36o SERMONS tip'on Serm.42. Love is imperfea. We wander and éhrange our felves from him, and go a whoring from him, for there is Come Cuitablenefs between us and the Creature, as long as Flefh remaineth: but when we are perfealy Holy, there is no fuitablenefs between us and any thing but God, and the Saints and Angels which partake with us of his image. And we love the Creatures for the need we have of them, as well as the fuitablenefs of them to us : but when we are likened to God, in Holinefs and in Happinefs, we are above thefe Wants, we are above all Baits and Snares, fo that our Love is entirely . carried out to God. 4. Love maketh way for Delight. Can a Man cleave to God, and not rejoice in him ? Rejoicing in God, is not only a Duty, but a Reward. Ifa.58. t 4. Then Ault thou delight thy felf in the Lord. The Saints love God, and delight in him, in his .Effence and Being, as much as in their own Glory. This maketh Heaven comfortable : it would be a torment to a carnal Heart to be always thinking of God, and employed in Acts of Love, and Service to God 5 but the Saints delight in him, they delight in his Prefence, and in their own Happinefs, becaufe God is glorified in it. There is an inconceivable delight in feeing, knowing, and being beloved of God. 5. Delight maketh way for Fruition : for the more we delight in God, the more doth God delight in us, and giveth us the aaual Fruition of himfelf for our Bleffed nefs, fo that we are fully fatisfied. It is Fruition maketh us happy : We can . only fpeak of it in general Tgtms, the filling up of the Soul with God, and of the Glory that Pall be revealedin ts, Rom. 8. 18. We are in God, and God in Us ; as Fire in Iron that is red hot, it feemeth all on fire.' Thus can we prattle a little, and darken Counfel with words. Secondly; Backward again. Fruition maketh way for Delight. We enjoy God to the full, therefore we delight in him. We are bidden to rejoice in our Pilgrimage : Phil. 4.4. Rejoice in the Lord always, end-again I fry, Rejoice. God bath made our Work a part of our Wages, to train us up by degrees. But now when we come to Heaven, we enter into our Matter's Joy. It is our only Work in Heaven ; painful Af- fe&ions have no more ufe. 'And Joy maketh way for Love ; thefe mutual Endear- ments pats betweenGod and us to increafe Love. We . delight in God, therefore we are never weary Of him. And Love maketh way for Likenefs, and Light for Like- nefs, eadem velle & noie. There is themolt perfea Imitation and Refemblance of God, becaufe the :molt perfea Love. And for Light, there is Light in this Fire ; blunt Iron, if it be made red hot, pierceth deeper than a {harp Tool, we have but one Objeû. And Likenefs maketh way for Knowledg. Mat. g. 8. Bled are:the pure in Heart, for they fhal! fee God. A dusky Glafs doth not give a perfea Reprefentation. Ignorance is the Fruit of Sin 5 Man never knew lefs, than fence he tatted of. the Tree of Know - ledg. . Holinefs clarifies the Eye. We (hall be like him, for we (hall fee him as he is, 1 John 3. 2. There is little proportión between God and Men, and therefore we do not know'him : when we are conformed to God, we are in a'greater capacity -to un- derftand his Nature. And then Light, or Mental Sight, maketh way for Ocular Sight, that we may look upon Chrift. it is a fweet Emploiment, to fee the Brightnefs of the Father's Glory in Chrill's Face ; there is God heft to be feen at the Rebound, and by Reflation : It is a delightful Speaacle. Fife t. To ravith your Hearts with the Contemplation of this Happinefs. O what an affeaive Sight is Chrilt's Glory ! t. The Sight it felf is a Privilege. 2. That we {hall be able to fee it with Comfort. 1. The Sight it (elf is a Privilege. Abraham had a fight of his Incarnation, when it was a thing long after to come, and it filled him with Joy. John 8. 56. Tour Father Abraham rejoiced to fee my Day ; and he fan, it, and was glad. Simeon faw him when 'he was a Child, and then Paid, Now it is enough ; Luke 2. 29, 30. :how, Lord, let- left thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word. For mine Eyes have Peen thy Salvation., Zacheus climbed up into a Tree to fee him, when he was grown up, Luke 19. 4. yet then he went up and down as the Carpenter's Son. Many law Chrift in Perfon, that had no benefit by him. So to fee him by Faith and Spiritual Illumination, fills the Soul with Joy.- 1 Pet. 1.8. Whom having not Peen, we love; in. whom; tho now ye fie him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with :oy unfpeakable and full of Glory. To know Chrift by hear -fay, is lovely and glorious ; but noW what will it be to fee Chrift in
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