Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ

HENCE our sight of him here, is as it were by Glances liable to be clouded by many interpositions. Behold he standeth behind the wall, he looketh forth at the windows, showing ([Greek or Hebrew] flourishing) himself at the lattice, Cant. 2. 9. There is a great Interposition between him and us, as a Wall; and the means of the discovery of himself unto us, as through a Window and Lattice, include a great instability and imperfection in our view and Apprehension of him. There is a Wall between him and us, which yet he standeth behind. Our present mortal state is this Wall, which must be demolished before we can see him as he is. In the mean time he looketh through the Windows of the ordinances of the Gospel. He gives us sometimes, when he is pleased to stand in those Windows, a view of himself; but it is imperfect, as is our sight of a man through a Window. The appearances of him at these Windows are full of refreshment unto the souls of them that do believe. But our view of them is imperfect, transient, and doth not abide: We are for the most part quickly left to bemoan what we have lost. And then our best is but to cry; As the hart panteth after the water-brook, so panteth my soul after thee, O God; my soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before thee? When wilt thou again give me to see thee, tho but as through the Windows? Alas what distress do we oftentimes sit down in, after these views of Christ and his Glory! But he proceeds further yet; and flourishes himself through the lattices. This displaying of the glory of Christ called the flourishing of ⟨p. 144⟩himself, is by the promises of the Gospel as they are explained in the ministry of the word. In them are represented unto us the desirable beauties and glories of Christ; how precious, how amiable is he as represented in them? How are the Souls of Believers ravished with the views of them? Yet is this discovery of him also but as through a Lattice. We see him but by parts, unsteadily and unevenly.

HENCE our sight of him here, is as it were by Glances liable to be clouded by many interpositions. Behold he standeth behind the wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing (〈non-Latin alphabet〉 flourishing) himself at the lattess,