Contrivance Constitution and efficacious Accomplishment of the great Work of our Redemption and Salvation This gives as unto us an unutterable Lustre unto the Native Amiableness of the Divine Excellencies The Wisdom and Love of God are in themselves infinitely Glorious infinitely Amiable nothing can be added unto them there can be no encrease of their essential Glory Howbeit as they are eternally resident in the Divine Nature and absolutely the same with it we cannot so comprehend them as to have an endearing satiating View of their Glory But as they are exerted in the Work of the Redemption and Salvation of the Church as they are expressed communicating their blessed Effects unto the Souls of them that do believe which is done only in Christ so the Beams of their Glory shine unto us with unspeakable Refreshment and Joy 2 Cor. 4. 6. Hence the Apostle on the Consideration of the Actings of the Holy Properties of God in this blessed Work falls into that Contemplation O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out For who hath not known the Mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor or who hath first given unto him and it shall be recompensed unto him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen Rom 11. 33 34 35 36. 2. IN and through Christ we do believe in God 1 Pet. 1. 24. This is the Life of our Souls God himself in the infinite Perfections of his Divine Nature is the ultimate Object of our Faith but he is not here the immediate Object of it but the Divine Way and Means of the Manifestation of himself and them unto us are so Through Christ we believe in God By our Belief in him we come to place our Faith ultimately in God himself and this we can no otherwise do but by beholding the Glory of God in him as hath been declared 3. THIS is the only way whereby we may attain the saving sanctifying Knowledge of God Without this every Beam of Divine Light that shines on us or gleans from without as the Light shineth into Darkness when the Darkness comprehendeth it not Joh. 1. 5. Every Spark that ariseth from the Remainders of the Light of Nature within do rather amaze the Minds of Men than lead them into the saving Knowledge of God So a Glance of Light in a dark Night giving a transient View of various Objects and passing away doth rather amaze than direct a Traveller and leave him more exposed unto wandring than before Such were all those Notions of the Divine Being and its Excellencies which those who boasted themselves to be wise among the Heathen embraced and improved They did but fluctuate in their Minds they did not transform them into the Image and Likeness of God as the saving Knowledge of him doth Col. 3. 10. SO the Apostle expresseth this Truth Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World For after that in the Wisdom of God the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe For the Jews require a sign and the Gentiles seek after Wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling-block and unto the Greeks Foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor 1. 20 21 22 23 24. AFTER it was evident unto all that the World the Wise the Studious the Contemplative Part of it in the Wisdom of God disposing them into that Condition wherein they were left unto themselves in their own Wisdom their Natural Light and Reason did not could not come to the saving Knowledge of God but were pusâ—ed up into a Contempt of the only way of the Revelation of himself as Weakness and Folly it pleased God then to manifest all their Wisdom to be Folly and to establish the only Means of the Knowledge of himself in Christ Jesus CHAP. III. The Glory of Christ in the Mysterious Constitution of his Person THE Second Thing wherein we may behold the Glory of Christ given him of his Father is in the Mysterious Constitution of his Person as he is God and Man in one and the same Person There are in him in his one single individual Person two distinct Natures The one Eternal Infinite Immense Almighty the Form and Essence of God The other having a beginning in Time Finite Limited Confined unto a certain Place which is our Nature which he took on him when he was made Flesh and dwelt among us The Declaration of the Nature of this Glory is a Part of my Discourse of the Person of Christ whereunto I refer the Reader My present Design is of another Nature THIS is that Glory whose Beams are so illustrious as that the blind World cannot bear the Light and Beauty of them Multitudes begin openly to deny this Incarnation of the Son of God this Personal Union of God and Man in their distinct Natures They deny that there is either Glory or Truth in it and it will ere long appear it begins already to evidence it self what greater Multitudes there are who yet do not who yet dare not openly reject the Doctrine of it who in Truth believe it not nor see any Glory in it Howbeit this Glory is the Glory of our Religion the Glory of the Church the sole Rock whereon it is built the only Spring of present Grace and future Glory THIS is that Glory which the Angels themselves desire to behold the Mystery whereof they bow down to look into 1 Pet. 1. 12. So was their Desire represented by the Cherubims in the most holy Place of the Tabernacle for they were a Shadow of the Ministry of Angels in the Church The Ark and Mercy Seat were a Type of Christ in the Discharge of his Office and these Cherubims were made standing over them as being in Heaven above but earnestly looking down upon them in a Posture of Reverence and Adoration So they did of Old and in their present Contemplation of it consists no small part of their Eternal Blessedness HEREON depends the Ruine of Satan and his Kingdom His Sin so far as we can conceive consisted of two Parts 1. His Pride against the Person of the Son of God by whom he was created For by him were all things created that are or were when first created in Heaven whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers Col. 1. 16. Against him he lifted up himself which was the Beginning of his Transgression 2. Envy against Mankind made in the Image of God of the Son of God the First-born This compleated his Sin nothing was now left whereon to act his Pride and Malice Unto his Eternal Confusion and Ruine God in infinite
this mutual Dependency on and Supplies unto one another they all depend on and are influenced from God himself the Eternal Fountain of Being Power and Goodness He hears the Heavens and in the Continuation of this Order by constant Divine Communication of Being Goodness and Power unto all Things God is no less glorified than in the first Creation of them Act. 14. 15 16 17. Chap. 17. 24 25 26 27 28 29. 5. THIS Glory of God is visible in the Matter of it and is obvious unto the Reason of Mankind for from his Works of Creation and Providence they may learn his Eternal Power and Godhead wherein he is essentially glorious 6. BUT by this divine Communication God did not intend only to glorifie himself in the essential Properties of his Nature but his Existence also in Three Persons of Father Son and Spirit For although the whole Creation in its first framing and in its Perfection was and is by an Emanation of Power and Goodness from the Divine Nature in the Person of the Father as he is the Fountain of the Trinity whence he is said peculiarly to be the Creator of all things yet the immediate Operation in the Creation was from the Son the Power and Wisdom of the Father Joh. 1. 1 2 3. Col. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 3. And as upon the first Production of the Mass of the Creation it was under the especial care of the Spirit of God to preserve and cherish it unto the production of all distinct sorts of Creatures Gen. 1. 2. So in the Continuance of the whole there is an especial Operation of the same Spirit in all things Nothing can subsist one Moment by vertue of the Dependance which all things have on one another without a continual Emanation of Power from him see Psal. 104. 29 30. BY these divine Communications in the production and preservation of the Creature doth God manifest his Glory and by them alone in the way of Nature he doth so and without them although he would have been for ever essentially glorious yet was it impossible that his Glory should be known unto any but himself Wherefore on these divine Communications doth depend the whole Maninifestation of the Glory of God But this is far more eminent though not in the outward Effects of it so visible in the new Creation as we shall see 1. ALL Goodness Grace Life Light Mercy and Power which are the Springs and Causes of the New Creation are all originally in God in the divine Nature and that infinitely and essentially In them is God eternally or essentially glorious and the whole Design of the New Creation was to manifest his Glory in them by external Communications of them and from them 2. THE first Communication of and from these things is made unto Christ as the Head of the Church For in the first place it pleased God that in him should all the fulness of these things dwell so as that the whole New Creation might consist in him Col. 1. 17 18 19. And this was the first Egress of divine Wisdom for the Manifestation of the Glory of God in these holy Properties of his Nature For 3. THIS Communication was made unto him as a Repository and Treasury of all that Goodness Grace Life Light Power and Mercy which were necessary for the Constitution and Preservation of the New Creation They were to be laid up in him to be hid in him to dwell in him and from him to be communicated unto the whole Mystical Body designed unto him that is the Church And this is the first Emanation of divine Power and Wisdom for the Manifestation of his Glory in the New Creation This Constitution of Christ as the Head of it and the Treasuring up in him all that was necessary for its Production and Preservation wherein the Church is chosen and preordained in him unto Grace and Glory is the Spring and Fountain of divine Glory in the Communications that ensue thereon 4. THIS Communication unto Christ is 1. Unto his Person and then 2. With respect unto this Office It is in the Person of Christ that all Fulness doth originally dwell On the Assumption of human Nature into personal Union with the Son of God all Fulness dwells in him bodily Col. 2. 9. And thereon receiving the Spirit in all Fulness and not by Measure all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge were hid in him Col. 2. 3. and he was filled with the unsearchable Riches of Divine Grace Ephes. 3. 8 9 10 11. And the Office of Christ is nothing but the way appointed in the Wisdom of God for the Communication of the Treasures of Grece which were communicated unto his Person This is the end of the whole Office of Christ in all the parts of it as he is a Priest a Prophet and a King They are I say nothing but the Ways appointed by infinite Wisdom for the Communication of the Grace laid up in his Person unto the Church The transcendent Glory hereof we have in some weak measure enquired into 5. THE Decree of Election prepared if I may so say the Mass of the New Creation In the oldâ— Creation God first prepared and created the Mass or Matter of the whole which afterwards by the Power of the holy Spirit was formed into all the distinct Beings whereof the whole Creation was to consist and animated according to their distinct Kinds AND in order unto the Production and Perfecting of the Work of the new Creation God did from Eternity in the holy purpose of his Will prepare and in design set apart unto himself that Portion of Mankind whereof it was to consist Hereby they were only the peculiar Matter that was to be wrought upon by the Holy Ghost and the glorious Fabrick of the Church erected out of it What was said it may be of the Natural Body by the Psalmist is true of the Mystical Body of Christ which is principally intended Psal. 139. 15 16. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them The substance of the Church whereof it was to be formed was under the Eye of God as proposed in the Decree of Election yet was it as such imperfect It was not formed or shaped into Members of the Mystical Body But they were all written in the Book of Life And in pursuance of the Purpose of God there they are by the holy Spirit in the whole course and continuance of time in their several Generations fashioned into the Shape designed for them 6. THIS therefore is herein the glorious Order of divine Communications From the infinite eternal Spring of Widsom Grace Goodness and Love in the Father all the Effects whereof unto his end were treasured up in the Person and
