320 THE GLORY OF CHRIST
sign or purpose, for attendance on communion with Christ, that she was surprised into a readiness and wihingness unto it. So it will be with them that love him in sincerity. Their own souls, without pre- vious designs or outward occasions, will frequently engage them in holy thoughts of him ; which is the most eminent character of a tndy spiritual Christian.
5. The next direction is, that all our thoughts concerning Christ and his glory should be accompanied with adr)iwation, adoration, and thanksgiving. For this is such an object of our thoughts and affections as, in this life, we can never fully comprehend, — an ocean whose depths we cannot look into. If we are spiritually renewed, all the faculties of our souls are enabled by grace to exert their respective powers towards this glorious object. This must be done in various duties, by the exercise of various gi'aces, as they are to be acted by the distinct powers of the faculties of our minds. This is that which is intended where we are commanded " to love the Lord with all our souls, with all our minds, with all our strength." All the distinct powers of our souls are to be acted by distinct graces and duties in cleaving unto God by love. In heaven, when we are come to our centre, that state of rest and blessedness which our nature is ulti- mately capable of, nothing but one infinite, invariable object of our minds and affections, received by vision, can render that state uninter- rujated and unchangeable. But whilst we are here we know or see but in part, and we must also act our faith and love on part of that glory, which is not at once entirely proposed unto us, and which as yet we cannot comprehend. Wherefore we must act various graces in great variety about it ; — some at one time, some at another, accord- ing unto the powers of all our renewed faculties. Of this sort are those mentioned of adoration, admiration, and thanksgiving ; which are those acts of our minds wherein all others do issue when the ob- ject is incomprehensible. For unto them we are enabled by grace.
One end of his illustrious coming unto the judgment of the last day is, that he may be " admired in all them that believe," 2 Thess. i. 10. Even believers themselves shall be filled with an overwhelm- ing admiration upon his glorious appearance. Or if the meaning be, not that he shall be admired by them, but admired in them, because of the mighty works of his grace and power in their redemption, sanctification, resurrection, and glory, it is to the same purpose, — he " comes to be admired." And, according to the prospect which we have of that glory ought our admiration to be.
And this admiration will issue in adoration and thanksgiving; whereof we have an eminent instance and example in the whole church of the redeemed, Rev. v. 9-1 4, " They sung a new song, say- ing, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to 02:ien the seals thereof:
IN THE CONSTITUTION OF HIS PERSON. 821
for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God Ly thy blood, out of every kmdred, and tongiie, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and of the living creatures, and of the elders : and the num- ber of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying. Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon tlie throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever."
The design of this Discourse is no more, but that when by faith we have attained a view of the glory of Christ, in our contemplations on his person, we should not pass it over as a notion of truth which we assent unto, — namely, that he is thus glorious in himself, — but endea- vour to affect our hearts with it, as that wherein our own principal interest doth lie ; wherein it will be effectual unto the transforma- tion of our souls into his image.
But some, it may be, will say, at least I fear some may truly say, that these things do not belong unto them ; they do not find that ever they had any benefit by them : they hope to be saved as well as others by the mediation of Christ ; but as to this beholding of his glory by constant meditation and actings of faith therein, they know nothing of it, nor are concerned in it. The doctrine which they are taught out of the Scripture concerning the person of Christ, they give their assent unto ; but his glory they hope they shall see in another world ; — here they never yet inquired after it.