:MEDITATIONS AN ................. gory oz person, onice, ant: grace, wilt: :. o., am- viction of our concernment and interest therein, but that our minds will be greatly affected with it, and be filled with contemplations about it. Where it is not so with any, it is to be feared that they have not heard his -voice at any time, nor seen his shape, whatever they profess. A spiritual sight of Christ will assuredly pro- duce love unto him; and if any man love him not, he never saw him, he knows him not at all. And that is no love, which doth not beget in us many thoughts of the object beloved. He therefore who is partaker of this grace, will think much of what Christ is in him- self, of what he hath done for us, of his love and con- descension, of the manifestation of all the glorious ex- cellencies of the divine nature in him, exerted in a way of infinite wisdom and goodness for the salvation of the church. Thoughts and meditations of these things will abound in us; if we are not wanting unto the dueexer- cise of faith: and intense inflamed affections unto him will ensue thereon, at least they will be active unto our own refreshing experience. And where these things are not in reality, (though in some they may be only in a mean and low degree) men do but deceive their own souls in hopes of any benefit by Christ or the gospel. This therefore is the present case. Where there are prevailing sinful distempers or inordinate affections in the mind, such as those before mentioned, as self-love, love of the world, cares and fears about it, with an ex- cessive valuation of relations and enjoyments; they will so far cumber and perplex it with a multitude of thoughts about their own objects, as shall leave no place for se- date meditations on Christ and his glory. And where the thoughts are engaged, the affections which partly excite them, and partly are led by them, will be fixed also. Col. iii. 1, 2. This is that which, in the most, greatly promoteth that imperfection which is in our view of the glory of Christ by faith in this life. According to the propor- tion and degree of the prevalency ofaffections, corrupt, earthly, selfish, or sensual, filling the heads and hearts ofmen with a multitude of thoughts about what they are fixed on, or inclined unto; so is faith obstructed and weakened in this work and duty. Wherefore, whereas there is a remainder of these lusts, as to the seeds of them in us all, though more D DISCOURSES morsOitrOi ,os,,ethnn in- othcra, yot having rho sarna effects in the minds of all, according to the degree of their remainder; thence it is as from an efficaciouscause of it, that our view of the glory of Christ by faith, is in many so weak, imperfect and unsteady. Thirdly. We have interruption given unto the work of faith herein, by the temptations of Satan. His ori- ginal great design, wherever the gospel is preached, is to blind the eyes of met, that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine into them, or irradiate their minds, 2 Cor. iv. 4. And herein he prevails unto. astonishment. Let the light ofthe gospel in the preachingof the word be never so glorious; yet by various means and artifices, he blinds the minds of themost, that theyshall not behold any thing of the glory of Christ therein. By these means he continues his rule in the children of disobedience. With respect unto the elect, God over powers him here- in. He shines into their heartstogive then theknowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ, ver. 6. Yet will not Satan so give over. He will endeavour by all ways and means to trouble, discompose, and darken the minds evenof them that believe, so as that they shall not be able to retain clear and distinct views of this glory.. And this he doth two ways. 1. With some he employs all his engines, used: all his methods of serpentine subtlety, and casts in hisfiery dartsso to disquiet, discompose, and deject them, as that they can retain no comfortable views of Christ or his glory. Hence arise fears, doubts, disputes, uncertain- ties, with various disconsolation,. Hereon they can- not apprehend the love of Christ, nor be sensible of any interest they have therein, or any refreshing per.. stsasions that they are accepted with him. Ifsuch things sometimes shine and beam into their minds, yet they quickly vanish and disappear. Fears that they are re- jected and cast off by him, that he will not receive them here or hereafter, do come in their place; hence are they filled with anxieties and despondencies, under which it is impossible they should have any clear view of his glory. I know that ignorance, atheism, and obstinate secu- rity in sensual sins, do combine to despise all these things. But it is no new thing in the world, that men outwardly professing christian religimy when they find gain in that godliness, should speak evil of the things
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