66 MEDITATIONS AND DISCOURSES. kind of diversion from our present argument, yet I therein; they may abide in the outward performance of choose to insist upon it, that I may evidence the reasons whence it is that many have so little experience of the things whereof we have treated, that they find so little of reality or power in the exercise of this grace, or the performance of this duty. For it will appear in the issue, that the whole defect is in themselves;. the truth itselfinsisted on, is great and efficacious. First. Whilst we are in this life, the Lord Christ is pleased in his sovereignwisdom sometimes to withdraw, and as it were to hide himself fromus. Then do our minds fall into clouds -and darkness; faith is at a loss, we cannot behold his glory; yea, we may seek him, but cannot find him. So Job complains, as we observed before: ss Behold, I go forward, but he is not there: " and backward, but I cannot perceive him: on the ss left hand where he doth work, but I cannot behold " him: he hideth himself on the right hand that I can- " not see him." 'Chap. xxiii. 8, 9. Which way soever I turn myself, whatever are my endeavours, in what way or work of his own I seek him, I cannot find him, I cannot see him, I cannot behold his glory. So the church also complains; Verily thou art a God that hid- est thyself, O-God ofIsrael, the Saviour, Isa. xlv. 15.; and the psalmist, How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thy- self, for ever? Ps. lxxxix. 46. This hiding ofthe faceof God, is the hiding of the shining of his glory in the face of Christ Jesus, and therefore of theglory of Christ himself; for it is the glory of Christ to be the represen- tative of the glory of God. The spouse in the Canticles is often at a loss, and herein bemoansherself, that her beloved was withdrawn, that she could neither find him nor see him, chap. iii. 1, 2. 4s By night on my bed I sought him whommy ss soul loveth-: I sought him, but I found him not. I ss will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, "and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul ss loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. Chap. v. !!6. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had with- " drawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when 's he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I ss calledhim, but he gave me no answer." Men may retain their notions concerning Christ, his person, and his glory. These cannot be blotted out of their minds, but by heresy or obdurate stupidity. They may have the same doctrinal knowledge of him duties towards him as formerly, but yet all this while, as unto the especial gracious communications of himself unto their souls, and as unto a cheerful refreshingview of his glory, he may withdraw and hide himself from them. As under the same outward dispensations of the word, he doth manifest himself unto some, and not unto others, John xiv. 22. Whereon they to whom he doth so manifest himself, do see him to be beautiful, glorious, and lovely, (for unto them that believe he is precious) whilst the others see nothing hereof; but wonder at them by whom, he is admired, Cant. v. 9. ss What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O ss thou fairest among warners? what is thy beloved, more "than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us!" So, in the same dispensation of the word, he some- times hides his face, turns away the light of his counte- nance, clouds the beams of his glory unto some, whilst others are cherished and warmed with them. Two things we must here speak unto. t. Why doth the Lord Christ at any time thus hide himself in his glory from the faith of believers, that they cannot behold him. 2. Howwe may perceive and know that he doth so withdraw himself from us, so that however we may please ourselves, we do not indeed behold his glory. As unto the first of these, though what he doth is supposed an act of sovereign unaccountable wisdom, yet there are manyholy ends of it, and consequently reasons far it. I shall mention one only. He doth it to stir as up in an emineat manner unto a diligent search and inquiry after him. Woful sloth and negli. gene are apt to prevail in us, in our meditations on heavenly things. Though our hearts wake (as the spouse speaks, Cant. v. 2.) in a valuation of Christ, his love, and his grace, yet we sleep, as unto the due exercise of faith and love towards him. Who is it that can justify himself herein? that can say, Illy heart is pure, I oat cleanfrom this sin? Yea it is so far otherwise with many of us, that he is for ever to be admired in his patience, that on the account of oarunkindness and woful negli- gence herein, he bath not otily withdrawn himself at seasons, but that he bath not utterly departed from . us. Now he knows that those with whom he bath been graciously present, who have had viewsof his glory, with others; but the sight of his glory doth not consist although they have not valued the mercy and privilege
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