(4.) There is another veil. Christians quench the vigour, and obscure the glory of this life by their infirmities ; they have too much of Adam, and too little of Jesus, and so the spiritual life is carried on darkly and in a riddle ; the good herbs and flowers are hidden in neglected gardens by the plenty of weeds. Christians are too negli- gent, and do not live as those that are born of God ; as they said of Hannibal when he was melting his days, his time, and army in the pleasures of Capua, that there was fire in him, but it needeth blowing ; so there is grace at the bottom, but it needeth a little stirring and quickening. The best of God's children have their failings : ' In many things we offend all.' Now the wicked insist more upon the faults of God's children than on their graces, as the flies pitch on a sore place, and the vultures fly over the gardens of delight to pitch on carrion. A pearl or diamond in the dirt and mire, its lustre cannot be discerned till it be washed. When corruptions are great and experiences small, a little grace can hardly be discerned ; as a staff is sooner found than a needle.
[3.] It is future : ' Now are we the children of God, but it doth not appear what we shall be ; ' and so our filiation is not only hidden from others, but in a great measure from ourselves. The time of our perfection and blessedness is not yet come, and we cannot for the present judge of it ; what God will do for us, and what a glory shall be revealed iu us. The glory intended is not fully revealed in scrip- ture, for we have not a heart to conceive of it: 1 Cor. ii. 9, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him ; ' 1 Cor. xii. 9, ' Prophecy is but in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.' And the apostle, when he was rapt into paradise, heard unspeakable
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words. Heavenly joys cannot be told us in an earthly dialect ; the scripture is fain to lisp to us, and speak as we can understand, of things to come by things present ; therefore our glory is in a great measure unknown, and will be till we get up and see what a crown of glory is prepared for us.
II. The reasons why this glory doth not appear.
1. Because now is the time of trial, hereafter of recompense ; there- fore now is the hiding time, hereafter is the day of manifestation of the sons of God. If the glory of the spiritual life were too sensible, there were no trial, neither of the world nor of the people of God. It is meet mere men should be distinguished here ; as Christ himself might be discerned by those that had a mind to see him, yet there was obscurity enough in his person to harden those that were resolved to continue in their prejudices. Therefore it is said, Luke ii. 34, ' This child was set for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and for a sign of contradiction to be spoken against.' He was a stumbling-block to the wicked. So if the whole excellency of the christian state were laid open, there would be no trial. Christ had his bright side and dark side, a glory to be seen by those eyes that were anointed with spiritual eyesalve, and affliction and meanness enough to harden them that had no mind to see ; so God hath his chosen ones in the world, who keep up his honour and interest ; and he hath his ways to express his lovo to them, but not openly. Now they are called his hidden ones, with respect to his secret blessing and protection : Ps. Ixxx. 3, ' Turn again, 0 God, and cause thy face to shine.' And God hath chosen this way as most suitable, both for our trial and the world.
2. Now is the time of faith, hereafter of sight ; and ' faith is the evidence of things not seen.5 Therefore in this day of faith God will not too openly express things to the view of sense, for that would destroy faith. Now we are sanctified, and justified, and live by faith.
3. That we may be conformed to our head, the Lord Jesus Christ, who came not with external appearance. The glory of the divine nature was hidden under the veil of his flesh, and his dignity and excellency under a mean and base outside : ' He hath no form nor comeliness ; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.' In this outward state there was nothing lovely to be seen by a carnal eye ; though in true beauty surpassing men and angels, but not in outward state and condition of life : ' Is not this the carpenter's son ? ' He had his veil of reproaches ; called ' a wine-bibber,' and that ' he casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.' He was tempted of Satan, persecuted by the sons of violence. He had no sin indeed, yet counted a sinner. Now we must be made like Christ in all things ; he sanctified a mean condition to us.