A glance of Heaven, or, A precious taste of a glorious feastA glance of Heaven, or, A pretious taste of a glorious feast

Now to try whether we have this branch of love, that is, a desire of union. Where therefore there is a desire of union with the party loved, of uniting to that person (for we speak of persons) there will be a ⟨p. 179⟩desire of communion▪ a desire of Union will breed a desire of Communion; that is, there will be a course taken to open our minds: if we have a desire of communion with GOD, we will open our souls often to him in prayer; and we will desire that he will open himself in speaking to our hearts by his Spirit: And we will desire that he will open his mind to us in his Word: we will be careful to hear his Word, and so maintain that sweet and heavenly Commerce between him and our souls, by this intercourse of hearing him, and speaking to him. Where two or three are gathered together, I will be in the midst. Therefore th•se ⟨p. 180⟩that make no conscience either of hearing the word, or of prayer public and private, a•d of using the glorious liberty we have in Christ, of free access to the Throne of Grace, that do not use this prerogative and privilege to cherish that union and communion they may have with God, they love not God, and Christ▪ Strangeness is opposite to love,¹ and it dissolves, and disunites affections; therefore when we are strange to God, that we can go from one end of the week to the other, and from the beginning of the day, to the end of it, & not be acquainted with God, and not open our souls to him, it is a ⟨p. 181⟩sign we have no love, because there is no desire of union, and communion with him.

Now to try whether we have this branch of love, that is, a desire of union. Where therefore there is a desire of union with the partie loved, of uniting to that person (for we speake of persons) there wil bee a ⟨p. 179⟩