Answ. 1. Some say, Christ as God, or the Godhead of Christ, shall be known by the humanity of Ghrist; such a lustre of his Deity shall shine through his humanity, as that thereby, and by no other means shall the essential glory of Christ appear.

2. Others say, That besides the humanity of Christ, there shall be a species representing the divine essence of Christ, and a light of glory elevating the understanding by a supernatural strength; and that thereby the glorious essence of Christ shall be discovered.

3. Others say, that the divine essence shall be represented to the glorified understanding, not by Christ's humanity, nor by any species, but immediately by itself; yet they also require a light of glory to elevate and fortify the understanding, by reason of its weakness, and infinite dispropor. tion and distance from the incomprehensible Deity.

4. Others hold, that to the clear vision of Christ as God, there is not required a sight of Christ's humanity, as the first suppose; nor a species representing the divine essence, as the second suppose; nor any created light elevating the understanding, as the third suppose; but only a change of the natural order of knowing; it is sufficient, say they, that the divine essence be immediately represented to a created understanding: which, though it cannot be done according to the order of nature, as experience tells us, (for so we conceive things as first having passed the sense and imagination,) yet it may be done according to the order of divine grace. I shall not enter into these scholastical disputes, it is enough for a sober man to know, that in heaven we shall see him "face to face," 1 Cor. 13:12. "His servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face," Rev. 22:3,4.

Quest. His face, What is that? I answer,

Answ. 1. They shall see Christ as God, of the same essence with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, and yet a distinct person from them both; they shall see the unity in trinity, and trinity in unity; they shall see how the Son is begotten of the Father, and how the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father, and the Son; they shall see the difference between the generation of the Son, and procession of the Spirit. These are mysteries in which we are blind, and know very little or nothing; but in seeing his face, we shall see all these.

2. They shall see Christ as the first Being, or principle of all the good that is in the world, "They shall see how all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made," John 1:3. They shall see all the good in the creature as flowing from Christ, and as contained in the absolute perfection of Christ's divine nature; they shall see in one Christ all the excellencies of all the creatures united, which is indeed to see him in his eminency, if there be any beauty, riches, honor, goodness in any creature, that is eminently, transcendently, and originally in Christ, and that shall be seen.

3. They shall see Christ in all his ways, counsels, decrees, executions, and transactions, from everlasting to everlasting, that great business of election and reprobation will then be discovered: it is an expression of Augustine, "They shall then see the reason why one is elected, and another reprobated; why one is rich, and another is poor:" they shall then see all the works that ever God did, or that ever God will do; it is not yet 6000 years since the creation of the world, and what is 6000 years to eternity? Certainly the truth of Origen's opinion, "Touching the existency of other worlds before this, and the future succession of other worlds

Orig. 1. de principiis 3. c. 5.

after this," will then be known. If no worlds before this, yet if God in Christ hath done such great things in only 6000 years; what he may do in the next 6000 years, and so in the next 6000 years, who now can tell? We see not these things, but the saints, in seeing the face of Christ, shall see all things.

4. They shall see Christ in all his glory, ways, counsels, decrees, executions and transactions, as working for their happiness. Now this is more than the former; there is a great deal of difference in seeing an ob ject, as excellent in itself, and in seeing an object, as conducing to my happiness; as one that is a stranger, and another that is an heir, rides over such a domesne; the stranger rides over it, and takes delight to see the situation, rivers, trees and fruits; but the heir looks upon it in another manner, "This (saith he) is the land for which my father laid out so much, and all to enrich me, and all to bestow it on me, as my inheritance." So the saints admitted into the glorious sight of Christ, they take not only a view of Christ, of the essential glory of Christ, of the transactions of Christ, things excellent in themselves, but they see all these as to make them happy: they say of Christ, and of his actings, "These are mine, and for my happiness:" a stranger may look upon a king, and see beauty, and majes ty, and glory, and honor in him: but the queen looks upon the king and his beauty as her own: so the saints look upon the King of heaven, they see Christ, and all in Christ, as their own, to make them happy forever and ever.

5. They shall" see Christ as he is," 1 John 3: 2. But what, do we not "see him now as he is?" Oh no! we now see him not as he is in deed and truth, but only as he is in hear-say and report: we now see him only as he is shadowed out to us in the gospel of peace; and what is the gospel, but the portraiture of the king, which he sent to another land, to be seen by his bride? So kings and queens on earth woo one another; whilst the bride is on earth, she never seeth him as he is in his best Sabbath-royal robe of immediate glory, she seeth him rather by the second hand, i. e. by messengers, words, and meditation, he rather sends his portraiture, than comes himself; but in heaven the saints "see him as he is," they see Christ himself in his own very person, they see the red and white in his own face, they see all the inside of Christ, and thousands of excellencies shall then be revealed, that we see not now, the mysteries of that glorious ark shall then be opened, his incarnation, his two natures in one person, his suffering as man, and his sitting in the seat of God as God, all these shall be seen.

