love him, and rejoice in him. But a sight of him with the bodily eves only never in any instance produced this effect. Many who even heard his discourses, and beheld his miracles, were amongst his bitterest enemies. The Christians to whom St. Peter wrote had never seen Christ. The Apostle twice mentions this circumstance, to shew that their regard for him did not arise from any personal acquaintance with him. Faith is the only mean whereby we are brought to this love and joy: as it is said, " in whom believing, ye rejoice." Tt is only by
faith that we can behold the excellency of Christ by
faith only that we can apply his merits to ourselves
by faith only that we can receive his gracious communications"1. Repentance will lead to this state; and obedience spring from it: but it is faith only that will prevail to bring us into it".]
To increase our ardour in pressing forward to this state, let us consider,
III. The blessedness of those who have attained it —
[The salvation of the soul is the great " end of our faith." Present comforts arc desirable ; but eternal happiness is that which the Christian has principally in view. It is to this that he looks forward, under his first convictions. This is the end for which he cheerfully endures all his privations and conflicts. In every possible state he has an eye to this, as the consum- mation of all his hopes and desires. And this blessed object is already attained by all true Christians : they do not wait for it till they arrive in heaven ; their full reward indeed is reserved for another world. But believers have the foretastes of heaven already communicated to them ; yea, their love to Christ, and their joy in him, are an earnest, as well as pledge, of their eternal inheritance ; they noto, in a way of anticipation and actual enjoyment, " receive the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls."]
Infer —
1. What a rational character is the Christian!
[He is thought an enthusiast, for loving and rejoicing in Christ ; and they who have no such love or joy appropriate to themselves the name of rational Christians. Now we are willing to meet our adversaries on this ground, and to submit our sentiments to this test. If to admire supreme excellence, to love infinite amiableness, and to rejoice in unbounded good- ness, be a rational employment; yea, if the glorified saints and angels be rational, then the Christian is a rational charac- ter ; and the more so, in proportion as he loves and rejoices in
m Eph. iii. 17. n Horn. xv. 13.