Mediation of the Son the holy Spirit unto whom the actual Application of them is committed communicates Life Light Power Grace and Mercy unto all that are designed parts of the New Creation Hereon doth God glorifie both the essential Properties of his Nature his infinite Wisdom Power Goodness and Grace as the only eternal Spring of all these things and also his ineffable glorious Existence in three Persons by the Order of the Communication of these things unto the Church which are originally from his Nature And herein is the glorious Truth of the Blessed Trinity which by some is opposed by some neglected by most looked on as that which is so much above them as that it doth not belong unto them made precious unto them that believe and becomes the Foundation of their Faith and Hope In a View of the glorious Order of those divine Communications we are in a steady Contemplation of the ineffable Glory of the Existence of the Nature of God in the Three distinct Persons of Father Son and Holy Ghost 7. ACCORDING unto this Divine Order the Elect in all Ages are by the holy Spirit moving and acting on that Mass of the New Creation formed and animated with spiritual Life Light Grace and Power unto the Glory of God They are not called accidentally according unto the external Occasions and Causes of their Conversion unto God but in every Age at his own Time and Season the holy Spirit communicates these things unto them in the Order declared unto the Glory of God 8. AND in the same manner is the whole New Creation preserved every Day every moment there is vital Power and Strength Mercy and Grace communicated in this Divine Order to all Believers in the World There is a continual Influence from the Fountain from the Head into all the Members whereby they all consist in him are acted by him who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and the Apostle declares that the whole Constitution of Church-order is suited as an external Instrument to promote these Divine Communications unto all the Members of the Church it self Eph. 4. 13 14 15 16. THIS in general is the Order of Divine Communications which is for the Substance of it continued in Heaven and shall be so unto Eternity For God is and ever will be all and in all But at present it is invisible unto Eyes of Flesh yea the Reason of Men. Hence it is by the most despised they see no Glory in it But let us consider the Prayer of the Apostle that it may be otherwise with us Ephes. 1. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. For the Revelation made of the Glory of God in the old Creation is exceeding inferior to that which he makes of himself in the New HAVING premised these things in general concerning the Glory of Divine Communications I shall proceed to declare in particular the Grounds and Way whereby the Lord Christ communicates himself and therewithal all the Benefits of his Mediation unto them that do believe as it was before proposed WE on our part are said herein to receive him and that by Faith John 1. 11 12. Now where he is received by us he must be tendred given granted or communicated unto us And this he is by some divine Acts of the Father and some of his own THE Foundation of the whole is laid in a Soveraign Act of the Will the Pleasure the Grace of the Father And this is the Order and Method of all divine Operations in the Way and Work of Grace They originally proceed all from him and having effected their Ends do return rest and center in him again see Ephes. 1. 4 5 6. Wherefore that Christ is made ours that he is communicated unto us is originally from the free Act Grant and Donation of the Father 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 15 16 17. And hereunto sundry things do concur As 1. His Eternal Purpose which he purposed in himself to glorifie his Grace in all his Elect by this Communication of Christ and the Benefits of his Mediation unto them which the Apostle declares at large Ephes. 1. 2. His granting all the Elect unto Christ to be his own so to do and suffer for them what was antecedaneously necessary unto the actual Communication of himself unto them Thine they were and thou gavest them to me Joh. 17. 3. The giving of the Promise or the Constitution of the Rule and Law of the Gospel whereby a participation of Christ an Interest in him and all that he is is made over and assured unto Believers Joh. 1. 12. 1 Joh. 1. 1 2 3 4. 4. An Act of Almighty Power working and creating Faith in the Souls of the Elect enabling them to receive Christ so exhibited and communicated unto them by the Gospel Ephes. 1. 19 20. Chap. 2. 5 6 7 8. THESE things which I have but named have an Influence into the Glory of Christ herein For this Communication of him unto the Church is an effect of the eternal Counsel Wisdom Grace and Power of the Father BUT they are the Acts of Christ himself herein which principally we enquire into as those which manifest the Glory of his Wisdom Love and Condescention AND 1. He gives and communicates unto them his holy Spirit the holy Spirit as peculiarly his as granted unto him of the Father as inhabiting in him in all fulness This Spirit abiding originally as to his Person and immeasurably as unto his Effects and Operations in himself he gives unto all Believers to inhabit and abide in them also Joh. 14. 14. 20. 1 Cor. 6. 16 17. Rom. 8. 8. Hence follows an ineffable Vnion between him and them For as in his Incarnation he took our Nature into personal Union with his own so herein he takes our Persons into a Mystical Vnion with himself Hereby he becomes ours and we are his AND herein is he unspeakably glorious For this Mystery of the Inhabitation of the same Spirit in him as the Head and the Church as his Body animating the whole is a transcendent Effect of Divine Wisdom There is nothing of this Nature in the whole Creation besides no such Union no such mutual Communication The strictest Unions and Relations in Nature are but Shadows of it Ephes. 5. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. Herein also is the Lord Christ precious unto them that do believe but a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence unto the Disobedient This glorious ineffable Effect of his Wisdom and Grace this rare peculiar singular Way of the Communication of himself unto the Church is by many despised They know it may be some of them what it is to be joyned unto an Harlot so as to become one Flesh but what it is to be joyned unto the Lord so as to become one Spirit they know not But this Principle and Spring of the spiritual Life of the Church and of all vital spiritual Motions towards God and Things
by these means they obtained were the life of the Church of Old 2. IT was represented in the Mystical Account which is given us of his Communion with his Church in Love and Grace As this is intimated in many places of Scripture so there is one entire Book designed unto its Declaration This is the Divine Song of Solomon who was a Type of Christ and a Penman of the Holy Ghost therein A Gracious Record it is of the Divine Communications of Christ in Love and Grace unto his Church with their returns of love unto him and delight in him And then may a man judge himself to have somewhat profited in the experience of the Mystery of a blessed entercourse and communion with Christ when the expressions of them in that holy Dialogue do give Light and Life unto his mind and efficaciously communicate unto him an experience of their power But because these things are little understood by many the book it self is much neglected if not despised Yea to such impudence have some arrived in foaming out their own shame as that they have ridiculed the expressions of it but we are foretold of such mockers in the last days that should walk after their own ungodly lusts they are not of our present consideration THE former Instance of the Representations of the Glory of Christ in their Institutions of outward Worship with this Record of the inward communion they had with Christ in Grace Faith and Love gives us the Substance of that view which they had of his Glory What holy strains of Delight and Admiration what Raptures of Joy what solemn and divine Complacency what ardency of Affection and Diligence in Attendance unto the means of enjoying communion with him this discovery of the Glory of Christ wrought in the souls of them that did believe is Emphatically expressed in that discourse A few days a few hours spent in the frame characterised in it is a Blessedness excelling all the treasures of the Earth and if we whose Revelations of the same Glory do far exceed theirs should be found to come short of them in Ardency of Affection unto Christ and continual holy Admiration of his excellencies we shall one day be judged unworthy to have received them 3. IT was so represented and made known under the Old Testament in his personal Appearances on various occacasions unto several Eminent Persons Leaders of the Church in their Generations This he did as a Praeludium to his Incarnation He was as yet God only but appeared in the assumed shape of a man to signifie what he would be He did not create an Human Nature and unite it unto himself for such a Season only by his Divine Power he acted the Shape of a Man composed of what Aetherial Substance he pleased immediately to be dissolved So he appeared to Abraham to Jacob to Moses to Joshua and others as I have at large elsewhere proved and confirmed And hereon also because he was the Divine Person who dwelt in and dealt with the Church under the Old Testament from first to last in so doing he constantly assumes unto himself Human Affections to intimate that a season would come when he would immediately act in that Nature And indeed after the fall there is nothing spoken of God in the Old Testament nothing of his Institutions nothing of the way and manner of dealing with the Church but what hath respect unto the future Incarnation of Christ. And it had been absurd to bring in God under perpetual Anthropopathis as grieving repenting being angry well-pleased and the like were it not but that the Divine Person intended was to take on him the Nature wherein such Affections do dwell 4. IT was represented in Prophetical Visions So the Apostle affirms that the Vision which Isaiah had of him was when he saw his Glory John 12. 41. And it was a blessed Representation thereof For his Divine Person being exalted on a Throne of Glory his Train filled the Temple The whole Train of his Glorious Grace filled the Temple of his body This is the true Tabernacle which God pitched and not man The Temple which was destroy'd and which he raised again in three days wherein dwelt the fulness of the Godhead Col. 1. 9. This Glory was now presented unto the view of Isaiah Chap. 6. 1 2 3. which filled him with Dread and Astonishment But from thence he was relieved by an act of the Ministry of that Glorious one taking away his Iniquity by a coal from the Altar which typified the purifying efficacy of his Sacrifice This was food for the Souls of Believers in these and on the like occasions did the whole Church lift up their voice in that Holy Cry Make hast our Beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young Hart on the Mountain of Spices OF the same Nature was his Glorious Appearance on Mount Sinai at the giving of the Law Exod. 19. For the description thereof by the Psalmist Psal. 68. 17 18. is applyed by the Apostle unto the Ascension of Christ after his Resurrection Ephes. 4. 8 9 10 11. Only as it was then full of outward Terror because of the giving of the fiery Law it was referred unto by the Psalmist as full of Mercy with respect unto his Accomplishment of the same Law His giving of it was as Death unto them concerned because of its Holiness and the severity of the the Curse wherewith it was attended his fulfilling of it was Life by the Pardon and Righteousness which issued from thence 5. THE Doctrine of his Incarnation whereby he became the Subject of all that Glory which we enquire after was revealed although not so clearly as by the Gospel after the actual accomplishment of the thing it self In how many places this is done in the Old Testament I have elsewhere declared at least I have explained and vindicated many of them for no man can presume to know them all Vindic. Evangel One instance therefore shall here suffice and this is that of the same Prophet Isaiah chap. 9. v. 6 7. Vnto us a child is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be on his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and Justice from henceforth and for ever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this This one Testimony is sufficient to confound all Jews Socinians and other Enemies of the Glory of Christ. I do acknowledge that not-notwithstanding this Declaration of the Glory of Christ in his future Incarnation and Rule there remained much darkness in the minds of them unto whom it was then made For although they might and did acquiesce in the truth of the Revelation yet they could frame to themselves no notions of the
me to see thee tho but as through the Windows Alas what distress do we oftentimes sit down in after these views of Christ and his Glory But he proceeds further yet and flourishes himself through the lattesses This displaying of the glory of Christ called the flourishing 〈◊〉 himself is by the promises of the Gospel as they are explained in the ministry of the word In them are represented unto us the desirable beauties and glories of Christ how precious how amiable is he as represented in them How are the Souls of Believers ravished with the views of them Yet is this discovery of him also but as through a Lattess We see him but by parts unsteadily and unevenly SUCH I say is the sight of the glory of Christ which we have in this world by Faith It is dark it is but in part It is but weak transient imperfect partial It is but little that we can at any time discover of it it is but a little while that we can abide in the contemplation of â—hat we do discover rara hora brevis mora Sometimes it is unto us as the Sun when it is under a Cloud we cannot perceive it When he hideth his face who then can behold him As Job speaks so may we Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannoâ— perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him chap. 23 8 9. Which way soever we turn our selves and what duties soever we apply our selves unto we can obtain no distinct view of his glory Yet on the other hand it is sometimes as the Sun when it shines in its brightness and we cannot bear the rays of it In infinite condescention he says unto his Church Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me Cant. 6. 5. As if he could not bear that overcoming affectionate love which looks through the eyes of the Church in its acting of Faith on him Ah! How much more do we find our souls overcome with his love when at any he is pleased to make any clear discoveries of his glory unto us LET us now on the other hand take a little Consideration of that Vision which we shall have of the same Glory in Heaven that we may compare them together VISION or the sight which we shall have of the glory of Christ in Heaven is immediate direct intuitive and therefore steady even and constant And it is so on a double Account 1. Of the Object which shall be proposed unto us 2. Of the Visivé Power or faculty wherewith we shall be endued from the imperfection of both which in this World ariseth the imperfection of our view of the glory of Christ by faith as hath been declared 1. THE Object of it will be real and substantial Christ himself in his own person with all his glory shall be continually with us before us proposed unto us We shall no longer have an Image a Representation of him such as is the delineation of his Glory in the Gospel We shall see him saith the Apostle face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. which he opposeth unto our seeing him darkly as in a glass which is the utmost that faith can attain to We shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3. 