with the damnation of hell; and now suppose the veil laid aside, and the lustre of all these excellencies shining forth, without the interposition of any obscuring cloud or shadow;-such a one is The Blessed God. For this was the express image of his person; and, as he himself tells us, they that have seen Him, have seen the Father. Do you not now see one to be delighted in?

a

But yet further, can you not frame a notion of wisdom, goodness, justice, holiness, truth, power, with other known perfections, all concurring together in a Being purely spiritual, eternally and originally of Himself, the author and original of all things, and who is therefore over all and in all, infinite and unchangeable in all the perfections before-mentioned? Surely such conceptions are not impossible to you:—And this is He, in whom you are to delight.

Lift up then your minds above your senses and all sensible things; use your understandings, whereby you are distinguished from brute creatures. Consider, this is He from whom you and all things sprang, and in whom your life is. Do you perceive life, wisdom, power, love in other things; these must all have some fountain. Other things have not these of themselves, for they are not of themselves, therefore they must derive and partake them from Him; and thence it is evident, they must be in Him in their highest excellency. Of this, your understandings, duly exercised, will render you as sure, as if you

a John xiv. 9.

saw that infinite glory, in which all these meet, with your eyes: and will assure you, it is so much the more excellent and glorious, for that it cannot be seen with your eyes. You see the external acts and expressions of these things from such creatures as you are: but life, wisdom, power, love, are themselves invisible things, which in themselves you cannot see,—yet you are not the less certain, that there are such things. And do you not find, that the certain proof you have that these things meet in this or that creature, renders it lovely and delightful in your eyes? especially, if you have, or apprehend you may have, nearest interest in such a creature? The blessed God not only hath these things in himself, but is these very things himself; therefore must be invisible, as they are; and because he not only hath them, but is what they are, therefore they are in him perfectly, unchangeably and eternally, as being his very essence. Think then of a Being that is pure, original, substantial,—life, wisdom, power, love; and how infinitely amiable and delectable should that ever blessed Being be unto you!

Converse with the word of God. Read his descriptions of Himself; and do not content yourselves to have the words and expressions before your eyes, or in your mouths, that represent to you his nature and attributes; but make your pauses, and consider the things themselves signified by them; that is, when you read passages of his own holy book, such as tell you his name, that He is the Lord, the Lord

God, gracious and merciful," &c.-or that tell you He is light, He is love, He is God only wise, He is the Almighty, God all-sufficient, He is all in all, and that the heavens, and heaven of heavens cannot contain Him;-or wherein you find him admired as glorious in holiness;-or that say, He is what He is, that He is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega, &c.— labour to fix the apprehension and true import of all such expressions deep in your mind; that you may have an entire and well formed representation of him before you, to which you may upon all occasions have recourse, and not be at a loss, every time you are to apply yourselves. to any converse with him, what or how to conceive of him. And because mere words, though they may furnish you with a more full and comprehensive notion of him, yet may not give you a lively one, or powerfully strike your heart, compare with that account, which his word gives you of him, the works which your eyes may daily behold, and which you are assured were wrought and done by him. To read or hear of his wisdom, power, goodness, &c. and then to have their visible effects within your constant view, that so fully correspond to what his Word hath said of him, and demonstrate him to be what you were told he is, how mighty a confirmation doth this carry with it! You may behold somewhat of Him in every creature. All his works not only represent, but even praise and commend him to you.

a Exod. xxxiv. 6.

Above all, since He is only to be seen in his own light, pray earnestly and continually to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, that he would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. " From such as so desire to know him, he will not conceal himself. This is your more direct following on to know the Lord; in which case he hath said, you shall know, and that his going forth shall be prepared as the morning. By your craving looks, and the expecting posture of your waiting eye, you draw forth and invite his enlightening communications, which do but wait for an invitation. For it is most reasonable you should feel your want, and express your desire of what is so precious, before you find it. Hereby, you put yourselves amidst the glorious beams of his vital pleasant light, or open your souls to admit and let it in upon you. And when he finds it is with you a thing desired and longed for, he takes more pleasure in imparting, than you can take pains in seeking, or pleasure in receiving it.

Nor yet, when you have thus attained to some competent measure of the knowledge of God, are you to satisfy yourselves that now you are not altogether ignorant: but employ your knowledge in frequent and solemn thinking on him; which is the next end of that knowledge, and a further great means to your delighting in him. Your knowledge of God signifies little to this purpose or any other, if, as it gives you the advantage of

having frequent actual thoughts of him, it be not used to this end. Not having this knowledge, when you would set yourselves seriously to think on God, you are lost in the dark, and know not which way to turn yourselves; and having it, you will be as much strangers to delight in him, if you let your knowledge lie bound up in dead and spiritless notion, and labour not to have it turned into active life and fervent love, by the agitation of your working thoughts. By your musing this fire must be kindled. Do you suppose it possible, to delight in God and not think of him? If God be the solace and joy of your souls, surely it must be God remembered and minded much, not neglected and forgotten. My soul, saith the Psalmist, shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee on my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. And he at the same time says, his meditation of him shall be sweet, when he says he will be glad in the Lord.b

Your delight in God can find no way into your hearts, but by the introduction of your exercised minds. There the matter must be prepared and formed, by which your delight is to be nourished and maintained. Hereto then you must apply yourselves with design, and with serious diligence, and take pains with your recoiling thoughts. Do not make that fulsome pretence, to excuse your slothful neglect, that you cannot command your

2 Psalm lxiii. 6.

b Ibid civ. 34.