table, in the most
superlative degree, in the highest rank that your imaginations can
suppose, and then to persuade you, that you are not deceived with vain
words, or fair promises, but that there is a certain truth, and an
infallible reality in them, that you being ascertained in your souls,
according to the certainty of the thing presented, you may then freely,
without any reserve, give your hearts to love, embrace, and follow them. O
that there might be such a meeting between your hearts and this eternal
Life, that as he hath come near to us, to be suitable to us, your
apprehensions might draw near to be suitable to him, and by this means,
your souls might meet immediately with that Word of life, and have that
constant fellowship with him that is spoken of verse 3! So your joy should
be full,--for joy is but the full peace of the desires. Fill up all the
wants of the heart, and then it is full of joy. And so, when such a
satisfying object is pitched on, as doth exactly correspond, and answer
the inward apprehensions of the mind, then there is no more room in the
heart for any other thing,--as if two superficies were exactly plain and
smooth, they could join so closely together, that no air could come
between them, and then they could hardly be pulled asunder.

We spoke something of the excellency of that "Word of life" in himself,
and it is but little that is said, when all is said, in respect of that
which he truly is. But I fear we speak, and ye hear more of these things,
than either of us lively and affectionately apprehend, or lay up in our
hearts I fear, that as we say less than is, so more than we think, I mean,
seriously think upon. But we shall proceed. Such an everlasting glorious
person, though he have life in himself, though he be never so excellent as
"the Son of God," yet what is that to us? It seems he is never a whit
nearer us, or not more suitable to restore us, than the very Majesty that
we offended. How far is he without our sight, and without our
comprehension? He is high as heaven, who shall ascend to bring down that
eternal Life to us? But stay and consider that he is not only so glorious
in himself, but so gracious to us, he is not only invisible, as God, but
manifested to our senses, as man: not only hath life in himself, but is an
everlasting spring of life to us; not only hath his throne in heaven with
his Father, but hath come down to the world, to bring that eternal life
near us even in our