6. They shall see Christ without interruption, and without intermission to all eternity. If once the eye be set on the face of Jesus Christ, it will never be taken off again. Some conceive this to be the reason why the saints in heaven can never fall away, because they shall have a continual view of Christ as God: surely to have but one glimpse of Christ in this respect, though it were gone presently, it were a great happiness beyond all that the world affords: it was sometimes the desire of a philosopher to see the nature of the sun, though he were to be burnt by it; so if Christ should but grant us this happiness," You shall come to see me, but the sight of me will destroy you," this were a desirable thing: but to have such an excellent glorious sight as shall never end, that Christ should not only pass by, but stand still, so as the soul shall never lose his sight; O how glorious is this! If a man do but look upon a delightful object, he is loath to have the eyes drawn from it: surely the eyes of saints shall be eternally opened to see the divine nature of Christ: turn them which way they will, they shall never turn aside the busied eyes of their understanding from off the Deity of Christ; he fills heaven, he is that fair tree of life, the branches

whereof, in all these huge and capacious borders of heaven, have not room to grow in, "for the heaven of heavens cannot contain him." O the wonders of heaven! there is Abraham, Moses, Elias, the prophets, the apostles, and all the glorified martyrs, but the saints have neither leisure, nor hearts to feed themselves with beholding creatures; no, no; all the eyes of heaven (which are a fair and numerous company) are upon (only, only upon) the Lord Jesus Christ; the father hath no leisure to look over his shoulder to see his son; the husband hath no leisure to look over his shoulder to see his wife; Christ takes all eyes off from such created things: surely it is enough for the saints and angels in heaven to study Christ for all eternity; it shall be their only labor to read Christ, to smell Christ, to hear, see, and taste Christ, to love, joy, and enjoy Jesus Christ forever and ever. Thus far of the second point, how the saints shall behold the glory of Christ.

3. Wherein is the comprehensiveness of this expression, that "the beholding of Christ is our all in all?" I answer,-1. It comprehends the immediate seeing and looking upon all that majesty and glory which Jesus Christ hath. In this sense Paul took it when he complained, “We walk by faith not by sight," 2 Cor. 5:7. q. d. On earth we have faith, and in heaven we have sight: it is some comfort that now I see Jesus Christ by faith, but comparatively to that sight which the saints have in heaven, it is as no comfort at all; alas! I am not, I cannot be satisfied so long as I am absent from the Lord, I look upon myself as one from home: and as a prince in a strange land sits down sadly, because he hath not the sight of his father, so I am forced to complain, "O! I cannot see my Lord, I would fain behold him, I am a stranger on earth, a pilgrim in this world, I am not where I would be, I am absent from him whom I most desire: O! I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; I walk with him here on earth by faith but to walk with him in the streets of heaven by sight is far better; O! I long, I pant, I breathe, I desire, I think every day a year, and every year an age, till I be in heaven, at home, in my father's arms, that I may behold and see him, and that immediately, I say immediately in his glory." This is one way of beholding Christ, it is an immediate sight.

2. It comprehends the fruition and enjoyment of Christ in his glory. Surely the saints shall not be mere idle spectators of the glory of Christ, but they shall enjoy him, and be taken into fellowship with him: it was said of Moses, that he did see the land of Canaan, but he was not admitted into it; it is otherwise with the saints, they shall see heaven, and they shall enter into heaven, " Come thou faithful servant, and enter into thy master's joy," not only behold it, but enter into it; they must behold Christ, and take possession of Christ, and enjoy him as their own, and thus the word to see, or behold, is often used in scripture, " Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God," John 3: 3. i. e. he cannot enjoy it; and "Father, I will, that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory," John 17: 24. i. e. that they may enjoy my glory; for Christ is not only glorious in himself, but he is the spring of glory unto others; now, in this respect, more especially is Christ our all in all; he is all in himself, and if we enjoy him, he is "all in all" unto us: to see a little into the state and condition of the saints in glory in this enjoyment of Christ:

1. They possess Christ as their own, they go to Christ, and they lay hold on him, saying, "Thou art mine." It was indeed the language of the spouse whilst yet on earth," I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." There is a right and a propriety made over to her, in her betrothing unto

Christ; but after the solemnity of the marriage is over, the possession is then more full; when once the spouse comes to behold Christ in his kingdom, she may then go boldly to her beloved, and say, " All I see is my own, I had thee in hope, but now hope is vanished, and actual enjoyment comes in its place; lo' now I have thee in my eye, and in my heart, and in my hands, and in my arms, and as nothing shall separate us now, for all our enemies are trodden under foot, so never will I part with thee, so far as to be out of my eye, I will still behold thee, and in beholding I will still possess thee, for thou art mine own."

