choose a high place; He urges and drives us thereto; and shall we, through sheer laziness, refuse to accept what He offers us? Truly, O good God! with the help of Thy grace I will in future endeavor with all earnestness to reach the place in heaven that Thou hast prepared for me. I am sorry for the beautiful time of my past life that I have so uselessly squandered without merit, for the many opportunities of gaining glory that I have neglected, for the many grievous sins by which I have completely forfeited all claim to heaven. I will now begin to repair these losses with greater zeal, redouble my daily good works, have a pure intention in all my actions, and labor till the end of my life, as far as I can, to ascend higher in heaven, that, O great Lord! since such is Thy wish, my greater joy and glory may also increase Thy honor and glory for all eternity. Amen.
FIFTY-FOURTH SERMON.
ON THE FREQUENT RECOLLECTION OF AND MEDITATION ON HEAVEN.
Subject.
We should often think of heaven and desire it. First, because it is only right to do so; secondly, because we are forced to do so if we desire to gain heaven.—Preached on the feast of the dedication of a church.
Text.
Vidi sanctam civitatem Jerusalem novam, descendentem de cœlo a Deo.—Apoc. xxi. 2.
“I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.”
Introduction.
Not without reason is this lesson about the heavenly city of Jerusalem read on the feast of the dedication of a church, for as the yearly recurrence of the feast reminds us of the benefits we have received during the year in the churches that we may return due thanks to God for them, so also whenever we appear in the churches, we should remember the heavenly Jerusalem, of which the sacred edifice is a symbol, and the eternal joys that
