Ver. 8. Fifth Chap.2° Ep. to the C O R I N T H. 65 perverfe choice,which will torment us for ever, but nowto be received into Chrifts pretence and ever abide with him how great is the Happinefs I 4. The perfon whom we fee,aad with whom we be prefent he is our bejlfriend. 'Tis with Jefus Chrif},who is the life of our lives, and the whole felicity of his people; as long as the Church is without him, fhc cannot take full contentment. What doth the Spoufe efteem, when fhe Teeth him not to whom the is efpoufed? What can delight the wife when the husband is abfent ? What comfort when they want the prefence of Christ, to whom their Souls cleave? When the Church is hereupon Earth, the heareth much of Chrift, he is evi- dently let forth before their eyes in the Word and Sacraments; but,we do not fee him face to face,we do not injoy his prefence nor his Immediate Imbraces.The Church is left Upon earth but Chrill is received into Heaven with his Father;we believe in himnow,rejoyce in him now, when we lee him not, s Pet. s. 8. But how !hall welove him when we fee him, and fee him glorious in our nature, and injoy him by feeing ? Hearfay and report could not convey filch a knowledge and report as this perfonal experience , as they faid, john 4 4z. Now we believe not becaufe of thy faying,but we haveteen him our felves. Here is but a fight at Second hand, as the Queen of Sheba, r Kings i o. 17. It was a true report which I heard in my own land of thine alts, and thy wifdom, but when I came, and mine eyes hadfeen it, thehalfwas not told me. We believe the report of Chrift in the Word, but when we come to fee him we Mall find that prophefy was but in part, the one half was not told us ; however fight is the more precious, becaufe faith went before ; we believed him a Saviour, and now we find him to be fo. How glad was Simeon when he had Chrift in hjs Arms, Luke z. zg, 3o.Now letteJl thou thy Servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have feen thy Salvation. 5. The Place and the Company, where we f iall be prefent with him. The place is glo rious, the Heaven of Heavens mull contain him, Alls 3.24. The Earth is not a fit place for his glorified body, nor for us to converfe with him in his glorified eftate : We !hall be there where God dwelleth, and where he hath defigned to manifeft himfelf to his People; and amongft the Servants of the Lord 'hall we ever remain, Heb. sz. zz, z3. To an innumerable Cmpany of Angels, to the general A(mbly and Church of the fall born which are written in Heaven, and to God the jag of all, and the Spirits ofjufl men made pi'erfefl : A choice company picked and chofen out of the World to be objects of his grace. In this Council of Souls weare to abide for ever. Ufe. Let no often think of this Bled Ejlate, what it is to be prefent with 'the Lord, among his Holy Ones, to be called to Heaven as Witness of his glory. The Queen of Sheba faid of Solomon, z Kings 8. i o. Happy are the men that Jland in thy prefence. They that !and before the Lord, and fee his glory, are much more happy. Zacheus being a little Man, preffed to fee Chrift upon Earth, and got upon a Sycamore Tree. The Wife men came from the Taff tq fee him in his Cradle. 'Tis our burden in the World that the Vail of the HON and the Clouds of Heaven interpole between us and Christ, that there is a great Gulph between us and him, which cannot be gaffed but by Death: That Chrift is at a diftance, therefore our Enemies fo often ask us, Where is your God a But then when we are in his Arms, then we can fay, Herehe is, here is he whom we loved; here is he in whom we'.tru'led. Then our Redeemer flail be ever before our Eyes, to re- member us of the grace purchafed for us ; and we are as near him as poffibly we can' be; wedwellinhis Family, and abide in his Houle. David envyed the Swallows that had their Neils about the Tabernacle. He telleth us, Pfal. 64. ro. One day in thy Courts is better than a thoufand elfewbere. Now you !hall be always before the Throne, and look upon Jam fo as to live on him. This fight !hall ravilh and content your hearts, The Three Children walked comfortably in the Fiery Furnace, becaufe there was a Fourth there, one that was as the Son of God. If a Fiery Furnace be a comfortable place when Chrift is there, what will Heaven be when Christ and we (hall be there to all Eternity ? Again, this prefence maketh way for enjoyment: 'Tit not a naked fight and fpeculation ; we are coheirs with Chrift, Rom. 8. 17. We Mall be like him, live in the fame fate, participate of the fame glory. Servants may and in the prefence of Princes, but they do not make their followers their fellows and conforts. with them in the fame glory. Solomon could only Phew his glory to the Queen of Sheba, but Chrift giveth it us to be enjoyed, Luke ze. 3o. Te ¡hall eat and drink at my Table in my King- dom. The greateft love that David could thew his Friends, was to admit them to his Table, z 'Sam. 9.8. Thou (halt eat Bread at iity Table continually, laid he. to Mephibolheth, and fo to Barzillai, He put him upan his own Mule, and caufed him milt upon bis Throne, r Kings 13. 35. Thus Chris} dealeth with us; we fit upon his Throne, we are feafted at r r I his
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