Chapter II. Beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord. 2 Cor. iii. 18. MEN that intend to travel into foreign kingdoms, with any advantage to their parts, or improvement of their experience, do beforehand season and prepare themselves with the language, with some topographical observations of the country, with some general notions of the manners, forms, civilities, and entertainments of the natives there; and do delight to converse with those men who are best learned in these or the like particulars. Surely, as we all profess a journey to heaven, a pilgrimage in this present world, we should have our conversation now where we look to have our everlasting abode with the Lord hereafter. Now, in the gospel of Christ, we have, as it were, a map, a topographical delineation of those glorious mansions which are there prepared for the church; we have a taste and description of the manners of that people; we have some rudiments of the heavenly language: in one word, we have abundantly enough, not only to prepare us for it, but to influence all the desires of our soul unto it, even as exiles or captives desire to return to their native country. Now, then, if we no way desire to study it, or acquaint ourselves with it; if we seem to desire the sight of Christ in heaven, and when we may every day have a blessed view of his face in the glass of his gospel, turn away our eyes and regard it not, we do as good as proclaim to all the world, that either our hopes of heaven are very slender, or our care thereof little or none at all. REYNOLDS. Unto you which believe he is precious. CHRIST is precious; which seems to signify a kind of inward worth, hidden from the eyes of men, blind, unbelieving men, but well known to God, and to those to whom he reveals him. And this is the very cause of his rejection by the most, the ignorance of his worth and excellence; as a precious stone that the skilful lapidary esteems of great value, an ignorant beholder makes little or no account of. LEIGHTON. The unsearchable riches of Christ.-Eph. iii. 8. THE gospel is the patent and charter of a Christian, all that he hath to shew for his salvation; the treasure of his wealth and privileges, all that he hath to boast in, either for this life or another; the armoury of a Christian, all that he hath to hold up against the temptations and conflicts of his sorest enemies; the only tool and instrument of a Christian, all that he hath to do any action of piety, charity, loyalty, or sobriety withal; the only glass of a Christian, wherein he may see his own face, and so learn to deny himself, and wherein he may see the face of God in Christ, and so learn to desire and to follow him. REYNOLDS, Our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel; whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.-2 Tim. i. 10, 11. "MAN'S life, O king," said a courtier to king Edwin, "is like unto a little sparrow, which, whilst your majesty is feasting by the fire in your parlour with your royal retinue, flies in at one window and out at another. Indeed, we see it during the short time that it remaineth in the house, and then it is well sheltered from wind and weather; but presently it passeth from cold to cold, and whence it came, and whither it goes, we are altogether ignorant. Thus, we can give some account of our soul during its abode in the body, whilst housed and harboured therein; but where it was before, and how it fareth after, is to us altogether unknown. If, therefore, Paulinus's preaching will certainly inform us herein, he deserveth, in my opinion, to be entertained." FULLER. While ye have the light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.-John xii. 36. WHAT avails it us to live in the noonday light of the gospel, if our hearts be still shut against it, and so within we be nothing but darkness?-as a house that is close shut up, and hath no entry for light; though it is day without, still it is night within. LEIGHTON, |