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THE HIDDEN
LIFE
OF
A
CHRISTIAN,
[SEEM.
IX.
leading
on his legions to
triumph,
and fetch robes
of
honour, and branches
of
palm to
describe
that
trium-
phant
army
of
christian conquerors
?
The
scripture
makes
use
of
these resemblances, indeed, in
great
con-
descension,
to
represent
the glories
of that
day, because
they
are the brightest things
we
know
on
earth. But
they sink as
far
below
the splendors
of the resurrection,
as
earth
is
below
heaven, or time
is
shorter than
eternity.
What
is
all the
dead
lustre of
metals,
and
silks,
and
shining
stones, to
the
living rays
of
divine grace spring-
ing
up,
and shooting into
full glory
?
Faith
into
sight,
hope
into enjoyment, patience into
joy
and victory, and
love into
its own
perfection?
'Then all
the
hidden
vir-
tues
and graces
of
the
saints, shall
appear
like the stars
at
midnight,
in
an unclouded
sky.
Then
shall
it
be
made
known to
all the world, these
were
the
men
that
wept
and prayed
in
secret;
it
shall
be
published then
in
the
great
assembly,
these were the persons
who
wrestled hard
with their secret
sins,
that
sought the
face
of
God,
and
his
strength,
in
their
private
chambers, and they
are
made
more than overcomers
through
him
that
bath
loved
them.
The poor
trembling christian
who lived this hid-
den and divine
life,
but
scarce
knew
it
himself,
nor
durst
appear
among the churches
on
earth,
shall lift
up
his
head, and rejoice amidst the church
triumphant;
and
the hidden seed
of
grace,
that
was watered with
so
many
secret
tears, shall spring up
into a
rich
and illustrious
harvest. This
is
the day
which shall
bring to light
a
thousand
works
of hidden
piety, for
the
eternal honour
of
Christ
and the
saints;
as well
as
the hidden things
of
darkness,
to
the sinner's everlasting confusion,
Mat.
xxv.
and
1
Cor.
iv. 5.
Thus
the
spiritual
life
of
christians,
which was
con-
cealed
in
this world, shall
appear
in
the
other
in full
brightness;
and
they themselves shall
be
amazed to
see
what
divine
honours,
Jesus
the
Judge
shall
cast upon
their poor
secret
services
and
sufferings.
But
in
what
supreme
glory shall
their
life
display it-
self,
when both
parts of
the
human compound
are re-
joined
after
so
long
a
separation
!
This
is
life
eternal
indeed,
and
joy unspeakable.
How gloriously
shall the
perfections and honours, both
of
body
and
mind, unfold