reach unto it, they become like the doves of the valleys, all of them mourning every one for his iniquity, and do stir up themselves to seek him early and with diligence. See Hos. v. 5. So wherever the spouse intimates this withdrawing of Christ from her, she immediately gives an account of her restless diligence and endeavours in her inquiries after him, until she have found him, chap. iii. 1-5. v. 2-8. And in these inquiries there is such an exercise of faith and love, though it may be acting themselves mostly in sighs and groans, as is acceptable and well pleasing to him.

We are like him in the parable of the prophet that spake unto Ahab, who having one committed unto him to keep, affirms that whilst he was busy here and there, he was gone. Christ commits himself unto us, and we ought carefully to keep his presence. 'I held him,' saith the church, and would not let him go;' Cant. iii. 4. But whilst we are busy here and there, while our minds are over filled with other things, he withdraws himself, we cannot find him. But even this rebuke is a sanctified ordinance for our recovery, and his return unto us.

2. Our second inquiry is, how we may know when Christ doth so withdraw himself from us, that we do not, that we cannot, behold his glory.

I speak herein unto them alone who make the observation of the lively actings of faith and love in and towards Jesus Christ their chiefest concern in all their retirements, yea in their whole walk before God. Concerning these, our inquiry is, how they may know when Christ doth in any degree or measure withdraw from them so as that they cannot in a due manner behold his glory.

1. And the first discovery hereof is by the consequents of such withdrawings. And what are the consequents of it, we can know no otherwise but by the effects of his presence with us, and the manifestation of himself unto us, which as unto some degrees must necessarily cease thereon.

Now the first of these is the life, vigour, and effectual acting of all grace in us. This is an inseparable consequent and effect of a view of his glory. Whilst we enjoy it, 'we live; nevertheless not we, but Christ liveth in us,' exciting and acting all his graces in us.

This is that which the apostle instructeth us in; while

we behold his glory, as in a glass, as we are transformed into the same image from glory to glory;' 2 Cor. iii. 18. That is, whilst by faith we contemplate on the glory of Christ as revealed in the gospel, all grace will thrive and flourish in us towards a perfect conformity unto him. For whilst we abide in this view and contemplation, our souls will be preserved in holy frames, and in a continual exercise of love and delight, with all other spiritual affections towards him. It is impossible whilst Christ is in the eye of our faith as proposed in the gospel, but that we shall labour to be like him and greatly love him. Neither is there any way for us to attain unto either of these which are the great concernments of our souls, namely, to be like unto Christ and to love him, but by a constant view of him and his glory by faith, which powerfully and effectually works them in us. All the doctrinal knowledge which we have of him is useless; all the view we have of his glory is but fancy, imagination, or superstition, which are not accompanied with this transforming power. And that which is wrought by it, is the increase and vigour of all grace; for therein alone our conformity unto him doth consist. Growth in grace, holiness, and obedience, is a growing like unto Christ, and nothing else is so.

I cannot refrain here from a necessary short digression. This transforming efficacy from a spiritual view of Christ as proposed in the gospel, being lost as unto an experience of it in the minds of men carnal and ignorant of the mystery of believing (as it is at present by many derided, though it be the life of religion), fancy and superstition provided various supplies in the room of it. For they found out crucifixes and images, with paintings to represent him in his sufferings and glory. By these things, their carnal affections being excited by their outward senses, they suppose themselves to be affected with him, and to be like unto him. Yea, some have proceeded so far, as either by arts diabolical, or by other means, to make an appearance of wounds on their hands, and feet, and sides, therein pretending to be like him; yea, to be wholly transformed into his image. But that which is produced by an image, is but an image. An imaginary Christ will effect nothing in the minds of men, but imaginary grace.

Thus religion was lost and died. When men could not

obtain any experience in their minds of the spiritual mysteries of the gospel, nor be sensible of any spiritual change or advantage by them, they substituted some outward duties and observances in their stead; as I shall shew, God willing, elsewhere more at large. These produced some kind of effects on their minds and affections, but quite of another nature than those which are the real effects of true evangelical grace. This is openly evident in this substitution of images instead of the representation of Christ and his glory made in the gospel.

However, there is a general supposition granted on all hands; namely, that there must be a view of Christ, and his glory, to cause us to love him, and thereby to make us conformable or like unto him. But here lies the difference; those of the church of Rome say that this must be done by the beholding of crucifixes, with other images and pictures of him; and that with our bodily eyes. We say it is by our beholding his glory by faith, as revealed in the gospel, and no otherwise. And to confess the truth, we have some, who, as they reject the use of images, so they despise that spiritual view of the glory of Christ which we inquire after. Such persons on the first occasion will fall on the other side; for any thing is better than nothing.

