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thousand times greater than the sun, yet my eyes shall be able for ever to<br />
behold it!: Or if thou hast not yet felt these sweet foretastes, (for every<br />
believer hath not felt them,) then make use of such delights as thou hast felt,<br />
in order the better to discern what thou shalt hereafter feel.<br />
Secondly. I am now to show how heavenly contemplation may be<br />
PRESERVED FROM A WANDERING HEART. Our chief work here is to<br />
discover the danger, and that will direct to the fittest remedy. <strong>The</strong> heart will<br />
prove the greatest hinderance in this heavenly employment; either, by<br />
backwardness to it;--or, by trifling in it;--or by frequent excursions to other<br />
objects;--or, by abruptly ending the work before it is well begun. As you<br />
value the comfort of this work, these dangerous evils must be faithfully<br />
resisted.<br />
1. Thou wilt find thy heart as backward to this, I think, as to any work in<br />
the world. O what excuses will it make! What evasions will it find out! What<br />
delays and demurs, when it is ever so much convinced! Either it will<br />
question whether it be a duty or not; or if it be so to others, whether to<br />
thyself. It will tell thee, "This is a work for ministers that have nothing else<br />
to study; or, for persons that have more leisure than thou hast." If thou be a<br />
minister, it will tell thee, "This is the duty of the people; it is enough for thee<br />
to meditate for their instruction, and let them meditate on what they have<br />
heard." As if it was thy duty only to cook their meat and serve it up, and they<br />
alone must eat it, digest it, and live upon it. If all this will not do, thy heart<br />
will tell thee of other business, or set thee upon some other duty; for it had<br />
rather go to any duty than this. Perhaps it will tell thee, "Other duties are<br />
greater, and therefore this must give place to them, because thou hast no time<br />
for both. Public business is more important; to study and preach for the<br />
saving of souls must be preferred before these private contemplations." As if<br />
thou hadst not time to care for thy own salvation, for looking after that of<br />
others; or thy charity to others were so great, that it obliges thee to neglect<br />
thy own eternal welfare; or as if there was any better way to fit us to be<br />
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