We are like him in the parable of the prophet that spake unto Ahab, who having one committed unto him to keep, affirms that whilst he was busy here and there, he was gone. Christ commits himself unto us, and we ought carefully to keep his presence. " I held him," saith the church, " and would not let him so," Cant. iii. 4.
392 THE GLORY OF CHRIST.
But whilst we are busy here and there, while our minds are overfilled with other things, he withdraws himself, — we cannot find him. But even this rebuke is a sanctified ordinance for our recovery, and his return unto us.
2. Our second inquiry is, how we may know when Christ doth so withdraw himself from us, that we do not, that v/e cannot, behold his glory.
I speak herein unto them alone who make this observation of the lively actings of faith and love in and towards Jesus Christ their chiefest concern in all their retirements, yea, in their whole walk before God. Concerning these, our inquiry is, how they may know when Christ doth in any degree or measure withdraw from them so as that they cannot in a due manner behold his glory.
And the first discovery hereof is by the consequents of such withdrawings. And what are the consequents of it we can know no otherwise but by the effects of his presence with us, and the mani- festa,tion of himself unto us; which, as unto some degrees, must neces- sarily cease thereon.
(1.) Now the first of these is the life, vigour, and effectual acting of all grace in us. This is an inseparable consequent and effect of a view of his glory. Whilst we enjoy it, we live; nevertheless not lue, hut Christ liveth in us, exciting and acting all his graces in us.
This is that which the apostle instructeth us in; while " we behold his glory as in a glass, we are transformed into the same image, from glory to glory," 2 Cor. iii. 18 ; — that is, whilst by faith we contemplate on the glory of Christ as revealed in the Gospel, all grace will thrive and flourish in us towards a perfect conformity unto him. For whilst we abide in this view and contemplation, our souls will be preserved in holy frames, and in a continual exercise of love and delight, with all other spiritual affections towards him. It is impossible, whilst Christ is in the eye of our faith as proposed in the Gospel, but that we shall labour to be like him, and greatly love him. Neither is there any way for us to attain unto either of these, Avhich are the great concernments of our souls, — namely, to be like unto Christ, and to love him, — but by a constant view of him and his glory by faith ; which powerfully and effectually works them in us. All the doc- trinal knowledge which we have of him is useless, — all the view we have of his glory is but fancy, imagination, or superstition, which are not accompanied with this transforming power. And that which is wrought by it, is the increase and vigour of all grace ; for therein alone our conformity unto him doth consist. Growth in gi'ace, holi- ness, and obedience, is a growing like unto Christ; and nothing else is so.
I cannot refrain here from a necessary short digression. This
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FAITH AND SIGHT OF IT. 893
transforming efficacy, from a spiritual view of Christ as proposed in the Gospel, being lost, as unto an experience of it, in the minds of men carnal and ignorant of tlie mystery of believing (as it is at present by many derided, though it be the life of religion), fancy and supersti- tion provided various supplies in the room of it. For they found out crucifixes and images with paintings to represent him in his suf- ferings and glory. By these things, their carnal affections being ex- cited by theii- outward senses, they suj^pose themselves to be affected with him, and to be like unto him. Yea, some have proceeded so far as, either by arts diabolical, or by other means, to make an ap- pearance of wounds on their hands, and feet, and sides ; therein pre- tending to be like him, — yea, to be wholly transformed into his image. But that which is produced by an image is but an image. An ima- ginary Christ will effect nothing in the minds of men but imaginary grace.
Thus religion was lost, and died. When men could not obtain any experience in their minds of the spiritual mysteries of the Gospel, nor be sensible of any spiritual change or advantage by them, they substituted some outward duties and observances in their stead ; as I shall show, God willing, elsewhere more at large. These produced some kind of effects on their minds and affections, but quite of an- other nature than those which are the real effects of true evangelical grace. This is openly evident in this substitution of images instead of the representation of Christ and his glory made in the Gospel.
However, there is a general supposition gi'anted on all hands, — namely, that there must be a view of Christ and his glory, to cause us to love him, and thereby to make us conformable or like unto him. But here lies the difference : — those of the Church of Borne say that this must be done by the beholding of crucifixes, with other images and pictures of him; and that with our bodily eyes: we say it is by our beholding his glory by faith, as revealed in the Gospel, and no otherwise. And, to confess the truth, we have some who, as they re- ject the use of images, so they despise that spiritual view of the glory of Christ which we inquire after. Such persons on the first occa- sion will fall on the other side ; for anything is better than nothing.