vation, to obtain an experience of them in our souls. The inward man is renewed day by day,' whilst we behold these invisible things, 2 Cor. iv. 16-18.; but how? even as the outward man decays by age, which is by insensible degrees and alterations. Such is the transformation which we have by faith, in its present view of the glory of Christ. And according to our experience of its efficacy herein, is our evidence of its truth and reality in the beholding of him. No man can have the least ground of assurance that he hath seen Christ and his glory by faith, without some effects of it in changing him into his likeness. For as on the touch of his garment by the woman in the gospel, virtue went out from him to heal her infirmity; so upon this view of faith, an influence of transforming power will proceed from Christ unto the soul.

2. As unto the event it is but partial. It doth not bring this work unto perfection. The change wrought by it is indeed great and glorious; or as the Apostle speaks, it is from glory to glory, in a progress of glorious grace; but absolute perfection is reserved for vision. As unto divine worship, perfection was not by the law; it did many things preparatory unto the revelation of the will of God concerning it, but it made nothing perfect; so absolute perfection in holiness, and the restoration of the image of God, is not by the gospel, is not by faith; however it gives us many preparatory degrees unto it, as the Apostle fully declares, Phil. iii. 10—14. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead; not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.'

Secondly, Vision is beatifical, as it is commonly called, and that not amiss. It gives perfect rest and blessedness unto them

in whom it is. This may be a little opened in the ensuing observations.

1. There are continual operations of God in Christ, in the souls of them that are glorified, and communications from him unto them. For all creatures must eternally live even in heaven, in dependence on him who is the eternal fountain of being, life, goodness, and blessedness unto all. As we cannot subsist one moment in our beings, lives, souls, bodies, the inward or outward man, without the continual actings of divine power in us, and towards us; so in the glorified state, our all shall depend eternally on divine power and goodness, communicating themselves unto us, for all the ends of our blessed subsistence in heaven.

2. What is the way and manner of these communications, we cannot comprehend. We cannot indeed fully understand the nature and way of his spiritual communications unto us in this life. We know these things by their signs, their outward means, and principally by the effects they produce in the real change of our natures; but in themselves we see but little of them. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and we hear the sound thereof, but we know not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit,' John iii. 8. All God's real operations in heaven and earth are incomprehensible, as being acts of infinite power, and we cannot search them out unto perfection.

3. All communications from the divine Being and infinite fulness in heaven unto glorified saints, are in and through Christ Jesus, who shall ever be the medium of communication between God and the church, even in glory. All things being gathered into one head in him, even things in heaven, and things in earth; that head being in immediate dependence on God, this order shall never be dissolved, Eph. i. 10, 11. 1 Cor. iii. 23. And on these communications from God through Christ, depends entirely our continuance in a state of blessedness and glory. We shall no more be self-subsistent in glory, than we are in nature or grace.

4. The way on our part whereby we shall receive these communications from God by Christ, which are the eternal

springs of life, peace, joy, and blessedness, is this vision, the sight whereof we speak. For as it is expressly assigned thereunto in the Scripture; so whereas it contains the perfect operation of our minds and souls in a perfect state, on the most perfect Object, it is the only means of our blessedness. And this is the true cause, whence there neither is, nor can be any satiety or weariness in heaven, in the eternal contemplation of the same glory. For not only the Object of our sight is absolutely infinite, which can never be searched into the bottom, yea, is perpetually new unto a finite understanding; so our subjective blessedness consisting in continual fresh communications from the infinite fulness of the divine nature, derived unto us through vision, is always new, and always will be so to eternity. Herein shall all the saints of God drink of the rivers of pleasure that are at his right hand, be satisfied with his likeness, and refresh themselves in the eternal springs of life, light, and joy for ever

more.

This effect, that view which we have by faith of the glory of Christ in this world, doth not produce. It is sanctifying, not glorifying. The best saints are far from a perfect or glorified state in this life: and that not only on the account of the outward evils, which in their persons they are exposed unto; but also of the weakness and imperfection of their inward state in grace. Yet we may observe some things unto the honour of faith in them who have received it. As,

1. In its due exercise on Christ, it will give unto the souls of believers some previous participation of future glory working in them dispositions unto, and preparation for the enjoyment of it.

2. There is no glory, no peace, no joy, no satisfaction in this world, to be compared with what we receive by that weak and imperfect view which we have of the glory of Christ by faith. Yea, all the joys of the world are a thing of nought, in comparison of what we so receive.

3. It is sufficient to give us such a perception, such a foretaste of future blessedness in the enjoyment of Christ, as may continually stir us up to breathe and pant after it. But it is not beatifical.

Other differences of an alike nature, between our beholding of the glory of Christ in this life by faith, and that vision of it which is reserved for heaven, might be insisted on; but I shall proceed no further. There is nothing farther for us to do herein, but that now and always we shut up all our meditations concerning it, with the deepest self-abasement, out of a sense of our unworthiness and insufficiency to comprehend those things, admiration of that excellent glory which we cannot comprehend, and vehement longings for that season when we shall see him as he is, be ever with him, and know him even as we are known.

CHAP. XV.

AN EXHORTATION UNTO SUCH AS ARE NOT YET PARTAKERS OF CHRIST.

THAT which remains, is to make some application of the glorious truth insisted on unto the souls of them that are concerned. And what I have to offer unto that end, I shall distribute under two heads. The first shall be with respect unto them who are yet strangers from this holy and glorious One, who are not yet made partakers of him, nor have any especial interest in him. And the second shall be directed unto believers, as a guide and assistance unto their recovery from spiritual decays, and the revival of a spring of vigorous grace, holiness, and obedience in them.

For the first of these, although it seems not directly to lie in our way, yet it is suited unto the method of the gospel, that wherever there is a declaration of the excellencies of Christ, in his person, grace, or office, it should be accompanied with an invitation and exhortation unto sinners to come unto him. This method he himself first made use of, Matth. xi. 27. "All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man know

eth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.' ver. 28-30. 'Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.' John vii. 37. 'In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.' And he consecrated this method unto our use also. Besides, it is necessary from the nature of the things themselves; for who can dwell on the consideration of the glory of Christ, being called therewith to the declaration of it, but his own mind will engage him to invite lost sinners unto a participation of him? But I shall at present proceed no further in this exhortation, but only unto the proposal of some of those considerations which may prepare, incline, and dispose their minds unto a closure with him as he is tendered in the gospel. As,

First, Let them consider well what is their present state with respect unto God and eternity. This Moses wisheth for the Israelites, Deut. xxxii. 29. 'Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! It is the greatest folly in the world to leave the issues of these things unto an uncertain hazard. And that man who cannot prevail with himself strictly to examine what is his state and condition. with respect unto eternity, doth never do any good, nor abstain from any evil in a due manner. Remember, therefore, that many are called, but few are chosen. To be called, is to enjoy all the outward privileges of the gospel, which is all you unto whom I speak can pretend unto, yet this you may do and not be chosen. Even among those unto whom the word is preached, they are but few that shall be saved. In the distribution made by our Lord Jesus Christ of the hearers of the word into four sorts of ground, it was but one of them that received real benefit thereby; and if our congregations are no better than were his hearers, there is not above a fourth part of them that will be saved, it may be a far less number; and is it not strange, that every one of them is not jealous over himself and his own