berly about the destruction of the commonwealth;' so we now have great numbers who oppose the person and glory of Christ, under a pretence of sobriety of reason, as they vainly plead. Yea, the disbelief of the mysteries of the Trinity, and the incarnation of the Son of God, the sole foundation of Christian religion, is so diffused in the world, as that it hath almost devoured the power and the vitals of it. And not a few, who dare not yet express their mind, do give broad intimations of their intentions and good-will towards him, in making them the object of their scorn and reproach, who desire to know nothing but him, and him crucified.

God, in his appointed time, will effectually vindicate his honour and glory, from the vain attempts of men of corrupt minds against them.

In the mean time, it is the duty of all those who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, to give testimony in a peculiar manner unto his divine person and glory, according unto their several capacities, because of the opposition that is made against them.

I have thought myself on many accounts obliged to cast my mite into this treasury. And I have chosen so to do, not in a way of controversy, (which formerly I have engaged in,) but so as, together with the vindication of the truth, to promote the strengthening of the faith of true believers, their edification in the knowledge of it; and to express the experience which they have, or may have of the power and reality of these things.

That which at present I design to demonstrate, is, That the beholding of the glory of Christ, is one of the greatest privileges and advancements that believers are capable of in this world, or that which is to come. It is that whereby they are first gradually conformed unto it, and then fixed in the eternal enjoyment of it. For here in this life, 'beholding his glory, they are changed (or transformed) into the likeness of it,' 2 Cor. iii. 18.; and hereafter, they shall be 'for ever like unto him, because they shall see him as he is,' 1 John iii. 1, 2. Hereon do our present comforts, and future blessedness depend. This is the life and reward of our souls. He that hath seen him, hath seen the Father also,' John xiv. 9. For we discern the light

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of the knowledge of God, only in the face of Jesus Christ,' 2 Cor. iv. 6.

There are, therefore, two ways or degrees of beholding the glory of Christ, which are constantly distinguished in the Scripture. The one is by faith in this world, which is the evidence of things not seen. The other is by sight, or immediate vision in eternity, 2 Cor. v. 7. We walk by faith, and not by sight.' We do so whilst we are in this world, whilst we are present in the body, and absent from the Lord,' ver. 8. But we shall live and walk by sight hereafter. And it is the Lord Christ and his glory, which are immediate objects both of this faith and sight. For we here 'behold him darkly in a glass, (that is, by faith,) but we shall see him face to face, (by immediate vision). Now we know him in part; but then we shall know him as we are known,' 1 Cor. xiii. 12. What is the difference between these two ways of beholding the glory of Christ, shall be afterwards declared.

It is the second way, namely, by vision in the light of glory, that is principally included in that prayer of our blessed Saviour, that his disciples may be where he is, to behold his glory.' But I shall not confine my inquiry thereunto; nor doth our Lord Jesus exclude from his desire, that sight of his glory which we have by faith in this world; but prays for the perfection of it in heaven. It is therefore the first way, that in the first place I shall insist upon, and that for the reasons ensuing. 1. No man shall ever behold the glory of Christ by sight hereafter, who doth not in some measure behold it by faith here in this world. Grace is a necessary preparation for glory, and faith for sight. Where the subject, the soul, is not previously seasoned with grace and faith, it is not capable of glory, or vision. Nay, persons not disposed hereby unto it, cannot desire it, whatever they pretend; they only deceive their own souls, in supposing that so they do. Most men will say with confidence, living and dying, that they desire to be with Christ, and to behold his glory; but they can give no reason, why they should desire any such thing; only they think it somewhat that is better than to be in that evil condition which otherwise they must be cast into forever, when they can be here

no more.

If a man pretend himself to be enamoured on, or greatly to desire what he never saw, nor was ever represented unto him, he doth but dote on his own imaginations. And the pretended desires of many, to behold the glory of Christ in heaven, who have no view of it by faith whilst they are here in this world, are nothing but self-deceiving imaginations.

So do the Papists delude themselves. Their carnal affections are excited by their outward senses, to delight in images of Christ, in his sufferings, his resurrection, and glory above. Hereon they satisfy themselves, that they behold the glory of Christ himself, and that with love and great delight. But whereas there is not the least true representation made of the Lord Christ, or his glory, in these things, that being confined absolutely unto the gospel alone, and this way of attempting it being laid under a severe interdict, they do but sport themselves with their own deceivings.

