on the Glory of Chrift. THESE are fome of the grounds of this fir)t diH'erence between our beholding the Glory of Chrift by Faith here, and by immediate Vifion' hereafter. Hence the one is weak, ini:. perfeCt , obfcnre , reflexive ; the other direct, immediate , eaven and conftant ; and we may ftay a little in the contemplation of thefe things. THlS view of the Glo~y of Chrift which ·we have now fpoken unro, is that which .we are breathing and panting after ; that which the Lord Chrift prays that we may arrive;unto; that which the Al_)oille teftifies to be our beft ; the beft thing, or ftate, which o .r nature is capable of, that which brings eternal reft and fatisfaction unto our fouls . HERE our fouls are burrhened with innumerable Infirmities, and our faith is clogged in its Operations by Ignorance and Darknefs. This makes our beft efrate and higheft attainments to be accompanied with groans for deliverance. We which have received the firft fruits of the {pirit, even we our [elvesgroan withi·n our [elves, waitinff.for the Adoption , even the redemption of the body, Rom. 8. 2~. Yea , whilftwe are in this Tabernacle, we groan earneftly as being bnrthened, becaufe we are not abfent from the bod)', and prejent with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5· 2, 4, 8. T he more we grow in Faith, and Spiritual Light, the more fenfible are we of our prefem burrhens, and the more vehe· mently do we groan for deliverance into the perfdt liberty of the Sons of God. This is the pofture of thei1• minds who have received the firft fruits of the Spirit, in the moft eminem degree. 'The nearer · , any
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=