468 REMNANTS OF TIME. comes in the glory of his Father with legions of angels, and we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. The life of the saints is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ, who is their life, shall appear, they also shall appear with him in glory. 1 John iii. 1, 2. Col. iii. 3, 4. In that day they shall stand forth before the whole creation in fair evidence ; they shall shine in distinguished light, and appear vested in their own un- doubted honours. But here it seems proper there should be something of a cloud upon them, both upon the account of the men of this world, andupon their own account too, as well as in conformity to Christ Jesus our Lord. First, Upon their own account, because the present state of a christian is a state of triah We are not to walk by sight as the saints above and angels do ; they know they are possessed of life and blessedness, for they see God himself near them, Christ in the midst of them, and glory all around them. Our work is to live by faith, and therefore God has not made either his love to us or his grace in us so obvious and apparent to ourselves, as that every christian, even the weak and the unwatchful, should be fully assured of this salvation. He has not appointedtheprin- ciple of life within us to sparkle in so divine a manner as to be always self - evident to the best of christians, much less to the lukewarm and the backslider. It is fit that it should not be too sensibly manifest, because it is so sensibly imperfect, that we might examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and prove ourselves, whether Christ, as a principle of life, dwell in us, or no. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. While so many snares, and sins, and dan- gers attend us, and mingle with our spiritual life, there will be something of darkness ready to rise and obscure it, that so we may maintain a holy jealousy and solicitude about our own state, that we may search with diligence to find whether we have a di- vine life or no, and be called and urged often to look inwards. This degree of remaining darkness, and the doubtful state of a slothful christian, is sometimes of great use to spur him on- ward in his race of holiness, and quicken him to aspire after the highest measures of the spiritual life ; that when its acts are more vigorous it may shine with the brightest evidence, end give the soul of the believer full satisfaction and joy. It serves also to awaken the drowsy christian to keep'a holy watch over his heart and practice, lest sin and temptation make a foul inroad upon his divine life, spread still a thicker cloud over kis best hopes, and break the peace of his conscience. Though the principle of grace be not always self-evident, yet we are required to give diligence to make and to keep it sure. 2 Pet. i. 10. And as it was proper that every little seed of grace should not shine with self-sufficient and constant evidence on the account of the chris- tian himself, so, secondly, it was fit that their stake and dignity should not be too obvious to the men of the world, that they might
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