The Apostle tells us concerning himself, and other believers, when the Lord Christ was present, and conversed with them in the days of his flesh, that they 'saw his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,' John i. 14. And we may inquire, what was this glory of Christ, which they so saw, and by what means they obtained a prospect of it? For, (1.) It was not the glory of his outward condition, as we behold the glory and grandeur of the kings and potentates of the earth; for he made himself of no reputation, but being in the form of a servant, he walked in the condition of a man of low degree. The secular grandeur of his pretended vicar, makes no representation of that glory of his, which his disciples saw. He kept no court, nor house of entertainment, nor (though he made all things) had of his own where to lay his head. Nor, (2.) Was it with respect to the outward form of the flesh which he was made, wherein he took our nature on him, as we see the glory of a comely or beautiful person; for he had therein neither 'form nor comeliness, that he should be desired; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men,' Isa. lii. 14. chap. liii. 2, 3. All things appeared in him as became a man of sorrows. Nor, (3.) Was it absolutely the eternal essential glory of his divine na

ture, that is intended. For this no man can see in this world. What we shall attain in a view thereof hereafter, we know not. But, (4.) It was his glory, as he was full of grace and truth. They saw the glory of his Person and his office in the administration of grace and truth. And how, or by what means did they see this glory of Christ? It was by faith, and no otherwise. For this privilege was granted unto them only who received him, and believed on his name, John i. 12. This was that glory which John Baptist saw, when upon his coming unto him, he said unto all that were present, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,' John i. 29-33.

Wherefore, let no man deceive himself: he that hath no sight of the glory of Christ here, shall never have any of it hereafter unto his advantage. It is not therefore unto edification, to discourse of beholding the glory of Christ in heaven by vision, until we go through a trial, whether we see any thing of it in this world by faith or no.

2. The beholding of Christ in glory, is that which in itself is too high, illustrious, and marvellous for us in our present condition. It hath a splendour and glory too great for our present spiritual visive faculty; as the direct, immediate sight of the sun darkens our sight, and doth not relieve or strengthen it at all. Wherefore we have no way to take into our minds any true spiritual apprehensions of the nature of immediate vision, or what it is to see the glory of Christ in heaven, but by that view which we have by faith, in this life of the same glory. Whatever otherwise falls into our minds, is but conjecture and imagination; such as are the contemplations of most about heavenly things.

I have seen and read somewhat of the writings of learned men, concerning the state of future glory: some of them are filled with excellent notions of truth, and elegancy of speech, whereby they cannot but much effect the minds of them who duly consider what they say. But I know not well whence it comes to pass, many complain, that in reading of such discourses, they are like a man who beheld his natural face in a glass, and immediately forgets what manner of man he was; as one of old complained to the same purpose upon his perusal of

Plato's contemplations about the immortality of the soul. The things spoken do not abide nor incorporate with our minds. They please and refresh for a little while, like a shower of rain in a dry season, that soaketh not unto the roots of things; the power of them doth not enter into us. Is it not all from hence, that their notions of future things are not induced out of the experience which we have of the beginnings of them in this world; without which, they can make no permanent abode in our minds, nor continue any influence upon our affections? Yea, the soul is disturbed, not edified, in all contemplations of future glory, when things are proposed unto it, whereof in this life it hath neither foretaste, sense, experience, nor evidence. No man ought to look for any thing in heaven, but what one way or other he hath some experience of in this life. If men were fully persuaded hereof, they would be, it may be, more in the exercise of faith and love about heavenly things, than for the most part they are. At present they know not what they enjoy, and they look for they know not what.

Hence is it that men, utterly strangers unto all experience of the beginning of glory in themselves as an effect of faith, have filled their divine worship with images, pictures, and music, to represent unto themselves somewhat of that glory which they fancy to be above. For into that which is truly so, they have no prospect, nor can have; because they have no experience of its power in themselves; nor do they taste of its goodness by any of its first-fruits in their own minds. Wherefore by that view alone, and not otherwise, which we have of the glory of Christ by faith here in this world, we may attain such blessed conceptions of our beholding his glory above by immediate vision, as shall draw out our hearts unto the admiration of it, and desires of its full enjoyment.

3. Herein then our present edification is principally concerned. For in this present beholding of the glory of Christ, the life and power of faith are most eminently acted. And from this exercise of faith, doth love unto Christ principally, if not solely, arise and spring. If therefore we desire to have faith in its vigour, or love in its power, giving rest, complacency, and satisfaction unto our own souls, we are to seek for them in the dili