2. They have the use of what they possess, and this is an infinite good to the saints, they shall not only possess Christ, but they shall have what use they will of Christ, and of all in Christ; theyball, as they please, make use of his humanity, and of his Deity, of historious essence, and of his glorious attributes; O wonder! that a saint should come to Christ, and say, "O my Lord, thou art mine, and my pleasure is to make use of thy wisdom, power, and mercy;" and that Christ should reply and say, "Welcome, sweet soul, use me and all my glory as thou pleasest." Why, thus it is, even as a friend will say to his friend, "Make use of all that I have as your own;" so will Christ come to his saints, and bid them make use of all his riches, glory and excellency, even as they will, even to the utmost that they are capable of.

3. They have the sweet and comfort of all they use, and this makes up a complete enjoyment. In things below, we may have the possession of them, and the use thereof, but if we have not the sweet and comfort of that we use, we cannot be said truly or fully to enjoy those things; what is the possession and use of meat and drink, if we taste not the sweet of them? Hence God is said "to give us all things richly to enjoy;" no creature can give us richly to enjoy another; one may give us such and such things wherein there may be comfort, but he cannot give us comfort in such things, it is only God that can give us that; it is so with the saints in glory, God gives them all things, yea, Christ gives himself to them, as “all in all," to enjoy him richly, fully, sweetly, to the very uttermost. This is another way of beholding Christ, it is a fruition or enjoy. ment of Christ, wherein, and whereby he is our “ all in all.”

4. It comprehends all the effects and consequents of such a beholding of his glory, which are infinite delight and complacency in the will, and all praise and thanksgiving in the mouths of his saints. For the first, It is disputed, whether eternal happiness be more in the acts of the under standing, or of the will? And some conclude, that it is principally in the will, because that is an active appetite and predominant in a man, indeed the whole of a man. Oh! the joy, delight, and complacency that will arise in the will, upon the seeing and beholding of Jesus Christ! they' shall delight infinitely in the essential glory of Christ, and in the decla red glory of Christ; they shall delight in all that glory that is reflected upon Christ by all his creatures in heaven; they shall delight in his pres2 ence, and in his love; "Christ is all delights," and how then shall they but delight in Christ? For the second, As they delight in their wills, so will their mouths be filled with praises: we read of saints and angels continually praising God in heaven, there shall be none of our duties of mourn ing, fasting, praying and humbling; the acts of patience and justifying faith shall cease in heaven; but the duty of praising and glorifying God will continue to all eternity. Methinks I see the saints following the Lamb: methinks I hear the familiar converse betwixt Christ and them, as Christ opens himself to them, so they to him: First, He begins, “ Oh!

my dear saints, you are they, for whom, before all time, I decreed this heaven, and now you see the execution of my decrees; whilst the world stood, I was still carrying on the work of your salvation, either in doing or suffering, or in successive works, applying my doings and sufferings, my active and passive obedience to your persons; and now the world is at an end, you see the end of my work, and the end of your faith, which is the eternal salvation of your souls; Oh! now I have my wish, and you have your happiness; here you and I will live together, that I may for ever be. hold you, and that you may for ever behold me and my glory." Which no sooner said, but methinks I hear all those innumerable saints in heaven to answer, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisd and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing," Rev. 5:12. "And refore unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings unto God and his Fa ther, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen," Rev. 1:5,6. Yea, methinks I hear every creature in heaven say, "Blessing, honor, glory, and power be unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever, Amen," Rev. 5:13. Why, this is their continual work in heaven, they have nothing else to do, but with joy and gladness to sing forth the praises of God, and of Christ, and that his mercy endu. reth for ever. And this likewise is comprehended under that notion of the saints," beholding of Christ," which completely makes up the proportion asserted, "That Christ, or the glory of Christ, which the saints shall behold to all eternity, is their all in all."

Thus far we have propounded the object, which is Jesus carrying on the salvation of his saints, in his coming again to earth, and taking them up with himself and his angels into heaven: our next work is to direct you how to look unto Jesus in this respect, and then we have done.

CHAPTER II.

SECT. 1. Of knowing Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation in his second coming.

WHAT looking is, and what it contains, we have often heard, and that in these respects we may look on Jesus,

1. Let us know Jesus, carrying on the saints' salvation in his second coming, and taking them to heaven. Many glorious, excellent things, many precious passages, many high and heavenly carriages are in this transaction: Is it not of high concernment, that he that now sits at Gol's right hand interceding for us, should thence come again to judge the world, and after judgment take up his saints with him into glory? Can we read of the several actings of this general assize, and not desire to read on still? Nay, is not all our reading mixed with admiration of every pas sage? Come! wonder, and sit, and pause, and stop at every word; stay, and wonder, and adore that light, which appears in any beam of truth, and in the admiration of that truth which doth appear, cast thyself down at the feet of Christ, and cry out, "O the depth of glory, and majesty, and goodness, and grace in thee! O the riches of love, that thou shouldst let out thyself in these several admirable dispensations!" Come, be exact in this study, gather up all the crumbs and filings of this gold; the least beams of the glory of Christ, (especially as it shines and glitters at his se cond coming,) have so much light, and love, and splendor in them, as that