12 MEDITATIONS AN the holy properties of his nature, and their principal operations, in order untoyour own salvation and bles- sedness, which otherwise would have been eternally hid from you? Herein is he precious unto them that do be- lieve. Let us therefore, as many as are spiritual be thus minded. Let us make use of this privilegewith rejoicing, and be found in the discharge of this duty with dili- gence; for thus to behold the glory of Christ, is both oar privilege and our duty. The duties of the law were a burden anda yoke; but those of the gospel areprivi- leges and advantages. It is a promise concerning the days of the New Tes- tament, that our eyes shall see the King in his beauty, Ise. xxxiii. 17.; we shall behold the glory of Christ in his lustre and excellency. What is this beauty of the King of Saints? is it not that God is in him, and is the great representative of his glory unto us? Where- fore, in the contemplation of thisglory consists the prin- ciple exercise offaith; and who can declare the glory of this privilege, that we who are born indarkness, and deserved to be cast out into outer darkness, shouldbe " translated into this marvellous light of the knowledge 's' of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ?" What are all the stained glories, the fading beauties of this world? of all that the devil showed our Saviour from the mount? what are they in comparison of one view of the glory of God represented in Christ, and of . the glory aChrist as his great representative The most pernicious effect of unbelief under the preaching of the gospel, is, that together with an influ-: enceofpower from Satan, " it blinds the eyes of mens 's, minds that theyshould not see this glory of Christ:" Whereon they perish eternally, 2 Cor. iv. 8, 4. But the mostofthose who at this dayare called Christ- 'inns, are strangers unto this duty. Our Lord Jesus Christ told the pharisees, that notwithstanding all their . boasting of the knowledge of God, they had not heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shapes that is, as -Moses did. They had no'real acquaintance with him, they had no spiritual view of his glory. And so is it .amongst ourselves; notwithstanding the general profes- =sion that is made of the knowledge of Christ, they are but fewwho!thus behold his .glory;-and therefore few 'who are transformed into his image and likeness. Some men speak ranch of the imitation ofChrist, D DISCOURSES. and following of his example; and it were well if we could see more of it really in effect. But no man shall ever become like unto him, by bare imitation of his ac- tions without that view or intuition of his glory which alone is accompanied with a transforming power to change them into the same image. The truth is, the bestof us all are woefully defective in this duty, and many are discouraged from it, because a pretenceof it in some hath degenerated into supersti- tion: but we are loath at any time seriously to engage in it, and come with an unwilling kind of willingness, unto the exercise of our minds in it. Thoughts of this glory ofChrist are too high for us,- or too hard for us, such as we cannot long delight in; we turn away from them with a kind of weariness; yet are they ofthe same nature in general with our behold- ing ofthe glory of Christ inheaven, wherein there shall be no weariness or satiety unto eternity. Is not the cause of it, that we are unspirituál or carnal, having our thoughts and affections wonted to give entertainment unto other things? For this is the principal cause of our unreadiness and incapacity to exercise our minds in and about the great mysteries of thegospel. 1 Cor. iii. 1 -3. And it is so with us moreover, because we do not stir up ourselves with watchfulness and diligence in continual actings offaith on this blessed object. This is that which keeps many of us at so low an ebb, as unto the powersof an heavenly life, and spiritual joys.. Did we abound in this duty, in this exercise offaith, our life in walking before God would be more sweet and. pleasant unto us; our spiritual light and strength would have a daily increase; we should more represent the gloryof Christ in our ways and walking, than usually we.do; and death itself would be most welcome unto us. The angels themselves desire to look into the things ofthe glory of Christ, I Peter i. 10, 12. There is in them matter of inquiry and instruction for the most high and holy spirits inheaven. Themanifold wisdom of God in them is made known unto principalities and powers in heavenlyplaces by the church, Eph. iii. 10. And shall we neglect that which is the object of angeli cá1 diligence to inquire into; especially considering that we are more than they concerned in it? Is Christ then thus glorious in our eyes? Do we see the Father in him, or by seeing of him? Do we seda!
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