All things of a supernatural order shall then be clearly discovered. The contrivance of our salvation, the ways of conducting us to blessed- ness, which are objects of a sublime nature, will afford an exquisite plea- sure to the understanding. All the secrets of our redemption shall be unsealed. The great mystery of godliness, the incarnation of the eter- nal Son, and his according justice with mercy, shall then be apparent. The divine counsels in governing the world are now only visible in their wonderful effects, either of mercy or justice, and those most dread- ful ; but the reasons of them are past finding out. But what our Saviour said to Peter, ' What I do thou knowest not now, but shaft
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tnow hereafter,' is applicable to these impenetrable dispensations. All the ori<::inal fountains of wisdom, as clear as deej), shall then be opened. We shall then see the beauty of providence in disposing tem- poral things in order to our eternal felicity. We now see, as it were, the rough part and knots of that curious embroidery, but then the whole work shall be unfolded, the sweetness of the colours and pro- jiortion of the figures appear. There we shall be able to expound the perplexing riddle, how ' out of the eater came meat, and out of the strong came sweetness ; ' for * we shall know as we are known.'
We shall see God. Our Saviour tells us, ' This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' The beginning and perfection of our happiness consists in tliis know- ledge. The Deity is spiritual and invisible to the eye of the body, in- finite and incomprehensible to the soul. But we shall then so clearly understand the divine perfections, that our present knowledge, compared to that, is but as the seeing a dark resemblance in a glass to the clear view of a person in the native beauty of his face. God is most glori- ously present in heaven ; for according to the degrees of excellence in the work, such are the impressions and discoveries of the virtues of the cause. Now all sensible things in the low order of nature are but weak resultances from his perfections in comparison of their illustiious effects in the divine world. The glories of the place and of the inhabitants, the angels and saints, clearly express his majesty, goodness, and power. But in a transcendent manner he exhibits himself in the glorified ]\Iediator. He is styled ' the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person ; ' not only for his equal perfections in re- spect of the unity of their nature, but to signify that God in the person of the incarnate Mediator is so fully represented to us, that by the sight of him we see God himself in his unchangeable excellences. This ap- pears by the following words, that ' having purged us from our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high ; ' for they respect ihe Son of God as united to the human nature, in which he performed the office of the priesthood, and took possession of his glorious kingdom. During his humble state, the divine virtues, wisdom, goodness, holiness, power, were so visible in his person, life, revelations, and miraculous works, that when Philip so longed for the sight of the Father, as the only consummate blessedness, ' Show us the Father, and it suffices,' he told him, ' He that has seen me has seen the Father also.' But how brightly do they appear in his triumphant exaltation ! It was his prayer on earth, ' Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.' Ines- timable felicity ! Whether we consider him in the respect of an object that incomparably transcends all the created glory of heaven, or in the relation of our head, on a double account ; partly because he was de- based into the form of a servant, and suffered all indignities and cruel- ties of sinners for us, has received the recompense of his meritorious sufferings, the triumph of his victory, ' being glorified with the Father with the glory he had before the world was ; ' and partly because every member shall be conformed to him in his glory : ' We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' And all felicity and glory is comprised in that promise. The sight of the face of Moses when radiant had no
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transforming efficacy, for the liglit of it was not in him as its sonro(y but by derivation. But God is light essentially, and the sight of liis perfections will be productive of his likeness in us, so far as it may be in a restrained subject. When our Saviour was upon the holy mount, and one vanishing beam of glory appeared in his transfiguration, Peter was so transported at the sight that he forgot the world and himself. How ravishing, then, will the sight of him be in his triumphant majesty, when we shall be transfigured ourselves !
2 As we shall behold God's face, know his most amiable excellences, so they shall love him as perfectly as they know him. To the illus- trations of the mind there are correspondent impressions on the heart. In the present state our love is imperfect, and as fire out of its sphere, dies away by our neglect to feed it with proper materials, enamouring considerations of God. But it is not so in heaven ; there the divine sun attracts every eye with the light of its beauty, and inflames every heart with the heat of his love. The continual presence of God is in different respects the cause and effect of our love to him ; for there is no more powerful attractive to love him than to see him ; and love keeps the thoughts undivided from him. ' God is love,' and will kindle ia us a pure affection that eternity shall never lessen.