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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 of 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 CXVI.

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 screnity 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 beguiling 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 thec, 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 in thy 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.

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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 (O could I antedate that day!) I shall even be refreshed with the perfection of my love, when I find it so spotless, vigorous, and divine, that not only I, but God, its glorious fountain, and eternal object, shall be pleased with my love; when its quality shall be suitable to that state of consummate perfection, its quantity such as reple nishes the most enlarged powers of glorified souls, and its duration through all evermore.

Now, since thou art seen in all things, and canst not but be loved wherever thou art seen, how is it that I am not wholly taken up with thy love, and lost in transport and delight in the divine survey of

thine excellencies? Can a poor soul like mine not find sufficient matter for meditation, where a whole heaven of perfected adorers find enough for their most enlarged capacities through eternity, and to spare?

Now, here is the wonder, that God is not only lovely in himself, and in all things whereby he reveals himself, but also permits, yea, commands me to love him, making my indispensible duty my daily privilege, and my highest privilege my daily duty.

All subjects may and ought to reverence and love their sovereigns, but some countries not only forbid, but make it penal, for any of the fair sex, though nobly born, to be espoused to their prince, and so of course forbid them to love him in the highest degree. But, O the condescension of the high and lofty One, the chiefest among ten thousand, that I may love him, and not be reproved, and kiss him, and not be despised! As he is the greatest, so is he the most generous of lovers, not only ever returning love for love, but for a spark returning a flame, and for a faint wish, some full expressions of captivating love; and as he is a noble, a none-such lover, so he does all things answerable to this divine character. His decrees are love," I have loved thee with an everlasting love;" his counsels are love, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold;" his cords are love, wherewith he draws; his rod is love, with which he corrects, for "whom he loves he chastens ;" his providences are pregnant with love; his promises are pure love; his name is love; his offices are love, for to teach and instruct, to plead and intercede, to lead, rule, and defend, to help and heal, to counsel and

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