The saints everlasting rest

2. Consider, a heavenly mind is a joyful mind: this is the nearest and the truest way to comfort; and without this you must needs be uncomfortable. Can a man be at the fire, and not be warm? or in the sunshine, and not have light? Can your heart be in heaven, and not have comfort? What could make such frozen uncomfortable christians, but living so far as they do from heaven? And what makes others so ⟨p. 280⟩warm in comforts, but their frequent access so near to GOD? When the sun in the spring draws near our part of the earth, how do all things congratulate its approach! The earth looks green and casteth off her mourning habit; the trees shoot forth; the plants revive; the birds sing; the face of all things smiles upon us, and all the creatures below rejoice. If we would but keep these hearts above, what a spring would be within us; and all our graces be fresh and green! How would the face of our souls be changed, and all that is within us rejoice! How should we forget our winter-sorrows, and withdraw our souls from our sad retirements! How early should we rise (as these birds in the spring) to sing the praise of our great Creator! O christian! get above; believe it, that region is warmer than this below. Those that have been there have found it so, and those that have come thence have told us so; and I doubt not but thou hast sometimes tried it thyself. I dare appeal to thy own experience: when is it that you have largest comforts? Is it not after such an exercise as this, when thou hast got up thy heart, and conversed with GOD, and talked with the inhabitants of the higher world, and viewed the mansions of the saints and angels, and filled thy soul with the fore-thoughts of glory? If thou knowest by experience what this practice is, I dare say thou knowest what spiritual joy is. If it be the countenance of GOD that fills us with joy, then they that most behold it, must be ful est of these joys. If you never tried this, nor lived this life of heavenly contemplation, I never wonder that you walk uncomfortably, and know not what the joy of the saints means: can you have comforts from GOD, and never think of him? Can heaven rejoice you when you do not remember it? Doth any thing in the world glad you, when you think not on it? Whom should we blame then, that we are so void of consolation, but our own negligent unskilful hearts?