2 not as now in an imperfect description of him As a man sees his neighbour when they stand and converse together face to face So shall we see the Lord Christ in his glory and not as Moses who had only a transient sight of some parts of the Glory of God when he caused it to pass by him THERE will be use herein of our bodily eyes as shall be declared For as Job says in our Flesh shall we see our Redeemer and our eyes shall behold him Chap. 19. 25 26 27. That corporeal sence shall not be restored unto us and that glorified above what we can conceive but for this great use of the eternal beholding of Christ and his Glory Unto whom it is not a matter of rejoycing that with the same eyes wherewith they see the tokens and signs of him in the Sacrament of the Supper they shall behold himself immediately in his own person But principally as we shall see immediately this vision is intellectual It is not therefore the meer Human Nature of Christ that is the object of it but his Divine Person as that nature subsisteth therein What is that perfection which we shall have for that which is perfect must come and do away that which is in part in the comprehension of the hypostatical Vnion I understand not but this I know that in the immediate beholding of the Person of Christ we shall see a glory in it a thousand times above what here we can conceive The excellencies of Infinite Wisdom Love and Power therein will be continually before us And all the glories of the Person of Christ which we have before weakly and faintly enquired into will be in our sight for evermore HENCE the ground and cause of our Blessedness is that we shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 17. As himself prays that we may be with him where he is to behold his glory Here we have some dark views of it we cannot perfectly behold it until we are with him where he is Thereon our sight of him will be direct intuitive and constant THERE is a glory there will be so subjectively in us in the beholding of this glory of Christ which is at present incomprehensible For it doth not yet appear what we our selves shall be 1 John 3. 2. Who can declare what a glory it will be in us to behold this Glory of Christ And how excellent then is that glory of Christ it self THIS immediate sight of Christ is that which all the Saints of God in this life do breath and pant after Hence are they willing to be dissolved or desire to depart that they may be with Christ which is best for them Phil. 1. 23. They chuse to be absent from the body and present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. Or that they may enjoy the inexpressibly longed for sight of Christ in his glory Those who do not so long for it whose souls and minds are not frequently visited with earnest desires after it unto whom the thoughts of it are not their relief in Trouble and their chiefest Joy are carnal blind and cannot see afar off He that is truly spiritual entertains and refresheth himself with thoughts hereof continually 2. IT will be so from that Visive Power or faculty of beholding the Glory of Christ which we shall then receive Without this we cannot see him as he is When he was transfigured in the Mount and had on his Human Nature some reflections of his Divine Glory his Disciples that were with him were rather amazed than refreshed by it Mat. 17. 4. They saw his glory but spake thereon
of the Ocean filled with Cold and Darkness and to place him under the Beams of the Sun For he is no way meet to receive any Refreshment thereby Heaven it self would not be more advantagious unto Persons not renewed by the Spirit of Grace in this Life HENCE the Apostle gives thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. 12. Indeed the Beginning here and the Fulness of Glory hereafter are communicated unto Believers by an Almighty Act of the Will and Grace of God But yet he hath ordained Ways and Means whereby they may be made meet receptive Subjects of the Glory so to be communicated unto them That this Way and Means is by the beholding of the Glory of Christ by Faith shall be fully declared in our Progress This therefore should excite us unto this Duty for all our present Glory consists in our Preparation for future Glory 2. NO Man can by Faith take a real View of this Glory but Vertue will proceed from it in a transforming Power to change him into the same Image 2 Cor. 3. 18. How this is done and how we become like unto Christ by beholding his Glory shall be fully declared in our Progress 3. THE constant Contemplation of the Glory of Christ will give Rest Satisfaction and Complacency unto the Souls of them who are exercised therein Our Minds are apt to be filled with a Multitude of perplexed Thoughts Fears Cares Dangers Distresses Passions and Lusts do make various Impressions on the Minds of Men filling them with Disorder Darkness and Confusion But where the Soul is fixed in its Thoughts and Contemplations on this glorious Object it will be brought into and kept in an Holy Serene Spiritual Frame For to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace And this it doth by taking off our Hearts from all undue Regard unto all things below in comparison of the great Worth Beauty and Glory of what we are conversant withal See Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. A Defect herein makes many of us Strangers unto an Heavenly Life and to live beneath the Spiritual Refreshments and Satisfactions that the Gospel doth tender unto us 4. THE Sight of the Glory of Christ is the Spring and Cause of our Everlasting Blessedness We shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 17. Or be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 23. For there shall we behold his Glory Joh. 17. 24. and by seeing him as he is we shall be made like him 1 Joh. 3. 2. which is our Everlasting Blessedness THE Enjoyment of God by Sight is commonly called the Beatifical Vision and it is the sole Fountain of all the Actings of our Souls in the State of Blessedness which the old Philosophers knew nothing of neither do we know distinctly what they are or what is this Sight of God Howbeit this we know that God in his Immense Essence is invisible unto our Corporeal Eyes and will be so to Eternity as also incomprehensible unto our Minds For nothing can perfectly comprehend that which is Infinite but what is it self Infinite Wherefore the Blessed and Blessing Sight which we shall have of God will be always in the Face of Jesus Christ. Therein will that Manifestation of the Glory of God in his Infinite Perfections and all their blessed Operations so shine into our Souls as shall immediately fill us with Peace Rest and Glory THESE things we here admire but cannot comprehend We know not well what we say when we speak of them yet is there in True Belivers a Fore-sight and Fore-taste of this Glorious Condition There enters sometimes by the Word and Spirit into their hearts such a sense of the uncreated Glory of God shining forth in Christ as Affects and Satiates their Souls with ineffable Joy Hence ariseth that Peace of God which is above all vnderstanding keeping our Hearts and Minds through Jesus Christ. Phil. 4. 7. Christ in Believers the Hope of Glory gives them to taste of the First-fruits of it yea sometimes to bath their Souls in the Fountain of Life and to drink of the Rivers of Pleasure that are at his Right hand Where any are utterly unacquainted with these things they are Carnal yea Blind and seeing nothing afar off These Enjoyments indeed are rare and for the most part of short Continuance Rara hora brevis mora But it is from our own Sloth and Darkness that we do not enjoy more Visits of this Grace and that the Dawnings of Glory do not more shine on our Souls Such things as these may excite us to Diligence in the Duty proposed unto us AND I shall enquire 1. What is that Glory of Christ which we do or may behold by Faith 2. How do we behold it 3. Wherein our doing so differs from immediate Vision in Heaven And in the whole we shall endeavour an Answer unto the Enquiry made unto the Spouse by the Daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved thou fairest among Women What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved that thou dost so charge us CHAP. II. The Glory of the Person of Christ as the only Representative of God unto the Church THE Glory of Christ is the Glory of the Person of Christ. So he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 17. 28. That Glory which is mine belongeth to me unto my Person THE Person of Christ may be considered two ways 1. Absolutely in it self 2. In the Susception and Discharge of his Office with what ensued thereon His Glory on these distinct Accounts is distinct and different but all equally his own How in both respects we may behold it by Faith is that which we enquire into THE first thing wherein we may behold the Glory of the Person of Christ God and Man which was given him of his Father consists in the Representation of the Nature of God and of the Divine Person of the Father unto the Church in him For we behold the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Otherwise we know it not we see it not we see nothing of it that is the way of seeing and knowing God declared in the Scripture as our Duty and Blessedness The Glory of God comprehends both the Holy Properties of his Nature and the Counsels of his Will and the Light of the Knowledge of these things we have only in the Face or Person of Jesus Christ. Whatever obscure imperfect Notions we may have of them otherways we cannot have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Light of the Illuminating iradiating Knowledge of the Glory of God which may enlighten our Minds and sactifie our Hearts but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Face or Person of Jesus Christ for he is the Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4. The Brightness of the Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1. 2. The Image of the
invisible God Col. 1. 1◠I do here only mention these things because I have handled them at large in my Discourse of the Mistery of 〈◊〉 or the Person of Christ whereunto I refer the Readers for their full Declaration and Vindication Herein is he glorious in that he is the great Representative of the Nature of God and his Will unto us which without him would have been eternally hid from us or been invisible unto us we should never have seen God at any time here nor hereafter Joh. 1. 18. IN his Divine Person absolutely considered he is the Essential Image of God even the Father He is in the Father and the Father in him in the Unity of the same Divine Essence Joh. 14. 10. Now he is with the Father John 1. 1. In the Distinction of his Person so is he his Essential Image Col. 1. 15. Heb. 1. ◠In his Incarnation he becomes the Representative Image of God unto the Church 2 Cor. 4. 6. without whom our Understandings can make no such Approach unto the Divine Excellencies but that God continues to be unto us what he is in himself the Invisible God In the Face of Jesus Christ we see his Glory THIS is the Original Glory of Christ given him by his Father and which by Faith we may behold He and he alone declares represents and makes known unto Angels and Men the Essential Glory of the Invisible God his Attributes and his Will without which a perpetual comparative Darkness would have been on the whole Creation especially that part of it here below THIS is the Foundation of our Religion the Rock whereon the Church is built the Ground of all our Hopes of Salvation of Life and Immortality All is resolved into this namely the Representation that is made of the Nature and Will of God in the Person and Office of Christ If this fail us we are lost for ever if this Rock stand firm the Church is safe here and shall be triumphant hereafter HEREIN then is the Lord Christ exceedingly glorious Those who cannot beheld this Glory of his by Faith namely as he is the great Divine Ordinance to represent God unto us they know him not In their Worship of him they worship but an Image of their own devising YEA in the Ignorance and Neglect hereof consists the formal Nature of Vnbelief even that which is inevitably ruinous unto the Souls of Men. He that discerns not the Representation of the Glory of God in the Person of Christ unto the Souls of Men is an Unbeliever Such was the State of the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles of old They did not they would not they could not behold the Glory of God in him nor how he did represent him That this was both the Cause and the Formal Nature of their Unbelief the Apostle declares at large 1 Cor. 1. 21 22 23 24 25. Not to see the Wisdom of God and the Power of God and consequently all the other holy Properties of his Nature in Christ is to be an Unbeliever THE Essence of Faith consists in a due Ascription of Glory to God Rom. 4. 