Verf. 22. the fzxth Chapter to the ROMANS. 15 I tafte or glimpfa of that Bleffednee which is referved for us, we are ready to cry out Enough , Lord ! we can hold no more : but there we are fortified by the Glory we enjoy, and the Obje& ftrengthens the Faculty. 2. Compare it with the Life of Grace , which puts us into Come degree of Commu- nion with God; but this doth not exempt us from miferies, rather fometimes expofeth us to them, a Tim. 3. 12. Tea and all that will live godly in Chrifi Jefus (hall fufer perfe- e ision. Yea we often provoke God to hide his face from us, all tears are not yet wiped from our eyes ; our fins breed not only doubts of Gods Love , but put us under a fenfe of his Difpleafure , Ifa. S9. 2. Tour iniquities have fiparated between yon and your God, and your fins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. Though we have obtain- ed the Life of Grace, we are not yet got rid of the Body of Death , and that is matter of continual groaning, Rom. 8.23. And not only fo, but our felves alfo which have the frff- fruits of the Spirit , even we our (elves groan within our felves, waiting for the adoption, viz. the redemption of our body. Here we ferve God at a diftance , in force remote fer- vice; there we are prefent with the Lord, and immediately before the Throne, Rev. 7, 15. Therefore are they before the Throne of God, and ferve him day and night in his Temple. Here we enjoy God in the Ordinances, at fecond or third hand; there face to face,. I Cor. 13. 12. For we fee but through a glafo dar41y, then face to face: here in part , we do not enjoy fo much , but more is lacking; but then we (hall be fatisfied with his Image, Pfal. 17. 15. As for me , I will behold thy face in righteoufnefa , I Thal/ be fatisfied, when I awake , with thy likenef. That which attaineth its end is perfe& and bleffed, there needeth no more to make us happy, for the molt perfe& Eftate excludeth all want and indigency, here is Hill force want, but there is none. 2. It is a good and happy Eftate. I prove it, I. From the Nature of it ; they that live this Life fee God and enjoy God. There is fome laft End of mans Life, and therefore force chief good. There are intermediate Ends, therefore there molt be a Taft End , we mutt (top fomewhere : as fuppofe I eat for ftrength, my ftrength mutt be imployed to force End , is it for the fervice of others ? or my felt? or God ? nor for my felf, for then I eat that I may have ffrength to labour, that I may eat again : not for others, non nafcitur aliis moriturus fibi: then for God who is mans chiefgood, Gen. t 5. r. Fear not, Abram, I am thy fbield, and thy exceeding great reward. Pfal. 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup. Pfal. 36.9. For with thee k the fountain of life ; in thy light Iha /l we fee light. There is all good in God, and beyond God nothing is to be defired ; without him the Soul is never fatisfied, but having him we are perfe &ly fatisfied , and our defires acquiefce , as in their proper Center of Reft. Well then , our injoyntent of him is our proper Happinefs: certainly mans Felicity muff agree with the nobleft part of a man , his Soul , that his nobleft Fa- culty may be exercifed in the noble(( way of operation about its moff noble Object : every living Creature defireth good, but their higheft way of perception being fenfe, it is fenfible good; but Man being endowed with Reafon and Underffanding, muff have force fpiritual good before his delires can be perfe&ly fatisfied, a good it muff be for our Souls: Now the nobleft Obje& the Soul is capable of is God, and the nobleft Faculties of our Souls are Underftanding and Will , the nobleft Operations are therefore Know- ledge and Love : Love is either Delire or Delight, Delire noteth a deficiency , or forne impeded poffef(ion; Joy or Delight is the repofe of the Soul in what is already obtain- ed. So then the nobleft A &s are Sight, Love, and Joy , which affifted by the Light of Glory are now molt perfe& in degree, as being affilled by the Light of Grace they were true in their kind. Well then , put all together, a living reafonable Creature is admitted to the Sight and Love of God in the higheft wayhe is capable of. 2. The End mutt be fomewhat better than the Means. The Means is having our fruit to Holinefs, the End is everlaling Life ; this Life exercifed in Holinefs is the Way, that the Home ; this the Race, that the Goal; this theWarfare, that the Crown 5 this the Labour, that the Reward ; this the Means, that the End. Here we have the Beginning and Firft- fruits, there the whole Crop and Harveft. Now an holy Man is here united to God , t Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord , is one Spirit , therefore there the Union is greater and more dole ; for God will be all in all, I Cor. x5. 28. Here an ho- ly Man knoweth and feeth God by Faith; Job. 17.3. This is life eternal, to l now thee the only one God , and Jefus Chrefl whom thou hag f nt : and , 2 Car. 5.7. For we walk by faith, not by fight; therefore there the Vifion is more clear, 1 yob. 3. 2. We (hall fee hint as he is. Here he is renewed according to the Image of God , 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the facie image from glory
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