[2.] Mental vision maketh way for likeness and conformity to God. Knowledge in this life changeth us : Col. iii. 10, ' And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.' Much more are we sanctified and made holy by the light of glory. The sight that we have of Christ in the gospel trans- formeth us: 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' For we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' By looking upon Christ through the light of the Spirit we are made like him ; but now in glory, when we see him face to face, we are more like him : 1 John iii. 2, ' We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' Moses, by conversing with God, his face shone. As a glass held up against the sun, the image and brightness of the sun is reflected upon it ; so the more we behold Christ, the more we do bear the image of the heavenly ; rrjv o-^tv ava'^pcovvo/juevo';, saith Basil, he dyeth his own spirit with a tincture of glory.
[3.] This light and conformity maketh way for love, that is, know- ledge increaseth love. As light is, so is love ; our affection is still according to the rate of our knowledge. In this world love is but weak, because light is imperfect ; we love little, because we know little : John iv. 10, ' If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked, and he would have given to thee living water.' And conformity is a ground of love, it is the highest pitch of love to love God out of the communion of the same nature. The lowest love is to love him out of interest, as the highest love is to love him out of a principle of holiness, not because he is good and bountiful, but because he is holy. Whilst holiness is weak, love is imperfect. We wander and estrange ourselves from him, and go a- whoring from him, for there is some suitableness between us and the creature as long as flesh remaineth ; but when we are perfectly holy, there is no suitableness between us and anything but God, and the saints and angels which partake with us of his image. And we love the creatures for the need we have of them, as well as the suitableness of them to us ; but when we are likened to God in holiness and in happiness, we are above these wants, we are above all baits and snares, so that our love is entirely carried out to God.
[4.] Love maketh way for delight. Can a man cleave to God, and not rejoice in him ? Rejoicing in God is not only a duty but a reward: Isa. Iviii. 14, ' Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord.' The
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saints love God, and delight in him, in his essence and being, as much as in their own glory. This maketh heaven comfortable. It would be a torment to a carnal heart to be always thinking of Grod, and employed in acts of love and service to God ; but the saints delight in him, they delight in his presence, and in their own happiness, because God is glorified in it. There is an inconceivable delight in seeing, knowing, and being beloved of God.
[5.] Delight maketh way for fruition ; for the more we delight in God, the more doth God delight in us, and giveth us the actual fruition of himself for our blessedness, so that we are fully satisfied. It is fruition maketh us happy. We can only speak of it in general terms, the filling up of the soul with God, and of the ' glory that shall be revealed in us,' Kom. viii. 18. We are in God, and God in us ; as fire in iron that is red hot, it seemeth all on fire. Thus can we prattle a little, and darken counsel with words.
2. Backward again. Fruition maketh way for delight. We enjoy God to the full, therefore we delight in him. We are bidden to re- joice in our pilgrimage : Phil. iv. 4, ' Kejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice.' God hath made our work a part of our wages, to train us up by degrees. But now, when we come to heaven, we enter into our master's joy. It is our only work in heaven ; painful affections have no more use. And joy maketh way for love ; these mutual endearments pass between God and us to increase love. We delight in God, therefore we are never weary of him. And love maketh way for likeness, and light for likeness, eadem velle et nolle. There is the most perfect imitation and resemblance of God, because the most perfect love. And for light, there is light in this fire ; blunt iron, if it be made red hot, pierceth deeper than a sharp tool : we have but one object. And likeness maketh way for knowledge : Mat. v. 8, ' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' A dusky glass doth not give a perfect representation. Ignorance is the fruit of sin. Man never knew less than since he tasted of the tree of know- ledge. Holiness clarifies the eye : ' We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is,' 1 John iii. 2. There is little proportion be- tween God and men, and therefore we do not know him ; when we are conformed to God, we are in a greater capacity to understand his nature. And then light, or mental sight, maketh way for ocular sight, that we may look upon Christ. It is a sweet employment to see the brightness of the Father's glory in Christ's face ; there is God best to be seen at the rebound and by reflection ; it is a delightful spectacle.