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shall we now overlook all? Shall we live in earthly cares and sorrows, and<br />
rejoice no more in these discoveries than if the Lord had never written them?<br />
If thy prince had but sealed thee a patent of some lordship, how oft wouldst<br />
thou cast thy eyes upon it, and made it thy delightful study, till thou shouldst<br />
come to possess the dignity itself! And hath God sealed thee a patent of<br />
heaven, and dost thou let it lie by thee, as if thou hadst forgot it? O that our<br />
hearts were as high as our hopes, and our hopes as high as these infallible<br />
promises!<br />
10. It is but equal that our hearts should be on God, when the heart of<br />
God is so much on us. If the Lord of glory can stoop so low as to set his heart<br />
on sinful dust, methinks we should easily be persuaded to set our hearts on<br />
Christ and glory, and ascend to him in our daily affections, who so much<br />
condescends to us. Christian, dost thou not perceive that the heart of God is<br />
set upon thee, and that he is still minding thee with tender love, even when<br />
thou forgettest both thyself and him? Is he not following thee with daily<br />
mercies, moving upon thy soul, providing for thy body, preserving both?<br />
Doth he not bear thee continually in the arms of love, and promise that "all<br />
shall work together for thy good," and suit all his dealings to thy greatest<br />
advantage, and "give his angels charge over thee?" And canst thou be taken<br />
up with the joys below, and forget thy Lord, who forgets not thee? Unkind<br />
ingratitude! When he speaks of his own kindness for us, hear what he says:<br />
"Zion said, <strong>The</strong> Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can<br />
a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on<br />
the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.<br />
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of hands; thy walls are<br />
continually before me." But when he speaks of our regards to him, the case is<br />
otherwise. "Can a maid forget his ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my<br />
people have forgotten me, days without number." As if he should say, "You<br />
will not rise one morning, but you will remember to cover your nakedness,<br />
nor forget your vanity of dress; and are these of more worth than your God?<br />
of more importance than your eternal life? And yet you can forget these, day<br />
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