ameamma ON THE GLOR way and means we do receive them? Now, I say this is in and by our beholding the glory of Christ byfaith, I Peter. i. 9, 10. Let that glory be rightly stated as before laid down; the glory of his person, his office, his condescension, exaltation, love, and grace; let faith be fixed in a view and contemplation of it, mix itself with it as represented in the glass of the gospel, meditate upon it, embrace it, and virtue will proceed from Christ, communicating spiritual, supernatural refreshment and joy unto our souls, Yea, in ordinary cases it is impossible that believers should have a real prospect of this glory at any time, but that it will in some measure affect their hearts with a sense of his love, which is the spring of all consolation in them. In the exercise of faith on the discoveries of the glory of Christ made unto us in the gospel, no man shall ever totally want such intimation of his love, yea, such effusions of it in his heart, as shall be a living spring of those spiritual refreshments, John iv. 14. Rom. v. 5. When therefore we lose these things, as unto a sense of them in our souls, it is evident that the Lord Christ is withdrawn, and that we do not behold his glory. But I cannot here avoid another short disgression. There are those by whom all these things are derided as distempered fancies and imaginations. Yea such things have been spoken and written of them, as con- tain a virtual renunciation of the gospel, the powers of the world to come, and the whole work of the Holy Ghost as the comforter of the church. And hereby all real intercourse between the person of Christ, and the souls of them that do believe, is utterly overthrown: re- ducing all religion to an outward shew and a pageantry, fitter for a stage, than that temple of God which is in the minds of men. According unto the sentiments of these profane scoffers, there is no such thing as the shedding abroad of the love of God in our hearts by .r the Holy Ghost; nor as the witnessing of the Spirit of u God with our-spirits that we are the children of God;" from which these spiritual joys and refreshments are inseparable, as their necessary effects. No such thing as the liftingup ofthe light of God's countenance upon us, whirls will put gladness into our hearts; that gladness which compriaeth all the things mentioned; no such thing as rejoicing upon believing, withjoy unspeakable andfidl ofglo y; no such thing as Christ's skewing and Y OF CHRIST. 71 manifesting himselfunto us, supping with us, and giving us ofhis loves; that the divine promises of afeast of things, and wine well refined in gospel mercies, are empty and insignificant words: that all those ravishing joys and exultations of spirit that multitudes of faithful martyrs of old and in the later ages have enjoyed by a view of the glory of God in Christ, and a sense of his love, whereunto they gave testimony unto their last mo- ments, in the midst of their torments, were but fancies and imaginations. But it is the height of impudence in these profane scoffers, that they proclaim their own ig- norance of those things which are the real powers of our religion. Others there are, who will not deny the truth ofthese things. They dare not rise up in contradiction unto those express testimonies of the scripture, wherewith they are confirmed. And they do suppose that some are partakers of them, at least they were so formerly; but as for their parts, they have no experience of them, nor do judge it their duty to endeavour after it. They can make a shift to live on hopes of heaven and future glory: as unto what is present they desire no more, but to be found in the performance of some duties in answer unto their convictions, which gives them that sorry peace which they do enjoy. So do many countenance themselves in their spiritual sloth and unbelief, keeping themselves at liberty to seek for refreshment and satis- faction in other things, whilst those of the gospel are despised. And these things are inconsistent. While men look for their chief refreshment and satisfaction in temporal things, it is impossible they should seek after those that are spiritual in a due manner. And it must be confessed, that when wehave a due regard unto spi- ritual, evangelical, consolations and joys, it will abate and take offour affections unto, and satisfaction in pre- sent enjoyments, Phil. iii. 8, 9. But there is no truth more sacred than this; that where Christ is present with believers, where he is not withdrawn for season from them, where they live in the view of his glory by faith as it is proposed unto them in the gospel, he will give unto them at his own seasons such intimations of his love, such supplies of his Spirit, such holy joys and rejoicings, such repose of soul in assurance, as shall refresh their souls, fill . them with joy, satisfy them with spiritual delight, and quicken them unto all acts of holy communion with himself,
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