No man shall ever behold the glory of Christ by sight
hereafter, who doth not in some measure behold it by faith here
in this world. Grace is a necessary preparation for glory, and faith for
sight Where the subject (the soul) is not previously seasoned with grace
and faith, it is not capable of glory or vision. Nay, persons not disposed
hereby unto it cannot desire it, whatever they pretend; they only deceive
their own souls in supposing that so they do. Most men will say with confidence,
living and dying, that they desire to be with Christ, and to
behold his glory; but they can give no reason why they should desire
any such thing, - only they think it somewhat that is better than to be
in that evil condition which otherwise they must be cast into for ever,
when they can be here no more. If a man pretend himself to be enamoured
on, or greatly to desire, what he never saw, nor was ever represented unto
him, he doth but dote on his own imaginations. And the pretended desires
of many to behold the glory of Christ in heaven, who have no view of it
by faith whilst they are there in this world are nothing but self-deceiving
imaginations.