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it beholds is the most excellent; even the Divine glory. Such an object can not be beheld, but with an eye full of lively vigor; a sparkling, a radiant eye: a weak eye would be struck blind, would fail, and be closed up at the first glance. We must suppose, then, this vision to be accompanied with the highest vitality, the strongest energy, a mighty plenitude of spirit and power no less than the Divine: nothing but the Divine power can sufficiently fortify the soul to behold the Divine glory. When the apostle speaks only of his desire of glory, he that hath wrought us to this self-same thing (saith he) is God, he that hath moulded us, suitably framed us (as the word signifieth) for this thing, is God it is the work of a Deity to make a soul desire glory: certainly then, it is his work to give the power of beholding it. And by how much the more of power, so much the more of pleasure in this vision. Weak sight would afford but languid joy: but when the whole soul, animated with divine power and life, shall seat itself in the eye; when it shall be, as it were, all eye, as one said of God, whom it now perfectly imitates, and be wholly intent upon this vision; apply itself thereto with all its might, as its only business; what satisfying joys doth it now taste! renewed by every repeated view! how doth it now, as it were, prey upon glory; as the eye of the eagle upon the beams of the sun! We meet with the expression aures bibulæ; here will be oculi bibuli, thirsty eyes; a soul ready to drink in glory, at the eye. If vision be by intromission, what attractive eyes are here, drawing in glory, feeding upon glory! if by extramission, what piercing, darting eyes, sending forth the soul at every look to embrace the glorious object!

There is a great power that now attends realizing thoughts of God: whether it appear in the consequent working of the soul directly towards God; or by way of reflection upon itself. If directly towards God; how mightily is he admired! "Who is a God like unto thee?" If by reflection upon our own sin, and vileness; how deeply doth it humble!" Now mine eye seeth thee, therefore I abhor myself.-Woe is me, I am undone, -mine eyes have seen the Lord of glory." If by way of reflection, upon our interest in him, or relation to him; how mightily doth it support and comfort! "I will look to the Lord,-my God will hear me." How full of rich sense is that Scripture, They looked to him and were lightened! One look clothed them

with light, cast a glory upon their souls, filled them with life and joy; it was but a thought, the cast of an eye, and they were as full as hearts could hold. O the power then of these heavenly visions, when we dwell in the views of that transforming glory!

2. This will be a comprehensive intuition; as its object is entire glory. I mean comparatively, not absolutely comprehensive. More of the Divine glory will be comprehended, unspeakably, than before. We shall better be able to discern the Divine excellences together; have much more adequate conceptions; a fuller, and more complete notion of God: we shall see him as he is. It is too much observable, how in our present state, we are prejudiced by our partial conceptions of him; and what an inequality they cause in the temper of our spirits. For wicked men, the very notion they have of God proves fatal to their souls, or is of a most destructive tendency; because they comprehend not together what God hath revealed of himself. Most usually, they confine those few thoughts of God they have, only to his mercy; and that exclusively, as to his holiness and justice; hence their vain and mad presumption. The notion of an unholy, or a not-holy, and not-just God, what wickedness would it not induce! "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: " a God after their own hearts; then the reins are let loose. More rarely, when the conscience of guilt hath arrested the self-condemned wretch, God is thought of under no other notion, than that of an irreconcilable enemy and avenger; as one thirsting after the blood of souls, and that will admit of no atonement. So without all pretense, and so flatly contrary to all his discoveries of himself, do men dare to affix to him black and horrid characters, forged only out of the radicated and inveterate hatred of their own hearts against him, (that never take up good thoughts of any one,) only because they have no mind to acquaint themselves with him; and that they may have some color for their affected distance and so, perhaps, never return; but perish under a horrid willful despair. And even the people of God themselves are too apt sometimes, so wholly to fix their eyes upon love and grace, that they grow into an unbecoming, uncreaturely familiarity; while the thoughts of infinite majesty, adorable greatness and glory, are asleep sometimes, possibly, they apprehend vindictive justice, the indignation and jealousy of God against sin, (precluding meanwhile the consideration of

his indulgent compassions towards truly humble and penitent souls,) to that degree of affrightment and dread, that they grow into an unchildlike strangeness towards him, and take little pleasure in drawing nigh to him. But when, now, our eye shall take in the discovery of Divine glory equally, how sweet and satisfying a pleasure will arise from that grateful mixture of reverent love, humble joy, modest confidence, meek courage, a prostrate magnanimity, a triumphant veneration; a soul shrinking before the Divine glory into nothing, yet not contenting itself with any less enjoyment, than of him, who is all in all!

