Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ

HEREON our Duty it is, to call our selves to an Account, as unto our Endeavour after a gracious View of this Glory of Christ: When did we steadfastly behold it? When had we such a View of it as wherein our Souls have been satisfied and refreshed? It is declared and represented unto us as one of the chief Props of our Faith, as an Help of our Joy, as an Object of our Hope, as a Ground of our Consolation, as our greatest Encouragement unto Obedience and Suffering. Are our Minds every day conversant with Thoughts hereof? Or do we think our selves not much concerned herein? Do we look upon it, as that which is without us and above us, as that which we shall have time enough to consider when we come to Heaven? So is it with many. They care neither where Christ is, nor what he is, so that one way or other they may be saved by him. They hope, as they pretend, that they shall see him and his Glory in Heaven, and that they suppose to be time enough: But in vain do ⟨p. 96⟩they pretend a Desire thereof; in vain are their Expectations of any such thing. They who endeavour not to behold the Glory of Christ in this World, as hath been often said, shall never behold him in glory hereafter unto their Satisfaction; nor do they desire so to do. Only they suppose it a part of that Relief which they would have when they are gone out of this World. For what should beget such a Desire in them? Nothing can do it, but some View of it here by Faith, which they despise, or totally neglect. Every Pretence of a Desire of Heaven, and of the Presence of Christ therein, that doth not arise from, that is not resolved into that Prospect which we have of the Glory of Christ in this World by Faith, is mere Fancy and Imagination.

HEREON our Duty it is, to call our selves to an Account, as unto our Endeavor after a gracious View of this Glory of Christ: When did we stedfastly behold it? When had we such a View of it as wherein our Souls have been satisfied and refreshed? It is declared and represented unto us as one of the chief Props of our Faith, as an Help of our Joy, as an Object of our Hope, as a Ground of our Consolation, as our greatest Encouragement unto Obedience and Suffering. Are our Minds every day conversant with Thoughts hereof? Or do we think our selves not much concerned herein? Do we look upon it, as that which is without us and above us, as that which we shall have time enough to consider when we come to Heaven? So is it with many. They care neither where Christ is, nor what he is, so that one way or other they may be saved by him. They hope, as they pretend, that they shall see him and his Glory in Heaven, and that they suppose to be time enough: But in vain do