72 MIEDITATIONS A Let no such dishonour be reflected on the gospel, that whereas the faith of it, and obedience unto it, are usually accompanied- with outward troubles, afflictions, persecutions, and reproaches, as we are foretold they should be; that it doth not by its inward consolations and divine refreshments, out- balance all those evils which we may undérgo upon the account of it. So to suppose, is expressly contrary to the promise of Christ himself, whohath assuredus that even nowin this life, in this world, distinct from eternal life in the world to come, we shall receive an hundredfold recompense for all that we can lose or suffer for his sake, Mat. ix. '29.; as also unto the experience of them who in all ages have takenjoyfidty the spoiling of their goods, as knowing in themselves (by the experiencewhich they have of its first fruits) that they have in heaven abetter and more abiding substance, Bch. x. 84. If we come short in a partici- , pation of these things, if we are strangers unto them, the blame is to be laid on ourselves alone, as it shall be immediately declared. Now the design of the Lord Christ in thus withdraw- ing himself from us, and hiding his glory from our view, being the exercise of our graces, and to stir us up unto diligence in our inquiries after him, here lieth our guidance and direction in this case. Do we find our- selves lifeless in the spiritual dutiesof religion? Are we strangers unto the heavenly visits of consolations and joys, those visitations of God whereby he preserves our souls? Do we seldom enjoy a sense of the shedding abroad ofhis love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost? We have no way of recoverybut this alone. To this strong tower must we turn ourselves asprisoners ofhope; unto Christ must we look that we may be saved. It is a steadyview or contemplationof his glory by faith alone, that will bring in all these things in a lively experience into our hearts and souls. Again, in the second place, it is from ourselves prin- cipally, if we lose the views of the glory of Christ, and the exercise of faith be obstructed therein. All our spiritual disadvantages do arise from ourselves. It is the remainder of lusts and corruptions in us, either in- dulged by sloth and negligence, or excited and enflam- ed by Satan's temptations, that do obstruct us in this duty. Whilst they are in any disorder or disturbance, it is in vain for us to expect any clear viewof this glory. That viers of the gloryof Christ, whereof we treat, ND DISCOURSES consists in two things; namely, its especial nature, and its necessary adjuncts or effects. The first is a spirit- ual perception or understanding of it as resealed in the scriptures. For the revelation of the glory of his per- son, office, and grace, is the principal subject of them, and the principal object of our faith. And the other consists in multiplied thoughts about him, with actings of faith and love, trust, delight, and longing after the full enjoyment of him, I Pet. i. 8. If we satisfy our- selves in mere notions and speculations about the glory of Christ, as doctrinally revealed unto us, we shall find no transforming power or efficacy communicatedunto us thereby. But when under the conduct of that spi- ritual light, our affections do cleave unto him with full purpose of heart, our minds are filled with thoughts of him, and delight in him, and faith is kept up unto its constant exercise in trust and affiance on him, virtue will proceed from Trim to purify our hearts, increase oar holiness, strengthen our graces, and to fill ussome- times with joy unspeakable, and full ofglory. This is the just temperature of a state of spiritual health; name- ly, when our light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ, doth answer the means of it which we enjoy; and when our affections unto Christ do hold proportion unto that light; and this according unto the various degrees of it; for some have more, and some have less. Where light leaves the affections behind, it ends in formality or atheism; and where affections out-ruts light they sink in the bog of superstition, doting on images and pictures, or the like. But where things go not into these excesses, it is better that our affections exceed our light on the defect of our understandings, than that our light exceed our affections from the cor- ruption of our wills: In both these is the exercise of faith frequently interrupted and obstructed by the re- mainder pf corruption in us, especially ifnot kept con- stantly under the discipline of mortification but some way indulged unto. For, 1st. The steam of their disorder will cloud and dark- en the understanding, that it shall not be able clearly to discern any spiritual object, least of all the greatest of them. There is nothing more acknowledged even in things natural and moral than that the disorder of the passions and affections will blind, darken, and de- ceive the mind in its operations. And it is much more
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