4. Would we, then, behold the glory of God as he manifesteth it in and by the holy properties of his nature, with their blessed operations and effects ? — without which we have nothing of the power of religion in us, whatever we pretend : this alone is the way of it. Go to the whole creation, and all things contained in it ; they can say no more, but, " We have heard the fame and report of these things," and what we have heard we declare ; but it is but a little portion of them that we are acquainted withal. " The heavens," indeed, " declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy- work." " The invisible things of God are understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." But, comparatively, it is but little that we can hence learn of these things, as to that we may behold of them in Christ Jesus. How blind herein was the best philosopher in compa- rison of the meanest of the apostles ; yea, of him who is least in the kingdom of heaven !
But herein it is required that we rest not in the notion of this tnith, and a bare assent unto the doctrine of it. The affecting power of it upon our hearts is that which we should aim at. Wherein doth the blessedness of the saints above consist ? Is it not herein, that they behold and see the glory of God in Christ ? And what is the effect of it upon those blessed souls ? Doth it not change them into the same image, or make them like unto Christ ? Doth it not fill and satiate them with joy, rest, delight, complacency, and ineffable satis- faction ? Do we expect, do we desire, the same state of blessedness ? It is our present view of the glory of Christ which is our initiation
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thereinto, if we are exercised in it, until we have an experience of its transforming power in our souls.
These things are, it may be, of little use unto some. Such as are babes in spiritual knowledge and understanding, — either because they are carnal, 1 Cor. iii. 1, 2, or slothful in hearing, Heb. v. 12-14, — are not capable of these divine mysteries. And therefore the apostle did, in an especial manner, declare this wisdom of God in a mystery unto them that were perfect, 1 Cor. ii. 6, 7 ; — that is, who were more grown in spiritual knowledge, and had their " senses exercised to discern good and evil." It is unto them who are exercised in the contemplation of invisible things, who delight to walk in the more retired paths of faith and love, that they are precious.
Some few inferences from the whole of what hath been declared shall put a close to this part of our Discourse.
1. The holy properties of the divine nature are not only represented unto our faith in Christ, as to their own essential glory, but as they are in the exercise of their poiuers for the salvation of the church. In him do we behold the wisdom, goodness, love, grace, mercy, and power of God, acting themselves in the contrivance, constitution, and efficacious accomplishment of the great work of our redemption and salvation. This gives, as unto us, an unutterable lustre unto the native amiableness of the divine excellencies. The Vv'isdom and love of God are in themselves infinitely glorious, — infinitely amiable ; — nothing can be added unto them,— there can be no increase of their essential glory. Howbeit, as they are eternally resident in the divine nature, and abso- lutely the same with it, we cannot so comprehend them as to have an endearing, satiating view of their glory, but as they are exerted in the work of the redemption and salvation of the church,-^as they are ex- pressed, communicating their blessed effects unto the souls of them that do believe,— which is done only in Christ; so the beams of their glory shine unto us with unspeakable refireshment and joy, 2 Cor. iv. 6. Hence the apostle, on the consideration of the actings of the holy properties of God in this blessed work, falls into that contempla- tion, " 0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past find- ing out ! For who hath known the mind of the Lord ? or who hath been his counsellor ? or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again ? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things : to whom be glory for ever. Amen," Rom. xi. 88-36.
2. In and through Clirist we do believe in God, 1 Pet. i. 21. This is the life of our souls. God himself, in the infinite perfections of his divine nature, is the ultimate object of our faith. But he is not here the immediate object of it; but the divine way and means of the.
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manifestation of himself and them unto us, are so. Through Chiist we beheve in God. By our behef in him we come to place our faith ultimately in God himself; a.nd this we can no otherwise do but by beholding the glory of God in him, as hath been declared.