The Warrior's Thoughts

“A certaifi Grecian warrior wherever he walked, was thinking of battles J he asked himself continually, if he should be assaulted 07t such a piece of groimd how he would model and dispose his army for his defence. A Christiajt should be thinking ofheave?t, how he may get thither, and what he shall enjoy there.’” To be engrossed in a pursuit is the readiest way to success in it. We are thorougWy alive unto God when we get so far as even to eat, and drink, and sleep eternal life. Where our treasure is there will our heart be also. The object which is supreme in our heart will continually make itself prominent in our life. When Joshua saw the angel of the Lord, he gave him a military challenge, for his whole soul was in the war. The colour of our chosen occupation will tinge our whole existence. “For to me to live is Christ,” saith the apostle. The musician will be moving his fingers upon the table as if he were playing a tune; the sailor will roll about in his walk on shore as if he were still on board ship; and even so will the soul that communes with God rehearse its joys when it is busy with other matters. When God and heaven bear our thoughts away, it is good evidence that we are preparing for eternal felicity; for he must needs be soon in heaven who already hath heaven in him. When heavenly things take up our souls, our souls will soon be taken up to heaven.

Lord, let me think of thee and thy word all the while I am awake; and when I sleep, if I dream at all, let my imagination still tend thy way. Oh, that I were fully and only filled with thee, till everywhere and at all times my every thought were thine! With all thy ransomed ones I would sing —

“In full and glad surrender we give ourselves to thee, Thine utterly, and only, and evermore to be! O Son of God, who lovest us, we will be thine alone, And all we are, and all we have, shall henceforth be thine own!”