20. This we cannot attain unto without the Manifestation of those Divine Excellencies unto us wherein he is Glorious This is done in Christ alone so as that we may glorifie God in a saving and acceptable Manner He who discerns not the Glory of Divine Wisdom Power Goodness Love and Grace in the Person and Office of Christ with the way of the Salvation of Sinners by him is an Unbeliever HENCE the great Design of the Devil in the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospel was to blind the Eyes of Men and fill their Minds with Prejudices that they might not behold this Glory of his So the Apostle gives an Account of his Success in this Design 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them By various Ways and Methods of Deceit to secure the Reputation he had got of being God of this World by Pretences and Appearances of supernatural Power and Wisdom he laboured to blind the Eyes of Men with Prejudices against that glorious Light of the Gospel which proposed the Lord Christ as the only Image of God This Blindness this Darkness is cured in them that believe by the mighty Power of God For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath irradiated our Hearts with the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ v. 6. wherein true saving Faith doth consist Under this Darkness perished the unbelieving World of Jews and Gentiles and such is the present Condition of all by whom the Divine Person of Christ is denied for no mere Creature can ever make a perfect Representation of God unto us But we must a little further enquire into this Mystery SINCE Men fell from God by sin it is no small part of their Misery and Punishment that they are covered with thick Darkness and Ignorance of the Nature of God They know him not they have not seen him at any time Hence is that Promise to the Church in Christ Isa. 60. 1 2. For behold the Darkness shall cover the Earth and gross Darkness the People but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his Glory shall be seen upon thee THE Antient Philosophers made great Enquiries into and obtained many Notions of the Divine Being its Existence and Excellencies And these Notions they adorned with great Elegancy of Speech to allure others unto the Admiration of them Hereon they boasted themselves to be the only Wise Men in the World Rom. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they boasted that they were the Wise But we must abide in the Judgment of the Apostles concerning them in their Enquiries He assures us that the World in its Wisdom that is these wise Men in it by their Wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. And he calls the Authors of their best Notions Atheists or Men without God in the Word Ephes. 2. 12. For 1. THEY had no certain Guide Rule nor Light which being attended unto might lead them infallibly into the Knowledge of the Divine Nature All they had of this Kind was their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Reasonings or Imaginations whereby they commenced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Disputers of the World but in them they maxed vain and their foolish Heart was darkned Rom. 1. 21. They did at best but endeavour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feel after God as Men do in the Dark after what they cannot clearly discern Acts 17. 27. Among others Cicero's Book De Natura Deorum gives us an exact Account of the Intention of the Apostle in that Expression And it is at this Day not Want of Wit but Hatred of the Mysteries
of our Religion which makes so many prone to forgo all Supernatural Revelation and to betake themselves unto a Religion declared as they suppose by Reason and the Light of Nature like Bats and Owls who being not able to bear the Light of the Sun betake themselves unto the Twi-light to the Dawnings of Light and Darkness 2. WHATEVER they did attain as unto rational Notions about things invisible and incomprehensible yet could they never deliver themselves from such Principles and Practises in Idolatry and all manner of flagitious Sins as that they could be of any Benefit unto them This is so effectually demonstrated by the Apostle in the First Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans as that we need not to insist upon it MEN may talk what they please of a Light within them or of the Power of Reason to conduct them unto that Knowledge of God whereby they may live unto him But if they had nothing else if they did not boast themselves of that Light which hath its Foundation and Original in Divine Revelation alone they would not excel them who in the best Management of their own Reasonings knew not God but waxed vain in their Imaginations WITH respect unto this Vniversal Darkness that is Ignorance of God with horrid Confusion accompanying it in the Minds of Men Christ is called and is the Light of Men the Light of the World because in and by him alone this Darkness is dispelled as he is the Son of Righteousness 2. THIS Darkness in the Minds of Men this Ignorance of God his Nature and his Will was the Original of all Evil unto the World and yet continues so to be For 1. HEREON did Satan erect his Kingdom and Throne obtaining in his Design until he bare himself as the God of this World and was so esteemed by the most He exalted himself by Vertue of this Darkness as he is the Prince of Darkness into the Place and Room of God as the Object of the Religious Worship of Men. For the things which the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed unto Devils and not to God 1 Cor. 10. 21. Levit. 17. 7. Chap. 32. 17. Psal. 108. 27. Gal. 3. 8. This is the Territory of Satan yea the Power and Scepter of his Kingdom in the Minds of the Children of Disobedience Hereby he maintains his Dominion unto this Day in many and great Nations and with individual persons innumerable 2. THIS is the spring of all wickedness and confusion among men themselves Hence arose that flood of Abominations in the Old World which God took away with a Flood of Desolation Hence were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah which he revenged with fire from Heaven In brief All the Rage Blood Confusion Desolations Cruelties Oppressions Villanies which the World hath been and is filled withal whereby the souls of men have been and are flouded into eternal destruction have all arisen from this corrupt Fountain of the Ignorance of God 3. OF such as those described we are the Posterity and Off-spring Our Fore-fathers in this Nation were given up unto as brutish a service of the Devil as any Nation under the Sun It is therefore an effect of infinite mercy that the day hath dawned on us poor Gentiles and that the day-spring from on high hath visited us See the glory of this Grace expressed Ephes. 3. 5 6 7 8 9 10. God might have left us to perish in the blindness and ignorance of our Fore-fathers but of his own accord and by his own powerful Grace alone he hath translated us out of darkness into his marvellous light But alas the horrible ingratitude of men for the glorious light of the Gospel and the abuse of it will issue in a fore revenge GOD was known under the Old Testament by the Revelation of his Word and the Institution of his Worship This was the glory and priviledge of Israel as the Psalmist declares Psal. 147. 19 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel He hath not dealâ— so with any Nation The Church then knew him yet so as that they had an apprehension that he dwelt in thick darkness where they could not have any clear views of him Exod. 20. 21. Deut. 5. 22. 1 Kings 8. 12. 2 Chron. 6. 1. And the Reason why God so represented himself in darkness unto them was to instruct them in their imperfect state wherein they could not comprehend that glory which should afterwards be revealed For as he is now made known in Christ we see that he is light and in him there is no darkness at all 4. HITHERTOâ— darkness in general covered the Earth and gross darkness the people as unto the knowledge of God only there was a twilight in the Church The day did not yet dawn the shadows did not flee away nor the day-star shine in the hearts of men But when the Son of Righteousness did arise in his strength and beauty when the Son of God appeared in the flesh and in the discharge of his Office God himself as unto his Being and manner of Existence in three distinct persons with all the glorious properties of the Divine Nature were illustriously manifested unto them that did believe and the light of the knowledge of them dispelled all the shadows that were in the Church and shone into the darkness which was in the world so as that none continued ignorant of God but those who would not see See Job 1. 5 14 17 18. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. HEREIN is the Lord Christ glorious And this is that which I shall now speak unto namely How we may behold the glory of Christ in the Representation and Revelation that is made of God and his glory in his Person and Office unto all that do believe For it is not so much the declaration of the nature of the things themselves wherein the glory of Christ doth consist as our way and duty in the beholding of them which at present is designed HE calls unto us saying Behold me look unto me and be saved Isa. 45. 2. What is it that we see in Christ What do we behold in him He asketh that Question concerning his Church What will ye see in the Shulamite Whereto he answers as it were the company of two armies Cant. 6. 13. or the Two Churches of the Old and New Testament in order and beauty We may enquire What shall we what do we see in him Do we see him as the Image of the invisible God representing him his Nature Properties and Will unto us Do we see him as the Character the express Image of the Person of the Father so as that we have no need of Philip's Request Lord shew us the Father because having seen him we have seen the Father also John 14. 9. THIS is our first saving view of Christ the first instance of our beholding his glory by faith So to see him as to see God in him is to behold his glory for herein
and Divine Ways of its manifestation those who know not Christ know nothing of them and many things in Providence do interpose to hinder our view of this Love for although that indeed God is Love yet his wrath is revealed from Heaven against the ungodliness of Men As all things at this day are filled with Evidences of his anger and displeasure How then shall we know wherein shall we behold the Glory of God in this that he is Love The Apostle declares it in the next words ver 9. Herein was manifest the love of God towards us because God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him This is the only Evidence given us that God is Love Hereby alone is the Divine Nature as such made known unto us namely in the Mission Person and Office of the Son of God Without this all is in Darkness as unto the true Nature and supream Operation of this Divine Love HEREIN do we behold the Glory of Christ himself even in this life This Glory was given him of the Father Namely That he now should declare and evidence that God is Love and he did so that in all things he might have the Preheminence Herein we may see how Excellent how Beautiful how Glorious and Desirable he is seeing in him alone we have a due Representation of God as he is Love which is the most joyful Sight of God that any Creature can obtain He who beholds not the Glory of Christ herein is utterly ignorant of those Heavenly Mysteries he knoweth neither God nor Christ he hath neither the Father nor the Son He knows not God because he knows not the holy Properties of his Nature in the Principal way designed by infinite Wisdom for their Manifestation he knows not Christ because he sees not the Glory of God in him Wherefore whatever Notions Men may have from the Light of Nature or from the Works of Providence that there is Love in God however they may adorn them in elegant affecting Expressions Yet from them no Man can know that God is Love In the Revelation hereof Christ hath the Preeminence nor caâ— any Man comprehend any thing of it aright but in him It is that which the whole Light of the Creation cannot discover for it is the Spring and Center of the Mystery of Godliness THESE things are of the deep things of God such as belong unto that Wisdom of God in a Mystery which they that are Carnal cannot receive as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the meanest Believer who lives in the Exercise of Faith may have an Understanding of them so far as is needful unto his Love and Obedience The Sum of the whole is this if you would behold the Glory of Christ as the great Means of your Sanctification and Consolation as the only Preparation for the beholding of his Glory in Eternal Blessedness Consider what of God is made known and represented unto you in him wherein God purposed and designed to glorifie himself in him Now this is all that may be known of God in a saving manner especially his Wisdom his Love his Goodness Grace and Mercy whereon the Life of our Souls doth depend And the Lord Christ being appointed the only Way and Means hereof how exceeding glorious must he be in the Eyes of them that do believe THESE things being promised I shall close this first Consideration of that Glory of Christ which we behold by Faith in this World with some such Observations as may excite us unto the Practise of this great Duty and Improvement of this great Priviledge the greatest which on this side Heaven we can be made Partakers of THERE are some who regard not these things at all but rather despise them They never entertain any serious thoughts of obtaining a View of the Glory of God in Christ which is to be Unbelievers They look on him as a Teacher that came forth from God to reveal his Will and to teach us his Worship and so indeed he was But this they say was the sole use of his Person in Religion which is Mahumetism The Manifestation of all the holy Properties of the Divine Nature with the Representation of them unto Angels above and the Church in this World as he is the Image of the incisible God in the Constitution of his Person and the Discharge of his Office are things they regard not yea they despise and scorn what is professed concerning them for Pride and Contempt of others were always the safest Covert of Ignorance otherwise it would seem strange that Men should openly boast of their own Blindness But these Conceptions of Mens Minds are influenced by that Unbelief of his Divine Person which maketh havock of Christianity at this Day in the World I speak of them whose minds are better disposed towards heavenly things and unto them I say Wherefore do you love Jesus Christ for so you profess to do Wherefore do you trust in him Wherefore do you honour him Wherefore do you desire to be in Heaven with him Can you give a reason of this hope that is in you An account why you do all or any of these things If you cannot all that you pretend towards him is but fancy and imagination you fight uncertainly as men beating the air or is one of your reasons hereof That in him you do by Faith behold that glory of God with the Holy Properties of his Nature and their Principal Operations in order unto your own Salvation and Blessedness which otherwise would have been eternally hid from you Hereon is he precious unto them that do believe LET us therefore as many as are spiritual be thus minded Let us make use of this Priviledge with rejoycing and be found in the discharge of this Duty with diligence For thus to behold the glory of Christ is both our priviledge and our duty The duties of the Law were a burthen and a yoke but those of the Gospel are Priviledges and Advantages IT is a Promise concerning the days of the New Testament that our eyes shall see the King in his beauty Isa. 33 17. We shall behold the Glory of Christ in its Lustre and Excellency What is this Beauty of the King of Saints Is it not that God is in him and he is the great representative of his Glory unto us Wherefore in the contemplation of this Glory consists the principal exercise of Faith And who can declare the Glory of this Priviledge That we who are born in Darkness and deserved to be cast out into utter Darkness should be translated into this marvellous Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. WHAT are all the stained Glories the fading Beauties of this World Of all that the Devil shewed our Saviour from the Mount What are they in comparison of one View of the Glory of God represented in Christ and of the Glory of Christ as his great Representative
