Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

Briefly, then, this blessed similitude to God consists, 1. In being holy, as he is holy. 2. In knowing all things to their satisfaction; as God in his infinite knowledge rests satisfied. 3. In willing, through the perfection of holiness, nothing but what is good; as God, through the perfection of his divine nature, can will nothing but what is holy. 4. In being happy in their condition, and ravished with their felicity in God; as God is supremely and eternally happy in himself. 5. In never being fatigued; they rest not day nor night, and yet are never weary; as the Creator of the ends of the earth neither fainteth nor is weary. 6. In being made kings and priests to God and to the Lamb, and reigning with him for ever; as God sits King for ever, and of his goverment there is no end. And, lastly, In being fixed in their supreme felicity, above the fear of change, or end; as God is from everlasting to everlasting God. How complete must their happiness be, who possess God in all his plenitude, in all his perfections, and are like him in his communicable glory!

There is some difference now betwixt the saint and sinner, though both are in houses of clay; but how vast will it be then, when the one shall be all deformity and darkness, the other all comeliness and glory! For to these he shall be revealed in the nearest and most naked views, in the face of Jesus; but hid from those in the darkest and obscurest manner for ever, when "they shall be banished from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power for ever." This is the excellency of religion above reason, that it reveals God as he is! this is the happiness of the saints above sinners, that they see something of God now, and are somewhat like him, though

imperfectly; and this is the privilege of all saints, that, like Moses, they may seek after, and receive repeated views of his glory. But the crowning vision is reserved for eternity, when "we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

MEDITATION XC.

STILL DESCRIPTIONS FALL SHORT OF GLORY.

April 30, 1759.

OH! what must that happiness be that is laid up on high! that glory that is reserved to be revealed! When God sets forth the bliss above, it is by metaphors, figures, and shadows, adapted to our shallow conceptions. Thus, as God himself is said to have hands, to point out his power, eyes, to show his omnisciency, and such like condescensions; so the glory above is set out to us by the most excellent things that come within our ken, as kingdoms, crowns, sceptres, gold, precious stones, pearls, anthems, life, health, liberty, light, endless day, perpetual summer, and eternal autumn. But how dull are golden harps to the rapture of celestial song! How dim are streets. of gold to the paved walks of glory! what are the reflections of clearest crystal, to the bright effulgence of unclouded glories! what the languid sparklings of all the precious gems, to the noon-day blaze of uncreated perfections! what are the apples of pa-radise, to that spiritual repast on divinity itself, which the saints enjoy above! what is a tree planted on either side a stream, to him who overshadows all his chosen ones! or twelve kinds of fruits yielded every

month, to the innumerable blessings of divine love! what is a river, to him who overflows eternity, fills. immensity, and is the plenitude of every ransomed soul in one word, what are all things to God! Can the creature set forth the enjoyment of the Fountain of being?

O happy period! when I shall plunge into the infinity of thine excellencies, and, to mine eternal gain, be lost in the immensity of thy glory! and enjoy God in a manner that the noblest metaphors never can set forth, that the most exalted description never can exhibit, nor the most enlarged conception conceive, In view of this glory, unintelligibly great, let me prepare, and in hopes of it rest till its desirable revelation.

MEDITATION XCI.

SAINTS HONOURABLE.

Under sail, May 1, 1759.

AMONG the failings with which the saints are chargeable, surely this is one: Too mean apprehensions of their own greatness, though in their greatness the love of God is exalted. The poor man who has many troubles every day to combat with, and is subjected perhaps to daily indigence, would think it presumption in him to believe that there were orders given in the court of heaven concerning him by name, that necessary supply should be sure to him; and that no less than angels, who attend the throne, were commissioned to secure his safety! But since God's eternal Son condescended to come to minister to the sons of men, "and give his life a ransom for many,”

it well becomes the brightest of the angelic hosts to minister unto the heirs of salvation.

Truly, O saint! a serious consideration of thine high estate (for "since thou wast precious in his sight, thou hast been honourable") ought not to puff up thy mind with pride, but to fill thine heart with holy admiration and wonder, and to swell thy soul with ecstasy and love! The men of the world may scorn thy mean cottage, but had they but one glance of the angelic guards that do duty there, they would conclude it to be the palace of a king, or the gate of heaven. Elisha's servant was of the same mind with the world; he thought his master was an helpless, though a holy man: "Alas! my master, how shall we do? we are undone, for we have no power to withstand the Syrian army." But, anon, he sees the mountain shining around them with celestial guards, and covered with the flaming chariots of the King of glory. Now, O saint! Elisha's God is thy God, and the standing forces of eternity are still the same, being truly the immortal legion; yea, their employment is also the same, till all the saints are brought safe to glory.

When on a journey thou puttest up at an inn, thou mayst be obliged to take the worst room, while others, who have a grand retinue, and numerous attendants, have the best lodgings; but what thinkest thou of this, that not only angels should be thy guards, but the Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods! should himself be thy watchman? How secure, then, seeing thine omnipotent Guardian neither slumbers nor sleeps! If, under thy earthly sovereign, thou art called to the martial plain, thou mayst pitch thy tent in the open field, while the general of the army

fixes his splendid pavilion in the centre, yet only men encamp around him; but wherever thou pitchest, "the angel of the Lord encampeth round about thee." What, then, should thy conduct be, O thou that art highly favoured of the Lord! Thou shouldst study holiness in the highest degree, in gratitude to him who deals so with thee; and humility, that thou mayst never forget thyself, and so cease to wonder at the heavenly condescension! Is it thy part, O saint! when so honoured, so defended by the King, to hold disloyal conferences with his implacable enemies, self, sin, satan, against whom the "Lord hath sworn that he will have war for ever?" When he, in redeeming grace, has raised thee up to heaven, wilt thou through sin debase thyself to hell? Now, O saint! thou art no less happy, and thy condition no less grand than this. Live, then, above the world' and its vanities, with a greatness of soul that evidences thy divine descent, till the day come, in which thou shalt be exalted to that glory, of which thou art now an expectant, candidate, and heir.

MEDITATION XCII.

MERCIES, THOUGH APPARENTLY DELAYED, COME AT THE APPOINTED TIME.

Alicant Bay, May 2, 1759.

How is it that thoughts rise in my mind about the

promise proving abortive? or how can I conclude that the delays of Providence are ill timed and unkind? Yet God, notwithstanding all the risings of unbelief in my breast, is punctual to a day. Hence says Moses,

« ForrigeFortsæt »