Now this doth CLXXXV. II. What is here meant by "feeing GoD as he SERM. "is: we fhall fee him as he is." farther and emphatically exprefs our ledge and enjoyment of GOD. perfect know Not that we 1. Our perfect knowledge of him. are to imagine, that when we come to heaven, our understanding can, or fhall be raised to such a pitch, as to be able perfectly to comprehend the infinite nature and perfections of GoD: for all created understanding being naturally finite, we cannot imagine that it can be ftretched to the comprehenfion of what is infinite, as the divine nature and perfections are. But our knowledge fhall be advanced and raised to fuch degrees of perfection, as a finite and created understanding is capable of. And we may very reasonably conceive, (and indeed the fcripture leads us to it, without and beyond which, it is not safe to speak of these things) I fay, we may reafonably conceive the perfection of this knowledge to confift in thefe three things: in a more immediate, and clear, and certain knowledge of the divine nature and perfections, than we are capable of in this ftate of mortality. (1.) We fhall then have an immediate knowledge of GOD. In this world we see him by the means and help of his word and works; we fee him as he hath manifefted and revealed himself to us in the holy fcriptures, as he hath represented himself to us in the creatures, as the apoftle tells us, Rom. i. 20. "That his eternal power and godhead are clearly "feen by the things that are made." But thus we do not fee GoD immediately and directly; but by a reflexion of his perfections from the works of creation and providence. We fee him by faith at 2 a SERM. a great diftance, which the apoftle calls "feeing 12. Now faith in fcripture is moft frequently op- apo (2.) We shall not only then have an immediate, but a far clearer knowledge of GOD, than we have now in this life, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. "We now fee "him in a glafs darkly, iv aiviyuari, in a riddle," which is an obfcure and involved declaration of a thing. We have now but very dark and confused apprehenfions, and fuch as do not only reprefent him very imperfectly, but many times very falfly to us. While our fouls are muffled in thefe grofs bodies, we are compafs'd about with clouds, which do in a great measure intercept the fight of him: but the light of glory will fcatter all these clouds, "vail fhall then be taken away." The refurrection will refine our bodies to that purity, that they fhall be fit inftruments for our fouls. We fhall have spiritual bodies, as the apoftle tells us, 1 Cor. xv. fo purified from all these dregs which now incumber them, that they fhall be fit to be united to a fpirit, and to act with it; and then "we fhall "with open face behold the glory of GoD," as “the the CLXXXV. the apoftle expreffeth it, 2 Cor. iii. 18. or as it is SERM. here in the text, "we fhall fee him as he is." We fee him now many times" as he is not ;" that is, we are liable to falfe and mistaken conceptions of him: but then "we fhall fee him as he is." The clearness of our knowledge will free us from all error and mistake about him. We are now many times at a lofs, what conceptions to have of GOD; we are hard put to it to reconcile one perfection of GOD with another, and to make them confiftent and agree together. We believe his providence, but we are puzzled many times how to make that accord with his goodness and justice: but in heaven we shall see the harmony of all these, and that it was nothing but our ignorance and darkness, which made us imagine any difcord and difagreement in them. (3.) We fhall then likewise have a certain knowledge of GOD, free from all doubts concerning him. There may be a certainty in faith; but not that high degree of evidence and affurance which is in fight. 'Tis spoken by way of abating the certainty of faith, when it is called "the evidence of things "not feen." Nay, many times the faith of good men is mixed with a great deal of fear and doubt of the contrary. But in the ftate of glory, we fhall not be liable to any of these doubtings and jealoufies, which do so frequently poffefs the best of men in this world. Then "we fhall know, as also we " are known," as the apostle expreffeth it, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. As GOD now knows us, fo fhall we then know him, as to the truth and certainty of our knowledge. Now fuch an immediate, and clear, and certain knowledge of GOD, as hath been defcribed, doth VOL. X. neceffarily E SER M. neceffarily fuppofe a very great elevation of our understandings, above what this state of mortality can bear. We cannot now have a clear and immediate fight of GOD, because the weakness and imperfection of our present ftate will not admit of it. In this life, our understandings are easily over-borne by the luftre and excellency of an object. Hence it was that GOD faid to Mofes, when he fo earnestly defired to see his face," thou canst not fee my face "and live," Exod. xxxiii. 20. So tranfcendent and glorious a fight would quite overwhelm and overcome our faculties; as the light of the fun, if we look ftedfastly and directly upon it, will dazzle and blind the ftrongeft eye. The fight of fo glorious a being as God is, of fo much excellency and happiness, and perfection, as concenter in him, would fill us with joy and wonder, too great for frail mortality to bear: but in the state of glory, the eye of the foul, that is, our understanding faculty fhall be enlarged unto that capacity, and purified to that clearness, and elevated to that ftrength, as to be able to receive and bear fo much of the luftre and glory of the divine nature and perfection, as is confiftent with the finitenefs of a humane understanding, and fuitable to the perfection of a glorified foul; and our understandings fhall then be raised and advanced to fuch a ftrength, that they fhall be fo far from being oppreffed and burdened with the prefence of Gop, and from finking under the weight of his glory, that they fhall be infinitely ravifhed and delighted with it. 2. "To fee GOD as he is," does imply our perfect enjoyment of him. We fhall not only perfectly know him, but we fhall take infinite pleafure in CLXXXV. him, in beholding his glory, in praifing and ad- SERM. miring his goodnefs, in doing his will with all imaginable readiness and chearfulness. I do not pretend to describe to you the particularities of that state, and all the bleffed comforts and enjoyments of it; "it doth not yet appear what we shall be." GoD hath not told us, and none but he, who is the author and fountain of this happiness, can discover it to us. Let it fuffice us, that God hath affured us of it, and hath prepared it for us; and it can be no mean thing which the infinite wifdom, and goodness, and power of GOD hath defigned for the final re ward of those who love him, and of those whom he loves. If we know thus much of it, that it is certain beyond all doubt, and vaft beyond all imagination, we have nothing more to wifh, but that God would fit us for it, and as foon as he pleafeth, bring us to the enjoyment of it. xiii. 12. III. We will confider the fitnefs of this metaphor, to exprefs to us the happiness of our future ftate. And that the fcripture doth very much delight to fet forth to us the bleffedness of heaven, by this metaphor of "seeing," it is evident from the frequent use of it in fcripture, Matth. v. 8. "Bleffed are the pure in heart; for they fhall fee GOD." I Cor. "We fhall fee him face to face." Heb. xii. 14. "Without holiness no man fhall fee the "LORD." And here in the text, "we fhall fee "him as he is." And indeed GOD is pleased, in fcripture, to make fenfible defcriptions of the happinefs and mifery of another world, and by way of accommodation to our understandings, and condefcenfion to the weakness and imperfections of this state, to fet forth heaven and hell to us by fuch things as |