Wisdom unites both the Natures he had sinned against in the one Person of the Son who was the first Object of his Pride and Malice Hereby his Destruction is attended with Everâ—â—sting Shame in the Discovery of his Folly wherein he would have contended with infinite Wisdom as well as Misery by the Powers of the two Natures united in one Person HERE lies the Foundation of the Church The Foundation of the whole Old Creation was laid in an Act of absolute Soveraign Power Hereby God hanged the Earth upon nothing But the Foundation of the Church is on this Mysterious immoveable Rock Thou art Christ the Son of the living God on the most intimate Conjunction of the two Natures the Divine and Humane in themselves infinitely distant in the same Person WE may name one place wherein it is gloriously represented unto us Isa. 9. 6. For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be on his Shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Here must the whole Church fall down and worship the Author of this wonderful Contrivance and captivating their Understandings unto the Obedience of Faith humbly adore what they cannot comprehend THIS was obscurly represented unto the Church of old Exo. 3. 2 3 4 5 6. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a Flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the Bush burned with Fire and the Bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great Sight why the Bush is not burnt And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the Bush and said Moses Moses and he said here am I. And he said draw not nigh hither â—ut of thy Shooes from off thy Feet for the Place whereon thou standest is holy Ground Moreover he said I am the God of â—hy Fathers the God of Abraham c. THIS Fire was a Type or Declaration of the Presence of God in the Person of the Son For with respect unto the Father he is called an Angel the Angel of the Covenant but absolutely in himself he was Jehovah the God of Abraham c. And of his Presence the Fire was a proper Representation For in his Nature he is as a Consuming Fire and his present Work was the Delivery of â—he Church out of a Fiery Tryal This Fâ—â—e placed it self in a Bush where it burned but the Bush was not consumed And although the Continuance of the Fire in the Bush was but for a short season a present Appearance yet thence was God said to dwell in the Bush The good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Deut. 33. 16. And this is so spoken because the being of the Fire in the Bush for a season was a Type of him in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily and that for ever Col. 2. 9. Of him who was made flesh and dwelt among us Joh. 1. 14. The Eternal Fire of the Divine Nature dwells in the Bush of our frail Nature yet is not consumed thereby God thus dwells in this Bush with all his Good will towards Sinners MOSES looked on this sight as a marvellous and wondrous thing And if it were so in the Type what is it in the Truth Substance and Reality of it AND by Direction given unto him to put off his shooes we are taught to cast away all fleshly Imaginations and carnal Affections that by pure Acts of Faith we may behold this Glory the Glory of the only begotten of the Father I DESIGN not here to insist on the Explication or Confirmation of this glorious Truth concerning the constitution of the Person of Christ in and by his Incarnation What I can comprehend what I do believe concerning it I have fully declared in a large peculiar Treatise Here I take the Truth it self as known or as it may be thence learned My present Business is only to stir up the Minds of Believers unto a due Contemplation of the Glory of Christ in the sacred Mysterious Constitution of his Person as God and Man in one So much as we abide herein so much do we live by the Faith of the Son of God and God can by a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation open the Eyes of our Understandings that we may behold this Glory unto our ineffable Consolation and Joy And unto the diligent Discharge of our Duty herein I shall offer the ensuing Directions 1. LET us get it fixed on our Souls and in our Minds that this Glory of Christ in the Divine Constitution of his Person is the best the most noble useful beneficial Object that we can be conversant about in our Thoughts or or cleave unto in our Affections What are all other things in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ In the Judgment of the great Apostle they are but Loss and Dung Phil. 3. 8 9 10. So they were to him and if they are not so to us we are carnal WHAT is the World and what are the things thereof which most men spend their Thoughts about and fix their Affections on The Psalmist gives his Judgment about them in comparison of a View of this Glory of Christ Psal. 4. 6. Many say who will shew us any good Who will give and help us to attain so much in and of this World as will give Rest and Satisfaction unto our Minds That is the good enquired after But saith he Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon us The Light of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus is that satisfactory Good alone which I desire and seek after THE Scripture reproacheth the Vanity and Folly of the Minds of Men in that they spend their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which profiteth not They ingage the Vigor of their Spirits about perishing things when they have durable Substance and Riches proposed unto them HOW do Men for the most part exercise their Minds What are they conversant about in their Thoughts SOME by them make provision for the flesh to fulfil it in the Lusts thereof as Rom. 13. 14. They search about continually in their Thoughts for Objects suited unto their Lusts and carnal Affections coyning framing and stamping of them in their Imaginations They fix their Eyes with delight on Toads and Serpents with all noisome filthy Objects refusing in the mean time to behold the Beauty and Glory of the Light of the Sun So is it with all that spend their Thoughts about the Objects of their sinful Pleasures refusing to look up after one view of this Glory of Christ. SOME keep their Thoughts in continual Exercise about the Things of this World as unto the Advantages and Emoluments which they expect from them Hereby are they transformed into the Image of the World becoming earthly carnal
Mediator and the Discharge thereof IN our beholding of the Glory of Christ herein doth the Exercise of Faith in this Life principally consist so the Apostle declares it Phil. 3. 8 9 10 11 12. Yea doubtless and I count all things loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. To know him and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings and to be made conformable unto his Death This therefore we must treat of somewhat more at large THERE is one God saith the Apostle and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. In that great difference between God and Man occasioned by our Sin and Apostacy from him which of it self could issue in nothing but the utter Ruine of the whole Race of Mankind there was none in Heaven or Earth in their Original Nature and Operations who was meet or able to make up a Righteous Peace between them Yet must this be done by a Mediator or cease for ever THIS Mediator could not be God himself absolutely considered for a Mediator is not of one but God is one Gal. 3. 20. Whatever God might do herein in a way of Sovereign Grace yet he could not do it in the way of Mediation which yet was necessary unto his own Glory as we have at large discoursed elsewhere AND as for Creatures there was none in Heaven or Earth that was meet to undertake this Office For if one Man sin against another the Judge shall judge herein but if a Man sin against the Lord who shall entreat for him 1 Sam. 2. 25. There is not any days-man betwixt us to lay his hand upon us both Job 9. 33. IN this State of Things the Lord Christ as the Son of God said Lo I come to do thy Will O God sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me and Lo I come to do thy Will Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. By the Assumption of our Nature into Union with himself in his one Divine Person he became every way meet for the Discharge of this Office and undertakes it accordingly THAT which we enquire after at present is the Glory of Christ herein and how we may behold that Glory And there are three things wherein we may take a prospect of it 1. IN his Susception of this Office 2. In his Discharge of it 3. In the Event and Consequence thereof or what ensued thereon IN the Susception of this Office we may behold the Glory of Christ. 1. In his Condescention 2. In his Love 1. WE may behold his Glory in his Infinite Condescention to take this Office on him and our Nature to be his own unto that end It did not befall him by Lot or Chance it was not imposed on him against his Will it belonged not unto him by any Necessity of Nature or Condition he stood not in need of it it was no addition unto him but of his own Mind and Accord he graciously condescended unto the Susception and Discharge of it So the Apostle expresseth it Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took on himself the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient 〈◊〉 death even the death of the Cross. IT was the Mind that was in Jesus Christ which is proposed unto our Consideration and Imitation What he was enclined and disposed unto from himself and his own mind alor◠And that in general which is ascribed unto him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Self emptiness he emptied himself This the Ancient Church called his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we do his Condescention an Act of which 〈◊〉 God is called 〈◊〉 humbling of himself Psal. 113. 6. WHEREFORE the Susception of our Nature for the Discharge of the Office of Mediation therein was an Infinite Condescention in the Son of God wherein he is exceedingly Glorious in the Eyes of Believers AND I shall do these three Things 1. Shew in general the Greatness of this Condescention 2. Declare the Especial Nature of it And 3. Take what view we are able of the Glory of Christ therein 1. SUCH is the transcendent Excellency of the Divine Nature that it is said of God that he dwelleth on high and humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in the Earth Psal. 113. 5 6. He condescends from the Prerogative of his Excellency to behold to look upon to take notice of the most glorious Things in Heaven above and the greatest Things in the Earth below All his Respect unto the Creatures the most glorious of them is an Act of Infinite Condescention And it is so on Two Accounts 1. BECAUSE of the Infinite Distance that is between his Essence Nature or Being and that of the Creatures Hence all Nations before him are as the Drop of a Bucket and are counted as the small Dust of the Ballance yea that they are as nothing that they are accounted unto him less than nothing and vanity All Being is essentially in him and in comparison thereunto all other things are as nothing And there are no Measures there is no Proportion between infinite being and nothing Nothing that should induce a Regard from the one unto the other Wherefore the Infinite Essential Greatness of the Nature of God with its Infinite Distance from the Nature of all Creatures thereby causeth all his Dealings with them to be in the way of Condescention or humbling himself So it is expressed Isa. 57. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty one who inhabiteth Eternity I dwell in the high and holy Place with him also who is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones He is so the high and losty one and so inhabiteth Eternity or existeth in his own Eternal Being that it is an Act of mere Grace in him to take notice of things below and therefore he doth it in an especial manner of those whom the World doth most despise 2. IT ariseth from his Infinite Self-Sufficiency unto all the Acts and Ends of his own Eternal Blessedness What we have a Regard unto what we respect and desire it is that it may add unto our Satisfaction So it is so it must be with every Creature no Creature is self-ufficient unto its own Blessedness The humane Nature of Christ himself in Heaven is not so it lives in God and God in it in a full dependance on God and in receiving blessed and glorious Communications from him No rational Creature Angel or Man can do think act any thing but it is all to add to their Perfection and Satisfaction they are not Self-ufficient God alone wants
