Part 169

§ 4. (2.) The other way in which our senses may promote this heavenly work, is by comparing the objects of sense with the objects of faith. As for instance:—You may strongly argue with your hearts from the corrupt delights of sensual men, to the joys above. Think with yourselves; "Is it such a delight to a sinner to do wickedly? And will it not be delightful indeed to live with God? Hath the drunkard such delight in his cups, that the fears of damnation will not make him forsake them? Will the whore-master rather part with his credit, estate, and salvation, than with his brutish delight? If the way to hell can afford such pleasure, what then are the pleasures of the saints in heaven? if the covetous man hath so much pleasure in his wealth, and the ambitious man in places of power and titles of honor; what then have the saints in everlasting treasures, and in heavenly honors, where we shall be set above principalities and powers, and be made the glorious spouse of Christ? How delightfully will the voluptuous follow their recreations from morning to night, or sit at their cards and dice, nights and days together? O the delight we shall have, when we come to our rest, in beholding the face of the living God, and in singing forth praises to him and the Lamb!"—Compare also the delights above, with the lawful and moderate delights of sense. Think with thyself, "How sweet is food to my taste when I am hungry; especially if it be, as Isaac said, _such as I love_, which my temperance and appetite incline to? What delight then must my soul have in feeding upon _Christ, the living bread_, and in _eating with him at his table in his kingdom_? Was a _mess of pottage_ so sweet to Esau in his hunger, that he would buy it at so dear a rate as his _birth-right_? How highly then should I value this never-perishing food? How pleasant is drink in the extremity of thirst, scarcely to be expressed; enough to make the _strength of Sampson revive_? O how delightful will it be to my soul to drink of that _fountain of living water, which whoso drinketh it shall thirst no more_? How delightful are grateful odors to the smell; or music to the ear; or beautiful sights to the eye? What fragrance then hath _the precious ointment which is poured on the head_ of our glorified Savior, and which must be poured on the head of all his saints, and will fill all heaven with its odor? How delightful is the music _of the heavenly host_? How pleasing will be those real beauties above? How glorious the _building not made with hands_, the house that God himself dwells in, the walks and prospects in _the city of God_; and the celestial paradise!"