with savour: and, wisdom having entered into their hearts, knowledge is pleasant to their soul.a As every renewed taste provokes in them new desire, all such renewed desires dispose them to further and more satisfying delight. They sensibly discern the difference between their former dry and sapless notions of God, and the lively spirited apprehensions which they now have. They can in some measure understand the reason, why the Apostle should in such a rapture speak of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, and why he should so triumphingly give thanks to God for the manifestation of his knowledge in every place. They can perceive there was good sense in those words, as they have a more quick and judicious perception of the fragrancy of that knowledge. It is to them a refreshing, vital, quickening perfume, most cheeringly odoriferous; the savour of life to life, lively in itself and to them, and so full of life, as to beget and transmit it, and replenish their souls therewith. A revelation of God, that is of such a nature, cannot but be highly delectable;

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1. In respect of the matter revealed,-God himself being at least willing, in Christ, to become our God, in such a way, and upon such terms, as are expressed in the gospel.

2. In respect of the immediate way and manner of revelation, with so much facility continually coming in from time to time upon the soul,

a Prov. ii. 10.

b 2 Cor. ii. 14.

c Ver. 16.

according as it is found ready by a dutiful compliance to admit it.

3. In respect of the life and vigour which it carries with it, whereby it is experienced to be a vital light. Dull, sluggish, ineffectual notions of such things can have, comparatively, little of delectation in them.

4. In respect of the design and tendency of the revelation to draw the soul into union with God, and that there may be not merely a transient glance of so lovely an object, but a continual intercourse between him and the soul. When once it apprehends, that God hath made this light to shine in upon me, not to amuse me, -but that here he fixes it as a lamp to guide me, in a stated course of communion with him,how pleasant is it to think, he will be known for this blessed purpose!

Now, a communication of God, including such a revelation of him as will be apt to beget such a knowledge, cannot be without much matter of delight. But, besides, it also includes a transforming impression of his image. This yet more fully answers the enquiry, (when a person is said to enjoy God,) what does he immediately enjoy, or whereby is he said to enjoy God, or what does God communicate or transmit by which he may be said to be enjoyed? He communicates his own living likeness, the very image of himself, not the idea or likeness only by which he is known;-though it must be confessed, the knowledge of him, if he be known to be what he truly is, must suppose a true likeness of him offered

to the mind, and formed there. But this, of which we now speak, is not a merely representative but a real image. It is the product of the former, as is sufficiently to be collected from what has been said. For that appears to be not a mere airy, spiritless, ineffectual thing,-as the notion of God and of all divine matters is with the most-but operative, penetrating, efficacious, apt to beget suitable impressions upon the heart, and wholly to transform the soul. The effect of it, then, is this transformative impression itself, by which the soul becomes another thing than it was, a new creature,a-old things being done away, and all things made new. In respect of this it is said to be born of God. This is the new man, which after God is said to be created in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, —the divine nature participated the seed of God the prime and most excellent part of his creatures.

C

That communication of God, which must be supposed to be afforded to the regenerate in this world in order to their delighting in him, could signify little to that purpose, if with deformed and diseased souls they were only to look upon a very lovely object, themselves still remaining what they were. Nor does it delight them only as it is apprehended to be apt and aiming to work a happy change in them, but as it does it, or has in part done it.

God is proposed to our communion and fel

a 2 Cor. v. 17. b Eph. iv. 24. c 2 Pet. i. 4. d 1 John iii. 9.

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b

lowship, under the name of Light, but such a light whereby we, that were darkness, become light in the Lord; that, as he is the father of lights, we may appear the children of such a father, and walk as children of light. For we are presently told, that, if we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have a mutual fellowship, that is, between God and ourselves. It is needful, that we have that apprehension of him and he, therefore, by solemn message, makes a declaration of himself, that he is light; "This then is the message, which we have heard from him, and declare to you, that God is light, and with him is no darkness at all," i. e. the most pure, holy, excellent, glorious Being.

d

But for what purpose are we to have that apprehension? We are told by the Apostle, for what. He makes that declaration, with the design that we might be entered into the same fellowship, in which he was already. For this end, therefore, we are to have this apprehension. But inasmuch as he immediately adds, that if we pretend to that fellowship, while we converse in darkness, we lie; it is manifest, that this discovery of God, and our suitable apprehension of him, are no further serviceable to their end, than as bringing us into fellowship with him, or than as he forms us by his beams into his own likeness that thus, so far as our capacity and prec Ver. 6. d Ver. 7.

a 1 John i. 3,5. b Eph. v. 8.

sent state admit, we may be truly in a degree made pure, bright, shining, excellent creatures, resembling our Maker, and being a second time formed after the image of him who created us.

The gospel is the formative instrument in this work. The new creature is said to be begotten of the Word of God; and the divine nature is said to be communicated through the exceeding great and precious promises, which, discovering God's gracious nature and favourable inclination towards us, are an apt means, but no more than a means, to render us well-natured and not contrary to him. Faith admits the gospel-discovery into the soul, and makes it, from an external word without, become an ingrafted word, "the word of Christ dwelling richly in us," and so gives it the advantage of becoming thus mightily operative, (for to them only who believe, is it the power of God to salvation ;) and being received, not as the word of man, but as the word of God, it works effectually in them that believe. To them who believe it not, it signifies nothing, is an empty sound, or only as a tale that is told.

Inasmuch as the gospel-revelation is the instrument of this impression, by it the impression must be measured, and with it must agree. This revelation being expressive of the nature of God, and of his mind and will in reference to us, the impression cannot but be agreeable to that revelation; but it must also carry in it the resemblance and likeness of God himself, for the gospel-revelation is God's seal, the stamp upon it is a model of his image. The soul, sealed