nothing stands in need of nothing nothing can be added unto him seeing he giveth unto all Life and Breath and all things Act. 17. 25. The whole Creation in all its Excellency cannot contribute one Mite unto the Satisfaction or Blessedness of God He hath it all in Infinite Perfection from himself and his own Nature our Goodness extends not unto him A Man cannot profit God as he may profit his Neighbour If thou sinnest what dost thou against him and if thy Transgressions are multiplied what dost thou unto him God loseth nothing of his own Self-â—ufficiency and Blessedness therein by all this and if thou be righteous what givest thou unto him or what receiveth he at thy hand Job 35. 6 7 8. And from hence also it follows that all Gods concernment in the Creation is by an Act of Condescention HOW glorious then is the Condescention of the Son of God in his Susception of the Office of Mediation For if such be the Perfection of the Divine Nature and its distance so absolutely Infinite from the whole Creation and if such be his Self sufficiency unto his own Eternal Blessedness as that nothing can be taken from him nothing added unto him so that every Regard in him unto any of the Creatures is an Act of Self-umiliation and Condescention from the Prerogative of his Being and State what Heart can conceive what Tongue can express the Glory of that Condescention in the Son of God whereby he took our Nature upon him took it to be his own in order unto a discharge of the Office of Mediation on our Behalf BUT that we may the better behold the Glory of Christ herein we may briefly consider the Especial Nature of this Condescention and wherein it doth consist BUT whereas not only the Denial but Misapprehensions hereof have pestered the Church of God in all Ages we must in the first place reject them and then declare the Truth 1. THIS Condescention of the Son of God did not consist in a laying aside or parting with or separation from the Divine Nature so as that he should cease to be God by being Man The Foundation of it lay in this that he was in the form of God and counted it not robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. v. 6. That is being really and essentially God in his Divine Nature he professed himself therein to be equal with God or the Person of the Father He was in the Form of God that is he was God participant of the Divine Nature for God hath no Form but that of his Essence and Being and hence he was equal with God in Authority Dignity and Power Because he was in the Form of God he must be equal with God for there is Order in the Divine Persons but no Inequality in the Divine Being So the Jews understood him that when he said God was his Father he made himself equal with God For in his so saying he ascribed unto himself equal Power with the Father as unto all Divine Operations My Father saith he worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5. 17 18. And they by whom his Divine Nature is denied do cast this Condescention of Christ quite out of our Religion as that which hath no Reality or Substance in it But we shall speak of them afterwards BEING in this state it is said that he took on him the form of a servant and was found in fashion as a Man ver 7. This is his Condescention It is not said that he ceased to be in the Form of God but continuing so to be he took on him the form of a Servant in our Nature He became what he was not but he ceased not to be what he was so he testifieth of himself Joh. 3. 13. No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven Although he was then on Earth as the Son of Man yet he ceased not to be God thereby in his Divine Nature he was then also in Heaven HE who is God can no more be not God than he who is not God can be God And our difference with the Socinians herein is we believe that Christ being God was made Man for our Sakes they say that being only a Man he was made a God for his own sake THIS then is the foundation of the Glory of Christ in this Condescention the Life and Soul of all heavenly Truth and Mysteries namely that the Son of God becoming in time to be what he was not the Son of Man ceased not thereby to be what he was even the Eternal Son of God Wherefore 2. MUCH less did this Condescention consist in the Conversion of the Divine Natura into the Humane which was the Imagination of some of the Arians of old and we have yet to my own knowledg some that follow them in the same Dotage They say that the Word which was in the Beginning by which all things were made being in it self an Effect of the Divine Will and Power was in the fulness of time turned into Flesh that is the Substance of it was so as the Water in the Miracle wrought by our Saviour was turned into Wine for by an Act of the Divine Power of Christ it ceased to be Water substantially and was Wine only not Water mixed with Wine So these Men suppose a Substantial Change of the one Nature into the other of the divine Nature into the humane like what the Papists imagine in their Trasubstantiation So they say God was made Man his Effence being turned into that of a Man BUT this no way belongs unto the Condescention of Christ. We may call it Ichabod it hath no Glory in it It destroys both his Natures and leaves him a Person in whom we are not concerned For according unto this Imagination that Divine Nature wherein he was in the Form of God did in its own Form cease to be yea was utterly destroyed as being substantially changed into the Nature of Man as the Water did cease to be when it was turned into Wine and that humane Nature which was made thereof hath no Alliance or Kindred unto us or our Nature seeing it was not made of a Woman but of the Substance of the Word 3. THERE was not in this Condescention the least Change or Alteration in the Divine Nature Eutiches and those that followed him of old conceived that the two Natures of Christ the Divine and Humane were mixed and compounded as it were into one And this could not be without an Alteration in the divine Nature for it would be made to be essentially what it was not for one Nature hath but one and the same Essence BUT as we said before altho the Lord Christ himself in his Person was made to be what he was not before in that our Nature hereby was made to be his yet his Divine Nature was not so There is in it neither variableness nor shadow of turning It
abode the same in him in all its Essential Properties Actings and Blessedness as it was from Eternity It neither did acted nor suffered any thing but what is proper unto the Divine Being The Lord Christ did and suffered many things in Life and Death in his own Person by his Human Nature wherein the Divine neither did nor suffered any thing at all although in the doing of them his Person be denominated from the Nature so God purchased his Church with his own Blood Act. 20. 28. 4. IT may then be said what did the Lord Christ in this Condescention with respect unto his Divine Nature The Apostle tells us that he humbled himself and made himself of no reputation Phil. 2. 7 8. He vailed the Glory of his Divine Nature in ours and what he did therein so as that there was no outward Appearance or Manifestation of it The World hereon was so far from looking on him as the true God that it believed him not to be a good Man Hence they could never bear the least intimation of his Divine Nature supposing themselves secured from any such thing because they looked on him with their Eyes to be a Man as he was indeed no less truly and really than any one of themselves Wherefore on that Testimony given of himself Before Abraham was I am which asserts a Pre-existence from Eternity in another Nature than what they saw they were filled with Rage and took up stones to cast at him John 8. 58. And they give a Reason of their Madness Joh. 10. 33. Namely that he being a Man should make himself to be God This was such a thing they thought as could never enter into the Heart of a wise and sober Man namely that being so owning himself to be such he should yet say of himself that he was God This is that which no Reason can comprehend which nothing in Nature can parallel or illustrate that one and the same Person should be both God and Man and this is the Principal Plea of the Socinians at this Day who through the Mahumetans succeed unto the Jews in an Opposition unto the Divine Nature of Christ. BUT all this difficulty is solved by the Glory of Christ in this Condescention for although in himself or his own Divine Person he was over all God blessed for over yet he humbled himself for the Salvation of the Church unto the Eternal Glory of God to take our Nature upon him and to be made Man and those who cannot see a Divine Glory in his so doing do neither know him nor love him nor believe in him nor do any way belong unto him SO is it with the Men of these Abominations Because they cannot behold the Glory hereof they deny the Foundation of our Religion namely the Divine Person of Christ. Seeing he would be made Man he shall be esteemed by them no more than a Man So do they reject that Glory of God his Infinite Wisdom Goodness and Grace wherein he is more concerned than in the whole Creation And they dig up the Root of all Evangelical Truths which are nothing but Branches from it IT is true and must be confessed that herein it is that our Lord Jesus Christ is a stumbing Stone and a Rock of Offence unto the World It we should confess him only as a Prophet a Man sent by God there would not be much Contest about him nor Opposition unto him The Mahumetans do all acknowledge it and the Jews would not long deny it for their Hatred against him was and is solely because he professed himself to be God and as such was believed oâ— in the World And at this day partly through the Insinuation of the Socinians and partly from the Efficacy of their own Blindness and Unbelief Multitudes are willing to grant him to be a Prophet sent of God who do not who will not who cannot believe the Mystery of this Condescention in the Susception of our Nature nor see the Glory of it But take this away and all our Religion is taken away with it Farewel Christianity as unto the Mystery the Glory the Truth the Efficacy of it let a refined Heathenism be established in its Room But this is the Rock on which the Church is built against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail 4. THIS Condescention of Christ was not by a Phantasm or an Appearance only One of the first Heresies that pestered the Church immediately after the Days of the Apostles was this that all that was done or suffered by Christ as a Man were not the Acts Doings or Sufferings of one that was truly and really a Man but an outward Representation of things like the Appearance of Angels in the Shape of Men eating and drinking under the Old Testament and suitably hereunto some in our Days have spoken namely that there was only an Appearance of Christ in the Man Jesus at Jerusalem in whom he suffered no more than in other Believers But the ancient Christians told those Men the Truth namely that as they had feigned unto themselves an imaginary Christ so they should have an imaginary Salvation only BUT the true Nature of this Divine Condescention doth consist in these three Things 1. THAT the Eternal Person of the Son of God or the Divine Nature in the Person of the Son of God did by an ineffable Act of his Divine Power and Love assume our Nature into an individual Subsistence in or with himself that is to be his own even as the Divine Nature is his This is the infallible Foundation of Faith even to them who can comprehend very little of these Divine Mysteries They can and do believe that the Son of God did take our Nature to be his own so as that whatever was done therein was done by him as it is with every other Man Every Man hath human Nature appropriated unto himself by an Individual Subsistence whereby he becomes to be that man which he is and not another or that Nature which is common unto all becomes in him to be peculiarly his own as if there were none Partaker of it but himself Adam in his first Creation when all human Nature was in him alone was no more that individual Man which he was than every Man is now the Man that he is by his Individual Subsistence So the Lord Christ taking that Nature which is common unto all into a peculiar Subsistence in his own Person it becometh his and He the man Christ Jesus This was the Mind that was in him 2. BY reason of this Assumption of our Nature with his doing and suffering therein whereby he was found in fashion as a Man the Glory of his Divine Person was vailed and he made himself of no reputation This also belongs unto his Condescention as the first general Effect and Fruit of it But we have spoken of it before 3. IT is also to be observed That in the Assumption of our Nature to be his own He did