3. It will be fixed, steady intuition, as its object is permanent glory. The vision of God can neither infer, nor admit weariness. The eye can not divert; its act is eternally delectable, and affords an unvariable, undecaying pleasure. Sensual delights soon end in loathing; quickly bring a glutting surfeit; and degenerate into torments, when they are continued and unintermittent. A philosopher, in an epistle which he writes to a friend, from the court of Dionysius, where he was forcibly detained, thus bemoans himself: "We are unhappy, O Antisthenes, beyond measure! and how can we but be unhappy, that are burdened by the tyrant every day with sumptuous feasts, plentiful compotations, precious ointments, gorgeous apparel? and I knew as soon as I came into this island and city, how unhappy my life would be." This is the nature and common condition of even the most pleasing sensible objects: they first tempt, then please a little, then disappoint, and lastly vex. The eye that beholds them, blasts them quickly, rifles and deflowers their glory; and views them with no more delight at first, than disdain afterwards. Creatureenjoyments have a bottom, are soon drained and drawn dry: hence there must be frequent diversions; other pleasures must be sought out; and are chosen, not because they are better, but because they are new.

This demonstrates the emptiness and vanity of the creature. Affection of variety only proceeds from sense of want; and is a confession, upon trial, that there is not in such an enjoyment what was expected. Proportionably, in the state of glory, a constant indeficient fullness renders the blessed soul undesirous of any change. There is no need of varieties, or diversions; what did once please, can never cease to do so. This glory can not fade, or lose any thing of its attractive power. The faculty

can not languish, or lose the disposition, by which it is contempered and made proportionable thereto. Hence no weariness can ensue. What! a soul in which the love of God is perfected, grow weary of beholding him! The sun will sooner grow weary of shining; the touched needle of turning itself to its wonted point; every thing will sooner grow weary of its centre; and the most fundamental laws of nature be sooner antiquated and made void for ever. The eye of the fool, Solomon tells us, is in the ends of the earth. His, only, is a rolling wandering eye, that knows not where to fix. Wisdom guides, and fixes the eye of the holy soul; determines it unto God only: I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel, my reins also instruct me,-I have set the Lord always before me. Surely heaven will not render it less capable of dijudication; of passing a right judgment of the excellency and worth of things. And here, a rational judg ment will find no want; and an irrational will find no place. Therefore, as permanent glory will certainly infer a perpetual vision; perpetual vision will as certainly perpetuate the soul's satisfaction and blessedness.

4. It will be a possessive intuition: as it is an appropriate glory which it pitches upon. It will be the language of every look, "This glory is mine." The soul looks not upon it shyly, as if it had nothing to do with it; or with slight and careless glances but the very posture of its eye speaks its interest, and proclaims the pretensions it hath to this glory. With how dif ferent an aspect doth a stranger passing by, and the owner, look upon the same house, the same lands! A man's eye lays his claims for him and avows his right. A grateful object that one can say is his own, he arrests it with his eye; so do saints with appropriative looks behold their God, and the Divine glory. Even with such an eye as he was wont to behold them; To this man will I look that is as the place of my rest, mentioned before ; he designs him with his eye. Which is the import of that expression, The Lord knows who are his; his eye marks them out; owns them as his own: as concerning others, whom he disowns, the phrase is, I know you not. And how vastly different is such an intuition, from that, when I look upon a thing with a hungry, lingering eye, which I must never enjoy, or never expect to be the better for! The vision is fruitive, unites the soul with the blessed object: which kind of sight is meant, when actual blessed

ness is so often expressed by seeing God. We see then what vision, the sight of God's face, contributes to the satisfaction of blessed souls.

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See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil.-Eph. v. 15, 16.

THE apostle is still cleansing away the root of bitterness, still cutting off the groundwork of anger. For what is he saying? Look circumspectly how ye walk. He knew that his Master, when he sent his disciples as sheep in the midst of wolves, further charged them to be as doves. For ye shall be harmless, saith he, as doves. Forasmuch then as they were both amongst wolves, and were besides commanded not to defend themselves, but to suffer evil, they needed this admonition. Not indeed but that the former was sufficient to render them well secured; but now that there is besides the double addition, reflect how it is exceedingly heightened. Observe then here also, how carefully he secures them, by saying, Look how ye walk. Whole cities were at war with them; yea, this war made its way also into houses. They were divided, father against son, and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against mother. What then? Whence these divisions? They heard Christ say, He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. Lest therefore they should think that he was introducing nothing but wars and fightings, (since there was likely to be considerable anger produced, if they on their part were to retaliate,) to prevent this, he says, See that ye walk circumspectly. That is to say, "Except the gospel message, give no other handle on any score whatever, for the hatred which you will incur." Let this be the only ground of hatred. Let no one have any other charge to make against you; but show all deference and obedience, whenever it does no harm to the message, whenever it does not stand in the way of godliness. For it is said, Render to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom. For when amongst the rest of the world they shall see us forbearing, they will be put to shame.

Not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time. It is not from

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