January 11

Unto thee lift I up wine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.—Psalm exxiii. 1.

This is to walk in the light, amidst a serene, placid, mild light, that infuses no unquiet thoughts, admits no guilty fears, nothing that can disturb or annoy us. To eye God in all our comforts, and observe the smiling aspects of his face, when he dispenses them to us; to eye him in all our afflictions, and consider the paternal wisdom that instructs us in them; how would this increase our mercies, and mitigate our troubles! To eye him in all his creatures, and observe the various prints of the Creator's glory stamped upon them; with how lively a lustre would it clothe the world, and make every thing look with a pleasant face! What a heaven were it to look upon God, as filling all in all, and how sweetly would it, erewhile, raise our souls into some such sweet seraphic strains: Holy, holy,—the whole earth is full of his glory! To eye him in his providences, and consider how all events are with infinite wisdom disposed into an apt subserviency to his holy will and ends; what difficulties would hence be solved! what seeming inconsistencies reconciled! how much would it contribute to the ease and quiet of our minds! To eye him in Christ, the express image of his person, the brightness of his glory; and in the Christian economy, the gospel revelation and ordinances, through which he manifests himself: to behold him in the posture wherein he saves souls, clad with the garments of salvation, girt with power, and apparelled with love, travelling in the greatness of his strength, mighty to save; to view him addressing himself to allure and win to him the hearts of sinners, when he discovers himself in Christ, upon that reconciling design; to behold him entering into human flesh, pitching his tabernacle among men, hanging out his ensigns of peace, laying his trains, spreading his net, the cords of a man, the bands of love: to see him in Christ, ascending the cross, lifted up to draw all men to him; and consider that mighty love of justice and of souls, both so eminently conspicuous in that stupendous sacrifice; here to fix our eyes looking to Jesus, and beholding him whom we have pierced: to see his power and glory, as they were wont to be seen in his sanctuaries; to observe him in the solemnities of his worship, and the graceful postures wherein he holds communion with his saints, when he seats himself amidst them on the throne of grace, receives their addresses, dispenses the pledges and tokens of his love: into what transports might these visions put us every day!

Let us then stir up our drowsy souls, open our heavy eyes, and turn them upon God, inure and habituate them to a constant view of his (yet vailed) face, that we may not see him only by casual glances, but as those that seek his face, and make it our business to gain a thorough knowledge of him. But let us remember, that all our present visions of God must aim at a further conformity to him; they must design imitation, not the satisfying of curiosity: our looking must not therefore be an inquisitive, busy prying into the unrevealed things of God. Carefully abstain from such over-bold presumptuous looks. But remember, we are to eye God as our pattern. Wherein he is to be so, he hath plainly enough revealed and proposed himself to us. And consider this is the pattern, both to which we ought and which we shall be conformed, if we make it our business; so will sense of duty and hope of success concur to fix our eye and keep it steady. Especially let us endeavor to manage and guide our eye aright, in beholding him, that our sight of him may most effectually subserve this design of being like him; and herein nothing will be more conducible, than that our looks be qualified with—reverence, and—love.

Let them be reverential looks. When this is the intimate sense of our soul, Who is a God like unto thee in holiness? there is none holy as the Lord: this will set our powers to work; such sights will command and overawe our souls into conformity to him. Let us greaten our thoughts of God. Let us look to him with a submissive, adoring eye. Let every look import worship and subjection. This will secure holy impressions on the soul.

Let them be looks of love. It is natural to affect and endeavor likeness to them we love. Let love always sit in our eye, and inspirit it; this will represent God always amiable, will infinitely commend to us his nature and attributes, and even ravish us into his likeness. The love of God will make us desire to bear his image in our hearts.