Part 184

§ 14. "Awake then, O my drowsy soul! To sleep under the light of grace is unreasonable, much more in the approach of the light of glory. Come forth, my dull congealed spirit, thy Lord bids thee _rejoice and again rejoice_. Thou hast lain long enough in thy prison of flesh, where Satan hath been thy jailor, cares have been thy irons, fears thy scourges, and thy food the bread and water of affliction: where sorrows have been thy lodging, and thy sins and foes have made the bed, and an unbelieving heart hath been the gates and bars that have kept thee in: The angel of the covenant now calls thee, and strikes thee, and bids thee, _arise and follow him_. Up, O my soul! and cheerfully obey, and thy bolts and bars shall all fly open; _follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth_. Shouldst thou fear to follow such a guide? Can the sun lead thee to a state of darkness? Will he lead thee to death, who died to save thee from it? Follow him, and he will shew thee _the paradise of God_; He will give thee a sight of the _New Jerusalem_, and a taste of _the tree of life_. Come forth, my drooping soul, and lay aside thy winter-dress; let it be seen by thy _garments of joy and praise_, that the spring is come, and as thou now seest thy comforts green; thou shalt shortly see them _white and ripe for harvest_, and then thou shalt be called to reap, and gather, and take possession. Should I suspend and delay my joys till then? Should not the joys of the spring go before the joys of harvest? Is title nothing before possession? Is the heir in no better a state than a slave? My Lord hath taught me to _rejoice_ in _hope of his glory_; and how to see it through the bars of a prison; for _when I am persecuted for righteousness' sake_, he commands me to _rejoice, and be exceeding glad_, because _my reward in heaven is great_. I know he would have my joys exceed my sorrows; and as much as he delights in the humble and contrite he yet more delights in the soul that _delights in him_. Hath my Lord spread me a table in this wilderness, and furnished it with the promises of everlasting glory, and set before me angels' food? Doth he frequently and importunately invite me to sit down, and feed, and spare not? Hath he, to that end, furnished me with reason, and faith, and a joyful disposition; and is it possible that he should be unwilling to have me rejoice? Is it not his command, to _delight thyself in the Lord_; and his promise, to _give thee the desires of thine heart_? Art thou not charged, to _rejoice evermore_: yea, to _sing aloud, and shout, for joy_? Why should I then be discouraged? My God is willing, if I were but willing. He is delighted in my delights. He would have it my constant frame, and daily business, to be near him in my believing meditations, and to live in the sweetest thoughts of his goodness. O blessed employment, fit for the sons of God! But thy feast, my Lord, is nothing to me without an appetite: Thou hast set the dainties of heaven before me; but, alas! I am blind, and cannot see them; I am sick, and cannot relish them; I am so benumbed, that I cannot put forth a hand to take them. I therefore humbly beg this grace, that as thou hast opened heaven to me in thy word, so thou wouldst _open mine eyes to see_ it, and my heart to delight in it; else heaven will be no heaven to me. O thou Spirit of life, breathe upon thy graces in me; take me by the hand, and lift me from earth, that I may see what glory _thou hast prepared for them that love thee_!