But then this longing must be attended with patience; for we may sin even in desiring Hea∣ven, when we desire it with too much precipi∣tancy and haste; and in this, good men are many times very much to blame; many times when a Person meets with some heavy sickness, or some very troublesome affliction, he is apt to say, Oh that God would now take me to Heaven! there is a great deal of self-love in this; and our Nature, when it finds it self op∣prest, would fain be at ease; but we must not forget, that we must bear the Cross, and suffer, before it will be our time to reign. We must hold on in our Race, though the Weather be foul and stormy: many thousand pains may be our Lot, ere God will call us hence; and the first thing that we are to desire, is, that we may have faith, and submission wherewith to bear those Pains, and to persevere till he be pleased to call us. Some indeed he is pleased to dismiss from this Earth to his Heaven, as on the sudden, but if you consider, you will find the greatest part of his Servants have long troubles, manifold Agonies, tedious Conflicts, and heavy Pains, before they come to that Glo∣ry; and in this respect, they find the Gate that leads to Life to be very strait and narrow. The Land of Promise is indeed a pleasant Land; it flows with Milk and Honey; but there are ma∣ny Gyants to conquer in our way thither: your desires of Heaven cannot be truly regular, un∣less you be content o glorify him by suffering, as well as by the doing of his Will. And even with patience there may be an earnest and affe∣ctionate 0