is called a 'seeing darkly as in a glass' all that we know this way (and all that we know of God, we know this way) is but low, and dark, and obscure.

But will say, you all this is true, but yet it is only so to them that know not God; perhaps as he is revealed in Jesus Christ: with them who do so it is otherwise. It is true, 'No man hath seen God at any time, but the only begotten Son he hath revealed him ;' John i. 17, 18. and 'the Son of God is now come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true;' 1 John v. 20. The illumination of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, shineth upon believers; 2 Cor. iv. 4. yea, and 'God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, shines into their hearts to give them the knowledge of his glory in the face of his Son;' ver. 6. So that though we were darkness, yet we are now light in the Lord;' Eph. v. 8. And the apostle says, We all with open face behold the glory of the Lord;' 2 Cor. iii. 18. and we are now so far from being in such darkness, or at such a distance from God, that our communion and fellowship is with the Father and the Son;' 1 John i. 3. the light of the gospel whereby now God is revealed is glorious; not a star, but the sun in his beauty is risen upon us, and the veil is taken from our faces; so that though unbelievers, yea, and perhaps some weak believers, may be in some darkness, yet those of any growth, or considerable attainments have a clear sight and view of the face of God in Jesus Christ.

To which I answer,

1. The truth is we all of us know enough of him to love him more than we do, to delight in him and serve him, believe him, obey him, put our trust in him above all that we have hitherto attained. Our darkness and weakness is no plea for our negligence and disobedience. Who is it that hath walked up to the knowledge that he hath had of the perfections, excellencies and will of God? God's end in giving us any knowledge of himself here, is that we may glorify him as God; that is, love him, serve him, believe and obey him, give him all the honour and glory that is due from poor sinful creatures, to a sin-pardoning God and Creator; we must all acknowledge that we were never thoroughly transformed into the image of that knowledge which we have had. And

had we used our talents well, we might have been trusted with more..

2. Comparatively; that knowledge which we have of God by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the gospel, is exceeding eminent and glorious. It is so in comparison of any knowledge of God, that might otherwise be attained, or was delivered in the law under the Old Testament, which had but the shadow of good things, not the express image of them; this the apostle pursues at large, 2 Cor. iii. Christ hath now in these last days, revealed the Father from his own bosom, declared his name, made known his mind, will, and council in a far more clear, eminent, distinct manner, than he did formerly, whilst he kept his people under the padegogy of the law, and this is that which for the most part is intended in the places before-mentioned; the clear, perspicuous delivery and declaration of God and his will in the gospel, is expressly exalted in comparison of any other way of revelation of himself.

3. The difference between believers and unbelievers as to knowledge, is not so much in the matter of their knowledge, as in the manner of knowing. Unbelievers, some of them may know more, and be able to say more of God, his perfections and his will, than many believers; but they know nothing as they ought, nothing in a right manner, nothing spiritually and savingly; nothing with a holy, heavenly, light. The excellency of a believer is not, that he hath a large apprehension of things, but that what he doth apprehend, which perhaps may be very little, he sees it in the light of the Spirit of God, in a saving soul-transforming light and this is that which gives us communion with God, and not prying thoughts, or curious raised notions.

4. Jesus Christ by his word and Spirit reveals to the hearts of all his, God as a Father, as a God in covenant, as a rewarder, every way sufficiently to teach us to obey him here, and to lead us to his bosom, to lie down there in the fruition of him to eternity. But yet now,

5. Notwithstanding all this, it is but a little portion we know of him, we see but his back-parts. For,

(1.) The intendment of all gospel revelation is not to God's essential glory, that we should see him as he merely to declare so much of him as he knows suf

us.

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ficient to be a bottom of our faith, love, obedience, and coming to him that is, of the faith which here he expects from Such services as beseem poor creatures in the midst of temptations; but when he calls us to eternal admiration and contemplation, without interruption, he will make a new, manner of discovery of himself, and the whole shape of things, as it now lies before us, will depart as a shadow.

(2.) We are dull and slow of heart to receive the things that are in the word revealed. God by our infirmity and weakness, keeping us in continual dependance on him, for teachings and revelations of himself out of his word, never in this world bringing any soul to the utmost of what is from the word to be made out and discovered; so that although the way of revelation in the gospel be clear and evident, yet we know little of the things themselves that are revealed.

