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vout application unto these images, they find their thoughts exercised, their minds affected, and some present change made upon them.

But there was a difference between the person of David, and an image with a bolster of goats hair, though the one were laid in the room and place of the other. And there is so between Christ and an image, though the one be put into the place of the other. Neither do these things serve unto any other end, but to divert the minds of men from faith and love to Christ; giving them some such satisfactions in the room of them, as that their carnal affections do cleave unto their idols. And indeed it doth belong unto the wisdom of faith, for we stand in need of spiritual light, to discern and judge between the working of natural affections towards spiritual objects, on undue motives, by undue means, with indirect ends, wherein all papal devotion consists, and the spiritual exercise of grace in those affections duly fixed on spiritual objects.

But as was said, it is a real experience of the efficacy that there is in the spiritual beholding of the glory of Christ by faith as proposed in the gospel, to strengthen, increase and excite all grace unto its proper exercise, so changing and transforming the soul gradually into his likeness, which must secure us against all those pretences. And so I return from this digression.

Hereby we may understand whether the Lord Christ doth so withdraw himself, as that we do not, as that we cannot behold his glory by faith in a due manner, which is the thing inquired after. For if we grow weak in our graces, unspiritual in our frames, cold in our affections, or negligent in the exercise of them by holy meditation, it is evident that he is at a great distance from us, so as that we do not behold his glory as we ought. If the weather grow cold, herbs and plants do wither, and the frost begins to bind up the earth; all men grant that the sun is withdrawn, and makes not its wonted approach unto us. And if it be so with our hearts, that they grow cold, frozen, withering, lifeless in and unto spiritual duties, it is certain that the Lord Christ is in some sense withdrawn, and that we do not behold his glory. We retain notions of truth con

cerning his person, office, and grace; but faith is not in constant exercise, as to real views of him and his glory. For there is nothing more certain in Christian experience than this is, that while we do really by faith behold the glory of Christ, as proposed in the gospel, the glory of his person and office as before described, and so abide in holy thoughts and meditations thereof, especially in our private duties and retirements, all grace will live and thrive in us in some measure, especially love unto his person, and therein unto all that belongs unto him. Let us but put it to the trial, and we shall infallibly find the promised event.

Do any of us find decays in grace prevailing in us, deadness, coldness, lukewarmness, a kind of spiritual stupidity and senselessness coming upon us; do we find an unreadiness unto the exercise of grace in its proper season, and the vigorous actings of it in duties of communion with God? and would we have our souls recovered from these dangerous diseases? let us assure ourselves there is no better way for our healing and deliverance, yea, no other way but this alone; namely, the obtaining a fresh view of the glory of Christ by faith, and a steady abiding therein. Constant contemplation of Christ and his glory, putting forth its transforming power unto the revival of all grace, is the only relief in this case, as shall further be shewed afterwards.

Some will say, that this must be affected by fresh supplies and renewed communications of the Holy Spirit. Unless he fall as dew and showers on our dry and barren hearts, unless he causeth our graces to spring, thrive, and bring forth fruit, unless he revive and increase faith, love, and holiness in our souls, our backslidings will not be healed, nor our spiritual state be recovered. Unto this end is he prayed for, and promised in the Scripture, Cant. iv. 16. 'Awake, O north-wind, and come, thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.' Isa. xliv. 3, 4. 'For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring; and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.' Ezek. xi. 19. 'And I will put a new spirit within you.' And chap. xxxvi. 26. ' A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.' Hos. xiv. 5, 6. 'I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olivetree, and his smell as Lebanon; and so it is. The immediate efficiency of the revival of our souls, is from and by the Holy Spirit. But the inquiry is, In what way, or by what means we may obtain the supplies and communications of him unto this end? This the Apostle declares in the place insisted on; 'We beholding the glory of Christ in a glass, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' It is in the exercise of faith on Christ, in the way before described, that the Holy Spirit puts forth his renewing, transforming power in and upon our souls. This therefore is that alone which will revive Christians from their present decays and deadness.