But as we have a sure word of prophecy to secure us from these abominations by an express prohibition of such images unto all ends whatever; so unto our stability in the profession of the truth, an experience of the efficacy of this spiritual view of Christ transforming our souls into his own likeness, is absolutely necessary. For if an idolater should plead, as they do all, that in the beholding of the image of Christ, or of a crucifix, especially if they are sedulous and constant therein, they find their affections unto him greatly excited, increased, and inflamed; (as they will be, Isa. Ivii. 5.) and that hereon he endeavours to be like unto him, what shall we have to oppose thereunto? For it is certain that such images are apt to make impressions on the minds of men; partly from the readiness of the senses and imagination to give them admittance into their thoughts; and partly from their natural inclinations unto superstition, their aversation from things spiritual and invisible, with an incli

nation unto things present and visible. Hence among them who are satisfied that they ought not to be adored with any religious veneration, yet some are apt upon the sight of them to entertain a thoughtful reverence, as they would do if they were to enter into a Pagan temple full of idols; and others are continually making approaches towards their use and veneration in paintings, and altars, and such outward postures of worship as are used in the religious service of them. But that they do sensibly affect the minds of men carnal and superstitious, cannot be denied, and as they suppose, it is with a love unto Christ himself. However, certain it is in general, and confessed on all hands, that the beholding of Christ is the most blessed means of exciting all our graces, spiritualizing all our affections, and transforming our minds into his likeness. And if we have not another, and that a more excellent way of beholding him, than they have who behold him, as they suppose, in images and crucifixes, they would seem to have the advantage of us : for their minds will really be affected with somewhat, ours with nothing at all. And by the pretence thereof, they inveigle the carnal affections of men ignorant of the power of the gospel, to become their proselytes. For having lived, it may be, a long time without any the least experience of a sensible impression on their minds, or a transforming power from the representation of Christ in the gospel, upon their very first religious, devout application unto these images, they find their thoughts exercised, their minds affected, and some present change made upon them.

But there was a difference between the person of David, and an image with a bolster of goat's hair, though the one were laid in the room and place of the other. And there is so between Christ and an image, though the one be put into the place of the other. Neither do these things serve unto any other end, but to divert the minds of men from faith and love to Christ; giving them some such satisfactions in the room of them, as that their carnal affections do cleave unto their idols. And indeed it doth belong unto the wisdom of faith, or we stand in need of spiritual light, to discern and judge between the working of natural affections towards spiritual objects, on undue motives, by undue means, with

indirect ends, wherein all papal devotion consists, and the spiritual exercise of grace in those affections duly fixed on spiritual objects.

But as was said, it is a real experience of the efficacy that there is in the spiritual beholding of the glory of Christ by faith as proposed in the gospel, to strengthen, increase, and excite all grace unto its proper exercise, so changing and transforming the soul gradually into his likeness, which must secure us against all those pretences; and so I return from this digression.

Hereby we may understand whether the Lord Christ doth so withdraw himself, as that we do not, as that we cannot, behold the glory by faith in a due manner; which is the thing inquired after. For if we grow weak in our graces, unspiritual in our frames, cold in our affections, or negligent in the exercise of them by holy meditation, it is evident that he is at a great distance from us, so as that we do not behold his glory as we ought. If the weather grow cold, herbs and plants do wither, and the frost begins to bind up the earth, all men grant that the sun is withdrawn, and makes not his wonted approach unto us. And if it be so with our hearts, that they grow cold, frozen, withering, lifeless in and unto spiritual duties, it is certain that the Lord Christ is in some sense withdrawn, and that we do not behold his glory. We retain notions of truth concerning his person, office, and grace; but faith is not in constant exercise, as to real views of him and his glory. For there is nothing more certain in Christian experience than this is, that while we do really by faith behold the glory of Christ, as proposed in the gospel, the glory of his person and office as before described, and so abide in holy thoughts and meditations thereof, especially in our private duties and retirements, all grace will live and thrive in us in some measure, especially love unto his person, and therein unto all that belongs unto him. Let us but put it to the trial, and we shall infallibly find the promised event.

Do any of us find decays in grace prevailing in us; deadness, coldness, lukewarmness, a kind of spiritual stupidity and senselessness coming upon us? Do we find an unreadiness unto the exercise of grace in its proper season, and the vigorous acting of it in duties of communion with God?