The Mirror
“Take a looking-glass a7td put it towards Jieaveii; there yon shall see the figure of heaven, the clouds and things above. Turn it downward towards the earth, yoit shall see the figure of the earth, trees, meadows, 7ne7i. So doth the soul receive a figiwe from the things to which it is set. If the heart be set towards heaven, that puts thee into a heavenly frame; if thou appliest it to earthly objects, thou art a man of the earth Are our thoughts and our affections full of worldliness? Let us make good use of Manton’s figure, and turn the looking-glass the other way. Our mind will readily enough reflect divine things if we turn it in that direction. Let us see if it be not so. Reach down the Bible, look at the biography of a holy man, or some lively book of devotion, and see if the heart be not straightway filled with holy and heavenly images. At any rate, if we spend our time on the newspaper, or sit hour after hour reading trashy novels, we have no reason to wonder that thought and heart go after vanity. This turning of the mind upward is half the battle. We cannot expect it to reflect that towards which it does not turn. Those who mind earthly things are earthly, those who set their affection upon things above are heavenly. Paul shows how practically useful it is to turn the mind God-ward when he says that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
We may well cry concerning this matter, “Turn us, O Lord, and we shall be turned.” If we cannot see divine truth to our enjoyment, let us nevertheless look that way; for that eye is blessed which looks in the direction of the light. It is well to have our window open towards Jerusalem. He who would behold the sun at his rising must not look to the west. He that would see God to his delight must look God-ward. If the mirror of the soul be resolutely set towards the Lord, we shall all with open face behold, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, and be changed into the same image from gloiy to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
O, my blessed Master, help me I pray thee to keep the mirror of my mind in the right position, that evermore I may see thee. True, it will be but as in a glass darkly, but even that will be a marvellous preparation for beholding thee face to face.