Some complain greatly of their state and condition; none so dead, so dull, and stupid as they; they know not whether they have any spark of heavenly life left in them; some make weak and faint endeavours for a recovery, which are like the attempts of a man in a dream, wherein he seems to use great endeavours without any success; some put themselves into multiplied duties. Howbeit, the generality of professors seem to be in a pining thriftless condition; and the reason of it is, because they will not sincerely and constantly make use of the only remedy and relief; like a man that will rather choose to pine away in his sickness, with some useless, transient refreshments, than apply himself unto a known and approved remedy, because, it may be, the use of it is unsuited unto some of his present occasions. Now this is not to live in the exercise of faith in Christ Jesus; this himself assures us of, John xv. 4, 5. 'Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.'

There is a twofold coming unto Christ by believing. The first is, that we may have life; that is, a spring and principle of spiritual life communicated unto us from him, 'for he is our life,' Col. iii. 3. and because he liveth, we live also, John xiv. 19.; yea, it is not so much we that live, as he that liveth in us,' Gal. ii. 19, 20.; and unbelief is not a coming unto him, that we may have life, John v. 40. But, secondly, there is also a coming unto him by believers in the actual exercise of faith, that they may have this life more abundantly, John x. 10. that is, such supplies of grace as may keep their souls in a healthy, vigorous acting of all the powers of spiritual life. And as he reproacheth some that they would not 'come unto him that they might have life,' so he may justly reprove us all, that we do not so come unto him in the actual exercise of faith, as that we might have this life more abundantly.

Secondly, When the Lord Christ is near us, and we do behold his glory, he will frequently communicate spiritual refreshment in peace, consolation, and joy unto our souls. We shall not only hereby have our graces excited with respect unto him as their object, but be made sensible of his actings towards us, in the communications of himself and his love unto us. When the Sun of righteousness ariseth on any soul, or makes any near approach thereunto, it shall find healing under his wings; his beams of grace shall convey by his Spirit, holy spiritual refreshment thereunto; for he is present with us by his Spirit, and these are his fruits and effects as he is the Comforter, suited unto his office, as he is promised unto us.

Many love to walk in a very careless unwise profession. So long as they can hold out in the performance of outward duties, they are very regardless of the greatest evangelical privileges; of those things which are the marrow of divine promises, all real endeavours of a vital communion with Christ; such are spiritual peace, refreshing consolations, ineffable joys, and the blessed composure of assurance. Without some taste and experience of these things, profession is heartless, lifeless, useless; and religion itself a dead carcase, without an animating soul. The peace which some enjoy is a mere stupidity. They judge not these things to be real, which are the substance of Christ's

present reward; and a renunciation whereof would deprive the church of its principal supportments and encouragements in all its sufferings. It is a great evidence of the power of unbelief, when we can satisfy ourselves without an experience in our own hearts of the great things in this kind of joy, peace, consolation, assurance, that are promised in the gospel. For how can it be supposed that we do indeed believe the promises of things future; namely, of heaven, immortality, and glory, the faith whereof is the foundation of all religion, when we do not believe the promises of the present reward in these spiritual privileges! And how shall we be thought to believe them, when we do not endeavour after an experience of the things themselves in our own souls, but are even contented without them? But herein men deceive themselves. They would very desirously have evangelical joy, peace, and assurance, to countenance them in their evil frames, and careless walking. And some have attempted to reconcile these things unto the ruin of their souls. But it will not be. Without the diligent exercise of the grace of obedience, we shall never enjoy the grace of consolation. But we must speak somewhat of these things afterwards.

These

It is peculiarly, in the view of the glory of Christ, in his approaches unto us, and abiding with us, that we are made partakers of evangelical peace, consolation, joy, and assurance. are a part of the royal train of his graces, of the reward wherewith he is accompanied; 'His reward is with him.' Wherever he is graciously present with any, these things are never wanting in a due measure and degree, unless it be by their own fault, or for their trial. In these things doth he give the church of his loves, Cant. vii. 12. There will I give thee my loves.' For, if any man, (saith he) loveth me, I will love him, and manifest myself unto him,' John xiv. 21.; 'yea, I and the Father will come unto him, and make our abode with him,' ver. 23.; and that so as to 'sup with him,' Rev. iii. 20.; which, on his part, can be only by the communication of those spiritual refreshments. The only inquiry is, By what way and means we do receive them? Now, I say, this is in and by our 'beholding of the glory of Christ by faith, 1 Pet. i. 9, 10.