Let us then revive the use and intendment of this consideration; will not a due apprehension of this inconceivable greatness of God, and that infinite distance wherein we stand from him, fill the soul with a holy and awful fear of him; so as to keep it in a frame, unsuited to the thriving or flourishing of any lust whatever? Let the soul be continually wonted to reverential thoughts of God's greatness and omnipresence, and it will be much upon its watch, as to any undue deportments; consider him with whom you have to do; even our God is a consuming fire;' and in your greatest abashments at his presence and eye, know that your very nature is too narrow to bear] apprehensions suitable to his essential glory.

CHAP. XIII.

The ninth direction. When the heart is disquieted by sin, speak no peace to it, until God speak it. Peace, without detestation of sin, unsound. So is peace measured out unto ourselves. How we may know when we measure our peace unto ourselves.

speaking peace slightly. versally.

Directions as to that inquiry. The vanity of Also of doing it on one singular account, not uni

NINTHLY, In case God disquiet the heart about the guilt of its distempers, either in respect of its root and indwelling,

or in respect of any eruptions of it, take heed thou speakest not peace to thyself before God speaks it; but hearken what he says to thy soul. This is our next direction; without the observation whereof, the heart will be exceedingly exposed to the deceitfulness of sin.

It is a sad thing All the warnings try and examine

This is a business of great importance. for a man to deceive his own soul herein. God gives us in tenderness to our souls, to ourselves, do tend to the preventing of this great evil of speaking peace groundlessly to ourselves, which is upon the issue to bless ourselves, in an opposition to God. It is not my business to insist upon the danger of it, but to help believers to prevent it, and to let them know when they do so.

To manage this direction aright observe,

1. That as it is the great prerogative and sovereignty of God, to give grace to whom he pleases (He hath mercy on whom he will;' Rom. ix. 16. and among all the sons of mẹn, he calls whom he will, and sanctifies whom he will), so among those so called and justified, and whom he will save, he yet reserves this privilege to himself, to speak peace to whom he pleaseth, and in what degree he pleaseth, even amongst them on whom he hath bestowed grace. He is the God of all consolation, in an especial manner in his dealing with believers: that is, of the good things that he keeps locked up in his family, and gives out of it to all his children at his pleasure. This the Lord insists on, Isa. lvii. 16-18. it is the case under consideration that is there insisted on. When God says he will heal their breaches and disconsolations, he assumes this privilege to himself in an especial manner, I create it;' ver. 19. even in respect of these poor wounded creatures I create it, and according to my sovereignty make it out as I please.

Hence as it is with the collation of grace in reference to them that are in the state of nature; God doth it in great curiosity, and his proceedings therein in taking and leaving, as to outward appearances, quite besides and contrary ofttimes to all probable expectations; so is it in his communications of peace and joy in reference unto them that are in the state of grace; he gives them out oft-times quite besides our expectation, as to any appearing grounds of his dispensations.

2. As God creates it for whom he pleaseth, so it is the prerogative of Christ to speak it home to the conscience. Speaking to the church of Laodicea, who had healed her wounds falsely, and spoke peace to herself when she ought not, he takes to himself that title, 'I am the Amen, the faithful witness;' Rev. iii. 14. He bears testimony concerning our condition as it is indeed; we may possibly mistake, and trouble ourselves in vain, or flatter ourselves upon false grounds, but he is the Amen, the faithful witness; and what he speaks of our state and condition, that it is indeed. Isa. xi. 3. He is said not to judge according to the sight of the eye, not according to any outward appearance, or any thing that may be subject to a mistake, as we are apt to do; but he shall judge and determine every cause as it is indeed.

Take these two previous observations, and I shall give some rules whereby men may know whether God speaks peace to them, or whether they speak peace to themselves only.

1. Men certainly speak peace to themselves, when their so doing is not attended with the greatest detestation imaginable of that sin in reference whereunto they do speak peace to themselves, and abhorrency of themselves for it. When men are wounded by sin, disquieted and perplexed, and knowing that there is no remedy for them, but only in the mercies of God, through the blood of Christ, do therefore look to him, and to the promises of the covenant in him, and thereupon quiet their hearts that it shall be well with them, and that God will be exalted, that he may be gracious to them, and yet their souls are not wrought to the greatest detestation of the sin or sins, upon the account whereof they are disquieted, this is to heal themselves, and not to be healed of God. This is but a great and strong wind, that the Lord is nigh unto, but the Lord is not in the wind. When men do truly look upon Christ whom they have pierced, without which there is no healing or peace, they will mourn; Zech. xii. 10. they will mourn for him, even upon this account, and detest the sin that pierced him. When we go to Christ for healing, faith eyes him peculiarly as one pierced. Faith takes several views of Christ, according to the occasions of address to him, and communion with him that it hath. Sometimes it views his holiness, sometimes his power, sometimes his love, his favour with