not change it into a thing Divine and Spiritual but preserved it entire in all its Essential Properties and Actings Hence it really did and suffered was tried tempted and forsaken as the same Nature in any other Man might do and be That Nature as it was peculiarly his and therefore he or his Person therein was exposed unto all the temporary Evils which the same Nature is subject unto in any other Person THIS is a short general View of this incomprehensible Condescention of the Son of God as it is described by the Apostle Pil. 2. 5 6 7 8. And this is that wherein in an especial manner we are to behold the Glory of Christ by Faith whilst we are in this World BUT had we the Tongue of Men and Angles we were not able in just measure to express the Glory of this Condescention For it is the most ineffable Effect of the Divine Wisdom of the Father and of the Love of the Son the highest Evidence of the Care of God towards Mankind What can be equal unto it What can be like it It is the Glory of Christian Religion and the animating Soul of all Evangelical Truth This carryeth the Mystery of the Wisdom of God above the Reason or Understanding of Men and Angels to be the Object of Faith and Admiration only A Mystery it is that becomes the Greatness of God with his Infinite Distance form the whole Creation which renders it unbecoming him that all his Ways and Works should be comprehensible by any of his Creatures Job 11. 4 5 9. Rom. 11. 34 35 36. HE who was eternally in the Form of God that is was essentially so God by Nature equally participant of the same Divine Nature with God the Father God over all blessed for ever who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth he takes on him the Nature of Man takes it to be his own whereby he was no less truly a Man in time than he was truly God from Eternity And to encrease the Wonder of this Mystery because it was necessary unto the end the designed he so humbled himself in this Assumption of our Nature as to make himself of no Reputation in this World yea unto that Degree that he said of himself that he was a Worm and no Man in comparison of them who were of any Esteem WE speak of these things in a poor low broken manner We teach them as they are revealed in the Scripture We labour by Faith to adhere unto them as revealed But when we come into a steady direct View and Consideration of the thing it self our Minds fail our Hearts tremble and we can find no rest but in an Holy Admiration of what we cannot comprehend Here we are at a loss and know that we shall be so whilst we are in this World But all the ineffable Fruits and Benefits of this Truth are communicated unto them that do believe IT is with reference hereunto that that great Promise concerning him is given unto the Church Isa. 8. 14. He shall be for a Sanctuary namely unto all that believe as it is expounded 1 Pet. 2. 8. but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them that stumble at the Word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed HE is herein a Sanctuary an assured Refuge unto all that betake themselves unto him What is it that any Man in distress who flies thereunto may look for in a Sanctuary A Supply of all his Wants a Deliverance from all his Fears a Defence against all his Dangers is proposed unto him therein Such is the Lord Christ herein unto sin-distressed Souls he is a Refuge unto us in all spiritual Distresses and Disconsolations Heb. 6. 18. See the Exposition of the Place Are we or any of us burdened with a Sense of Sin Are we perplexed with Temptations Are we bowed down under the Oppression of any Spiritual Adversary Do we on any of these accounts walk in Darkness and have no Light One View of the Glory of Christ herein is able to support us and relieve us UNTO whom we betake our selves for Relief in any case we have regard to nothing but their Will and their Power If they have both we are sure of Relief And what shall we fear in the Will of Christ as unto this end What will he not do for us He who thus emptied and humbled himself who so infinitely condescended from the Prerogative of his Glory in his Being and Self-sufficiency in the Susception of our Nature for the Discharge of the Office of a Mediator on our Behalf will he not relieve us in all our Distresses Will he not do all for us we stand in need of that we may be eternally saved Will he not be a Sanctuary unto us NOR have we hereon any Ground to fear his Power For by this infinite Condescention to be a suffering Man he lost nothing of his Power as God Omnipotent nothing of his Infinite Wisdom or glorious Grace He could still do all that he could do as God from Eternity If there be any thing therefore in a Coalescency of Infinite Power with Infinite Condescention to constitute a Sanctuary for distressed Sinners it is all in Christ Jesus And if we see him not glorious herein it is because there is no Light of Faith in us THIS then is the Rest wherewith we may cause the weary to rest and this is the Refreshment Herein is he an hiding place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest as Rivers of Water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Hereon he says I have satiated the weary soul and have refreshed every sorrowful soul. Under this Consideration it is that in all Evangelical Promises and Invitations for coming to him he is proposed unto distressed Sinners as their only Sanctuary HEREIN he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence unto the unbelieving and disobedient who stumble at the Word They cannot they will not see the Glory of this Condescention they neither desire nor labour so to do yea they hate it and despise it Christ in it is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence unto them Wherefore they chuse rather utterly to deny his Divine Person than allow that he did thus abase himself for our Sakes Rather than they will own this Glory they will allow him no Glory A Man they say he was and no more and this was his Glory This is that Principle of Darkness and Unbelief which works effectually at this day in the Minds of many They think it an absurd thing as the Jews did of old that he being a man should be God also or on the other hand that the Son of God should thus condescend to take our Nature on him This they can see no Glory in no Relief no Refuge no Refreshment unto their souls in any of their Distresses Therefore do they deny his Divine
Father into Execution and wrought out the Accomplishment of it was the Love of the Son which we enquire after and Light may be given unto it in the ensuing Observations 1. THE whole Number or Society of the Elect were Creatures made in the Image of God and thereby in a State of Love with him All that they were had or hoped for were effects of Divine Goodness and Love And the Life of their Souls was Love unto God And a blessed State it was preparatory for the Eternal Life of Love in Heaven 2. FROM this State they fell by sin into a state of Enmity with God which is comprehensive of all Miseries Temporal and Eternal 3. NOTWITHSTANDING this woful Catastrophe of our first state yet our Nature on many Accounts was recoverable unto the Enjoyment of God as I have at large elsewhere declared 4. IN this Condition the first Act of Love in Christ towards us was in Pity and Compassion A Creature made in the Image of God and fallen into Misery yet capable of Recovery is the proper Object of Divine Compassion That which is so celebrated in the Scripture as the Bowels the Pity the Compassion of God is the acting of Divine Love towards us on the consideration of our Distress and Misery But all Compassion ceaseth towards them whose condition is irrecoverable Wherefore the Lord Christ pitied not the Angels that fell because their Nature was not to be relieved Of this Compassion in Christ see Heb. 2. 14 15 16. Isa. 63. 9. 5. AS then we lay under the Eye of Christ in our Misery we were the Objects of his Pity and Compassion But as he looketh on us as recoverahle out of that state his Love worketh in and by Delight It was an inconceivable Delight unto him to take a prospect of the deliverance of mankind unto the Glory of God which is also an act of Love see this divinely expressed Prov. 8. 30 31 as that place hath been elsewhere explained 6. IF it be enquired whence this compassion and delight in him should arise what should be the cause of them that he who was eternally blessed in his own self-sufficiency should so deeply concern himself in our lost forlorn Condition I say it did so merely from the Infinite Love and Goodness of his own Nature without the least procuring inducement from us or any thing in us 1 Pet. 3. 16. 7. IN this his Readiness Willingness and Delight springing from Love and Compassion the council of God concerning the way of our Recovery is as it were proposed unto him Now this was a way of great difficulties and perplexities unto himself that is unto his Person as it was to be constituted Unto the Divine Nature nothing is grievous nothing is difficult But he was to have another Nature wherein he was to undergo the difficulties of this way and work It was required of him that he should pity us until he had none left to pity himself when he stood in need of it that he should pursue his delight to save us until his own soul was heavy and sorrowful unto death that he should relieve us in our sufferings by suffering the same things that we should have done But he was not in the least hereby deterred from undertaking this work of Love and Mercy for us Yea his love rose on this Proposal like the Waters of a mighty Stream against opposition For hereon he says Lo I come to â—o thy will O God it is my delight to do it Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Isa. 50. 4 5 6 7. 8. BEING thus enclined disposed and ready in the Eternal Love of his Divine Person to undertake the Office of Mediation and the work of our Redemption A body was prepared for him In this Body or Human Nature made his own he was to make this Love effectual in all its Inclinations and Actings It was provided for him unto this end and filled with all Grace in a way unmeasurable especially with Fervent Love unto Mankind And hereby it became a meet Instrument to actuate his Eternal Love in all the fruits of it 9. IT is hence evident that this Glorious Love of Christ doth not consist alone in the Eternal Actings of his divine Person or the Divine Nature in his Person such indeed is the Love of the Father namely his Eternal Purpose for the communication of Grace and Glory with his Acquiescency therein but there is more in the Love of Christ. For when he exercised this Love he was man also and not God only And in none of those Eternal Acts of Love could the Human Nature of Christ have any interest or concern yet is the Love of the Man Christ Jesus celebrated in the Scripture 10. WHEREFORE this Love of Christ which we enquire after is the Love of his Person that is which he in his own Person acts in and by his Distinct Natures according unto their Distinct Essential Properties And the acts of love in these distinct Natures are infinitely distinct and different yet are they all acts of one and the same Person So then whether that Act of Love in Christ which we would at any time consider be an Eternal Act of the Divine Nature in the Person of the Son of God or whether it be an act of the Human performed in time by the Gracious Faculties and Powers of that Nature it is still the Love of one and the self same Person Christ Jesus It was an Act of inexpressible Love in him that he assumed our Nature Heb. 2. 14 17. But it was an act in and of his Divine Nature only For it was antecedent unto the existence of his Human Nature which could not therefore concur therein His laying down his life for us was an act of inconceivable Love 1 John 8. 16. Yet was it only an act of the Human Nature wherein he offered himself and died But both the one and the other were Acts of his Divine Person whence it is said that God laid down his life for us and purchased the Church with his own Blood THIS is that Love of Christ wherein he is glorious and wherein we are by Faith to behold his Glory A great part of the Blessedness of the Saints in Heaven and their Triumph therein consists in their beholding of this Glory of Christ in their thankful contemplation of the Fruits of it see Rev. 5. 9 10. c. THE illustrious Brightness wherewith this Glory shines in Heaven the All satisfying Sweetness which the view of it gives unto the Souls of the Saints there Possessed of Glory are not by us conceivable nor to be expressed Here this love passeth knowledge there we shall comprehend the Dimensions of it Yet even here if we are not slothful and carnal we may have a refreshing prospect of it and where Comprehension failâ— let Admiration take place MY present Business is to exhort others unto the Contemplation of it though it be but a little a very little a small portion
