These were my Lord's reviving words. After all, when I was doubtful of his love, methinks I yet remember his overcoming arguments. "Have I done so much, sinner, to testify my love, and yet dost thou doubt? Have I offered thee myself and love so long and yet dost thou