62o Book VI. 1L..oolttng unto jlefn.s. Chap. J.Sdt,-;::- --~------------------------~~---------- - derflandings, Content to their. Wih ; he is Time without Sliding, Society without Loathing, Ddire without Fainting, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending. wanting both, needing neither, yet the. Auth0r of rhem both, he is All in all, fro~ one, noiall. Even all the Strength, Wtr, Pleafure, Venues, Colours Beauties Har– mony, and Goodnefs that are in Men, Beafts,Filhes, Fouls, Trees, Herb~, and all 'crea– tures, are nothing but fparkles of thofe things which are in Chrifl. Chrifl: himfelf will then fupply their ufe, fo that the belt Creatures which now ferve the Saints, /hall nor Rev. 2I. •>· have the honour toferve them then; There will ba no need of theSHn, nor of the Moon to Jhinc in that C•ty, for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb u the lighr thereof. And hence the beholding of Chrifl is the .All in 111/ to his glorified Saints: this was John I?· 24 . Chrifls prayer, FAther I will that thofe whom thou haftgiwn me, be with me where J am to what end? thAt 1hey ma) behold myglory. Chrift's heavenly prefence is confpicuous: ~1e IS nor pr.efcnr a; fome tbJngs. that are not ~een,_ and yet are prefent, bur his prefence tS, or cenamly 1t lhall be confptcuous to all Ius Samts: when he was in the world his glo– ry wasco1·ered under a mean our~de, he was like a brightlight in adark Lanthern, and there were very few thar knew htm then ; bur mHeaven he lhall be as a cabinet opened I John 3· o. or as the Sun in his full glory; We fba/J kztow_ him M we are. k..nown, and behold him fa,; toface, weJhallfte h•mM he u. Nor onelywdl he be confptCuous, but his prefcnce Jhall be vital; a fione may be with us, and feen clearly, but there's little in the light of that· in the beholding of Chri!l: there will be an actin£ of kindnefs upon the Saints, ther~ will be vilions with life and dear refrelhing : 0 the influences thar rhe light of Chri!l: will have on his Saints in Heaven! nor onely will he be confpicuous and viral, but his prefence IJJal! be fixed; he /hall abide with rhe Sainrs, that they may for ever behold him. Oh if there wasfuch runn!ng after Chdfl in this wotld, fome getting on hills, ~nd otl1ers on trees, that they mtght behold l;nm w?en he J?affed by~ wh~t will tfle light of Chri!l: in 'Heaven be, when he JhaU be always tn the eye of hts Satnts, and never out of light, when the~ Jhall be alwa¥s viewin~ of him, ancl be .always farisfied with that view? nor: onely wtll be be confptcuous, VHal, fixed, but lns very prefence !hall Rcvd. 22..h5· transform; TheyJh~llfee hi& face, --and they [ball reign for ever and ever. 0 the in– fluence of thislighr! ir is of fuch a transforming nature, that to fee the King will make · Kings;. this vilion of glory amounts unto a fruition ?f _glory,. if ever thou art a fpecta– Pralm 17 • I). tor of Chnll:, thou art fure to be a partaker of Chn!l: m all hts glory. I jhall be f 11 ti•– l John 3· o. jied, when I aw4F with thy lik!nefs. It dot/? not yet appear wh.tt we fha/1 be, bHt we IQ1ow th~t whet': heJl~all atpear, we jhA/1 be lik$ him; and why fo ? for we fha/1 fee him M he u. And np ~O'l)<)er, for if theimperfect beholding of his glory in the glafs of his Gofpel, I Cor.q.Io. (hanffe the foHl into theJAmJ image from glory to glory; how much more IJJaJI the full view"'of'his glory in Heaven transform !loth the fouls and bodies of his Saints into a fulnef• of glory? Here then is the top of Heaven; here is the .A// i11 11/l; here is the fatisfaction of fouls to the very urtermoft; if Chrill's glory in his transfiguration was fo fatisfadory io Peter, as that he delired bis light of it might never have end, or in– terruption ; 0 it u good to be here, let "' here build Tabernacles ; .and yet Peter was one– ly a fpectaror of this glory, for he had himfelf no lhare in it: 0 then what infinite fatisfatlion mayfl thou expect in rhe beholding of Chri!l:'s glory in Heaven, which will be accompanied with an everlafiing enjoyment? the luflre of his glory will be diffufed unto all, fo that fome lh1ll enjoy the glory of the Sun, others of the Moon, and others of rhe Stars. 0 my foul if thou art but aSrar there, yet if thou arr filled with that light that cot;lles from th~ Sun of righreoufnefs, it_ is_ enough. Oh remewber! .oh. con– fider! oh never forget rillS looking llnto Jef.u! as tt tS thy dury on Earth, fo u IS thy priviledge and highe!l: bappinefs inHeaven for ever and evet·. SE C'T. Ill. Qf defiring after 'fef .u in that re!frfl. 3. LET us dejire afeer JefUJ, carrying on this work of man'sfalvati~nat hisfec0nd coming. It is true, many lhrink at the thought.s of.death ~nd JUdgment, and iri<an high pitch to de/ire the diffolurion ':f.our fel~es, and of rlus world_; the belt Chrifl:ians arc compou::dcd of flcfl1 and fplflt, and tf rhe fptnt long to be tn Heaven , yet tl.e flelh is loath ro leave this Earth. Speak out 0 my !oul, thou prayeft daily, Com~
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