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with him. What a happy state were this; for death would drop his sting, the grave would cease to gloom, and awful eternity excite a song of triumph! Thus, while unprepared mortals tremble at the thoughts of death, I, longing for perfect freedom from sin, and eternal communion with God, in a kind of holy impatience, would cry out, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariot ?

MEDITATION CXIV.

THOUGH WE WALK ON EARTH, OUR CONVERSATION SHOULD BE IN HEAVEN.

S. Latitude 10°, July 7, 1761.

THE way-faring man has little on the fatiguing road but his weary feet; his heart being set on his family, his friends,his home; his affections on his native country, and his desires terminating on his journey's end. Then, am not I a traveller heaven-ward, a pilgrim, and a sojourner on earth? What then have I here, or whom have I here, to captivate my affections, and hinder them from being set on high? If I have any treasure, it must be in heaven, for nothing on earth is worthy of the name, seeing all terrene things take wings, and fly away; or if they remain, it is but to be consumed in the general conflagration. Nothing sure of mine should dwell in this world, but the body of my mortality. My inner man should be an inhabitant of the better country: and it is highly reasonable it should be so, for my hope, my joy, my all are there. 1. The Father of my spirit is there, the beloved of my soul, and the husband of mine espousals; the sanctifier of mine affections, and the kindler of my love, is there.

2. All my friends in a spiritual respect are there, even the whole family of my heavenly Father, angels, archangels, cherubims, seraphims, and the spirits of just men made perfect. Who would not then dwell in such an assembly, and love such a divine society? 3. My house and home are there, and it must be an estranged heart indeed that never thinks on his own house, and never longs for home. 4 Mine inheritance is there, and a goodly portion it is, and pleasant lines they are, that are fallen to me. The heirs of this world only farm from father to son, and death determines the lease; but there every one inherits for himself, and that for eternity. 5. The objects of my faith, the subjects of my song, and the darling excellencies of my love, are all there; and what soul would not dwell among such divine delights, walk in such a paradise, and breathe in the very air of sanctity and bliss?

O what a loss do I sustain by my ignorance of the divine life, and by the carnality of my mind! But is such an happiness attainable below? Yes; the Christian, even here, may have his conversation in heaven, or (as the word signifies) his civil life. Then, 1. He that lives a civil life any where, must buy and sell, and do business with the men of his place; so may I in heaven even buy the merchandise of bliss without money, and without price; and carry on the noblest business with the highest One in the most interesting concerns of my soul. 2. Where one lives he necessarily walks and talks, eats and drinks, sleeps and wakes; so may my soul by faith walk over the fields of light, and talk with the Author of my bliss, the fountain of my joy, and the centre of my love: there I may eat of the hidden manna, pluck off the drop-ripe apples of the tree of life, and drink of those rivers of pleasures that eternally overflow in his presence; yea, and fall asleep

amidst the numerous beatitudes above,and awake with God in the morning.

Now, as one travelling home, only attends to his journey, and provides his viaticum, his food for the way; (nor would his friend greatly oblige him that would load him with golden dust, or silver ore ;) so a few of the necessaries of life are sufficient for my support, till I arrive at that better life that shall need no such assistance.

Then, seeing my house, my home, my friends, my bliss, my joy, mine inheritance, my crown, my life, my light, my glory, my Saviour and my God, are all on high,and nothing here but a waste and howling wilderness, through which I travel with danger and dismay; thither let my longings tend, my wishes wing, and there let my desires center, my affections be fixed, and my whole soul dwell,that at death nothing may remain but to quit this house of clay, and at once be a free and immortal citizen of the Jerusalem above.

MEDITATION CXV.

GREAT LOVE IN GOD, THAT WE MAY LOVE GOD.

N. Latitude 0°, 18', July 19, 1761.

O HOW ardently would I love thee, who art amiableness itself! Fain would I have my heart filled with divine breathings after thee, who art all beauty and desires! but, alas! I know not what it is to love thee, which is the highest attainment of the first born sons of light, and the best exercise of the brightest seraphs. I have heard a soul-warming fame of thy likeness in thy saints, and thy similitude being put on the spirits of thy people; and where it is most perfect, it gives

them such a celestial tincture, such an heavenly hue, that they are like angels dwelling among men, or saints whose conversation is already in heaven. But woe's me my ignorance, my ignorance! I know not thee, and how can I know thy likeness! alas! my chains are heavy, and my wings are weak; my affections sensual, and my spiritual desires languid. Yet I have some blinks amidst my blasts, some sun-shine and serenity in my winter: and though I cannot love thee as I would, yet I am filled with longing after some of this divine flame of love, that shall turn all the out-goings of my soul God-ward, and turn the world, in all its bèguiling and bewitching vanities, eternally out of doors. O that I knew where, how, and in what I might love thee! May I love thee any where, and every where! at home, or abroad, on sea or land, among friends or foes, among men or devils, among saints or sinners, in life or death, in time or in eternity! But again. how or after what manner may I love thee? May I delight myself in thee, meditate on thee, walk before thee, imitate thy divine perfections, talk of thy glory, mention thy righteousness, recount thy mercies, and sing aloud of thy love! may I praise thee, pray to thee, plead with thee, depend upon thee, and roll myself wholly over on thee! But again, in what may I love thee? May I love thee in thy Son and in thyself, in the unity of Godhead, and in the trinity of persons, in thy perfections and attributes, in the largeness of thy love,and in the brightness of thy glory! May I love thee in thy angels, in thy saints, and in all thy other creatures! May I love thee in thy power and inthy providence, in thy counsel and in thy conduct, in thy chastisements and in thy comforts, in thy favours and in thy frowns, when thou woundest or makest whole, when thou givest and when thou takest away;

in a word, in all thy secret decrees, and in all thy open dispensations! May I love thee in thy gospel, and in thine ordinances, in thy law and in thy testimonies, in thy scriptures and in thy sacraments, in thy promises and in their performance, in thy saints, in thy servants, and even in mine own soul (O to see thee, O to know thee there!) and in thy grace, and in thy glory! Again, may I love thee at all times and all seasons, in youth or in old age, in my family or in the field, in company or alone, lying down or rising up, going out or coming in, in health or sickness, in wealth or in poverty, in a prison or in a palace, in reproach or applause, in the body or among the spirits of just men made perfect!

O astonishing condescension! that one under so many deformities and deficiencies, may love continually so great a Being in all his glorious excellencies! Will a king accept of the love of a subject, especially if loaded with infamy and reproach, reduced to poverty, and languishing on a sick bed? and yet, though poor, reproached, and infirm, God despises not my love, but welcomes even its few ascending sparks. O! then, what a field of love is this, God looking out at so many windows, shining in so many excellencies, and still calling, Son, give me thy heart; soul, give me thy love! O what must that love be that prevails in the higher house, in the highest heavens! Oh! were my soul dipt in the celestial Jordan, I should be cleansed from the leprosy of earthly-mindedness, and carnal affections, which always renders the persons infected, unclean, and incapable of holding communion with the Most High.

O dearest Lord! thou hast blown up a spark in my breast, that lives in spite of all the waters of corruption; cherish and increase this fire, till in the day of eternity it break forth into a spotless flame. And then

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