Person And when those who behelâ— him here as a poor sorrowful persecuted Man dying on the Cross câ—me to 〈…〉 in all the infinite increated Glories of the Divine Nature manifesting themselves in his Person it could not but fill their Souls with Transcendent Joy and Admiration And this is one reason of his Prayer for them whilst he was on the Earth that they might be where he is to behold his Glory For he knew what ineffable Satisfaction it would be unto them for evermore 3. I do not understand absolutely the Glorification of the Human Nature of Christ That very Soul and Body wherein he lived and died suffered and rose again tho that also be included herein This also were a Subject meet for our Contemplation especially as it is the Exemplar of that Glory which he will bring all those unto who believe in him But because at present we look somewhat further I shall observe only one or two things concerning it 1. THAT very Nature it self which he took on him in this World is exalted into Glory Some under a Pretence of great Subtilty and Acuracy do deny that he hath either Flesh or Blood in Heaven that is as to the Substance of them however you may suppose that they are changed purified glorified The great Foundation of the Church and all Gospel Faith is that he was made Flesh that he did partake of Flesh and Blood even as did the Children That he hath forsaken that Flesh and Blood which he was made in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin wherein he lived and died which he offered unto God in Sacrifice and wherein he rose from the Dead is a Socinian Fiction What is the true Nature of the Glorification of the Humanity of Christ neither those who thus surmise nor we can perfectly comprehend It doth not yet appear what we our selves shall be much less is it evident unto us what he is whom we shall be like But that he is still in the same Human Nature wherein he was on the earth that he hath the same rational Soul and the same Body is a fundamental Article of the Christian Faith 2. THIS Nature of the Man Christ Jesus is filled with all the Divine Graces and Perfections whereof a limited created Nature is capable It is not Deified it is not made a God it doth not in Heaven coalesce into one Nature with the Divine by a Composition of them It hath not any Essential Property of the Deity communicated unto it so as subjectively to reside in it It is not made Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent But it is exalted in a Fulness of all Divine Perfection ineffably above the Glory of Angels and Men. It is incomprehensibly nearer God than they all hath Communications from God in glorious Light Love and Power ineffably above them all But it is still a Creature FOR the Substance of this Glory of the Human Nature of Christ Believers shall be made Partakers of it for when we see him as he is we shall be like him but as unto the Degrees and Measures of it his Glory is above all that we can be made Partakers of There is one Glory of the Sun another of the Moon and Stars and one Star differeth from another in Glory As the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 15. 45. And if there be a difference in Glory among the Stars themselves as to some degrees of the same Glory How much more is there between the Glory of the Sun and that of any Star whatever Such is the difference that is and will be unto Eternity between the Human Nature of Christ and what glorified Believers do attain unto But yet this is not that properly wherein the Glory of Christ in his Exaltation after his humiliation and Death doth consist The Things that belong unto it may be reduced unto the ensuing Heads 1. IT consisteth in the Exaltation of the Human Nature as subsisting in the Divine Person above the whole Creation of God in Power Dignity Authority and Rule with all things that the Wisdom of God hath appointed to render the Glory of it illustrious I have so largely insisted on the Explication and Confirmation of this Part of the present Glory of Christ in the Exposition of Heb. 1. ver 2 3. that I have nothing more to add thereunto 2. IT doth so in the Evidence given of the Infinite Love of God the Father unto him and his delight in him with the Eternal Approbation of his Discharge of the Office committed unto him Hence he is said to sit at the right hand of God or at the right hand of the Majesty on high That the Glory and Dignity of Christ in his Exaltation is singular the highest that can be given to a Creature incomprehensible that he is with respect unto the Discharge of his Office under the eternal Approbation of God that as so gloriously exalted he is proclaimed unto the whole Creation are all contained in this Expression 3. HEREUNTO is added the full Manifestation of his own Divine Wisdom Love and Grace in the Work of Mediation and Redemption of the Church This Glory is absolutely singular and peculiar unto him Neither Angels or Men have the least Interest in it Here we see it darkly as in a Glass above it shines forth in its brightness to the eternal Joy of them who behold him THIS is that Glory which our Lord Jesus Christ in an especial manner prayed that his Disciples might behold This is that whereof we ought to endeavor a Prospect by Faith By Faith I say and not by Imagination Vain and foolish Men having general Notions of this Glory of Christ knowing nothing of the real Nature of it have endeavored to represent it in Pictures and Images with all that Lustre and Beauty with the Art of Painting with the Ornaments of Gold and Jewels can give them This is that Representation of the present Glory of Christ which being made and proposed unto the Imagination and carnal Affections of superstitious Persons carrieth such a shew of Devotion and Veneration in the Papal Church But they err not knowing the Scripture nor the eternal Glory of the Son of God THIS is the sole Foundation of all our Meditations herein The Glory that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the real actual Possession of in Heaven can be no otherwise seen or apprehended in this World but in the Light of Faith fixing it self on Divine Revelation To behold this Glory of Christ is not an Act of Fancy or Imagination It doth not consist in framing unto our selves the Shape of a glorious Person in Heaven But the steady Exercise of Faith on the Revelation and Description made of his Glory of Christ in the Scripture is the Ground Rule and Measure of all Divine Meditations thereon HEREON our Duty it is to call our selves to an Account as unto our Endeavor after a gracious View of this Glory of Christ When did we stedfastly behold it When had we such a View
heavenly wherein and whereby our Life is hid with Christ in God is the Glory the Exaltation the Honor the Security of the Church unto the Praise of the Grace of God The Understanding of it in its Causes Effects Operations and Priviledges wherewith it is accompanied is to be preferred above all the Wisdom in and of the World 2. HE thus communicates himself unto us by the Formation of a new Nature his own Nature in us so as that the very same spiritual Nature is in him and in the Church Only it is so with this difference that in him it is in the absolute perfection of all those glorious Graces wherein it doth consist in the Church it is in various Measures and Degrees according as he is pleased to communicate it But the same Divine Nature it is that is in him and us for through the precious Promises of the Gospel we are made Partakers of his Divine Nature It is not enough for us that he hath taken our Nature to be his unless he gives us also his Nature to be ours that is implants in our Souls all those gracious Qualifications as unto the Essence and Substance of them wherewith he himself in his human Nature is endued This is that new Man that new Creature that Divine Nature that Spirit which is born of the Spirit that Transformation into the Image of Christ that putting of him on that Workmanship of God whereunto in him we are created that the Scripture so fully testifieth unto Joh. 3. 6. Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Chap. 5. 17. Ephes. 4. 20. 24. 2 Pet. 1. 4. AND that new Heavenly Nature which is thus formed in Believers as the first vital Act of that Union which is between Christ and them by the Inhabitation of the same Spirit is peculiarly his Nature For both is it so as it is in him the Idaea and the Exemplar of it in us inasmuch as we are predestinated to be conformed unto his Image and as it is wrought or produced in our Souls by an Emanation of Power Vertue and Efficiency from him THIS is a most heavenly Way of the Communication of himself unto us wherein of God he is made unto us Wisdom and Sanctification Hereon he says of his Church This now is Bone of my Bone and Flesh of my Flesh I see my self my own Nature in them whence they are comely and desirable Hereby he makes way to present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but holy and wiâ—hout Blemish On this Communication of Christ unto us by the forming of his own Nature in us depends all the Purity the Beauty the Holiness the inward Clory of the Church Hereby is it really substantially internally separated from the World and distinguished from all others who in the outward forms of things in the Profession and Duties of Religion seem to be the same with them Hereby it becomes the First Fruits of the Creation unto God bearing forth the Renovation of his Image in the World Herein the Lord Christ is and will be glorious unto all Eternity I only mention these things which deserve to be far more largely insisted on 3. HE doth the same by that actual Insitition or Implantation into himself which he gives us by Faith which is of his own Operation For hereon two Things do ensue one by the Grace or Power the other by the Law or Constitution of the Gospel which have a great Influence into this Mystical Communication of Christ unto the Church AND the first of these is that thereby there is communicated unto us and we do derive Supplies of spiritual Life Sustentation Motion Strength in Grace and Perseverance from him continually This is that which himself so divinely teacheth in the Parable of the Vine and its Branches Joh. 15. 1 2 3 4 5. Hereby is there a continual Communication from his All fulness of Grace Vnto the whole Church and all the Members of it unto all the Ends and Duties of spiritual Life They live nevertheless not they but Christ liveth in them and the Life which they lead in the Flesh is by the Faith of the Son of God And the other by vertue of the Law and Constitution of the Gospel is that hereon his Righteousness and all the Fruits of his Mediation are imputed unto us the Glory of which Mystery the Apostle unfolds Rom. 3. 4 5. I MIGHT add hereunto the mutual Inbeing that is between him and Believers by Love for the way of the Communication of his Love unto them being by the shedding of it abroad in their Hearts by the Holy Ghost and their returns of Love unto them being wrought in them by an Almighty Efficiency of the same Spirit there is that which is deeply mysterious and glorious in it I might mention also the Continuation of his Discharge of all his Offices towards us whereon all our Receptions from him or all the Benefits of his Mediation whereof we are made Partakers do depend But the few Instances that have been given of the Glory of Christ in this Mysterious Communication of himself unto his Church may suffice to give us such a View of it as to fill our Hearts with holy Admiration and Thanksgiving CHAP. XI The Glory of Christ in the Recapitulation of all things in him IN the last Place the Lord Christ is peculiarly and eminently glorious in the Re-capitulation of all things in him after they had been scattered and disordered by sin This the Apostle proposeth as the most signal Effect of Divine Wisdom and the soveraign Pleasure of God HE hath abounded towards us in all Wisdom and Prudence having made known unto us the Mystery of his Will according unto his good Pleasure which he hath purposed in himself That in the Dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in the Heavens and which are on Earth even in him Ephes. 1. 8 9 10. FOR the Discovery of the Mind of the Holy Ghost in these Words so far as I am at present concerned namely as unto the Representation of the Glory of Christ in them sundry brief Observations must be premised and in them it will be necessary that we briefly declare the Original of all these things in Heaven and Earth their Primitive Order the Confusion that ensued thereon with their Restitution in Christ and his Glory thereby GOD alone hath all being in him Hence he gives himself that Name I AM Exod. 3. 14. He was eternally All when all things else that ever were or now are or shall be were nothing And when they are they are no otherwise but as they are of him and from him and to him Rom. 11. 36. Moreover his Being and Goodness are the same The Goodness of Good is the Meetness of the Divine Being to be communicative of it self in its Effects Hence this is the first Notion of
the Divine Nature Infinite Being and Goodness in a Nature intelligent and self-subsistent So the Apostle declares it He that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder Heb. 11. 6. 2. IN this State of Infinite Eternal Being and Goodness antecedent unto any Act of Wisdom or Power without himself to give Existence unto other Things God was and is eternally in himself all that he will be all that he can be unto Eternity For where there is Infinite Being and Infinite Goodness there is Infinite Blessedness and Happiness whereunto nothing can be added God is always the same That is his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 102. 27. Thou art he always the same All things that are make no addition unto God no change in his State His Blessedness Happiness Self-satisfaction as well as all other his Infinite Perfections were absolutely the same before the Creation of any thing whilst there was nothing but himself as they are since he hath made all things For the Blessedness of God consists in the ineffable mutual Inbeing of the Three holy Persons in the same Nature with the immanent reciprocal Actings of the Father and the Son in the eternal Love and Complacency of the Spirit Hereunto nothing can be added herein no Change can be made by any external Work or Effect of Power Herein doth God act in the perfect Knowledge and perfect Love of his own Perfections unto an infinite Acquiescency therein which is the Divine Blessedness This gives us the true Notion of the Divine Nature antecedent unto the Manifestation of it made by any outward Effects Infinite Being and Goodness eternally blessed in the Knowledge and Enjoyment of it self by inconceivable ineffable internal Actings answering the manner of its Subsistence which is in three distinct Persons 3. THIS Being and Goodness of God by his own Will and Pleasure acting themselves in Infinite Wisdom and Power produced the Creation of all things Herein he communicated a finite limited dependent Being and Goodness unto other things without himself For all Being and Goodness being as was said in him alone it was necessary that the first outward Work and Effect of the Divine Nature must be the Communication of Being and Goodness into other things Wherefore as when he had given unto every thing its Being out of nothing by the Word of his Power saying Let them be and they were so it is said that he looked on all that he had made and behold they were exceeding good Gen. 1. last Being and Goodness must be the first outward Effects of the Divine Nature which being wrought by Infinite Power and Wisdom do represent unto us the Glory of God in the Creation of all things Infinite Being in Self-subsistence which is necessary in the first Cause and Spring of all things Infinite Goodness to communicate the Effect of this Being unto that which was not and Infinite Wisdom and Power in that Communication are gloriously manifested therein 4. IN this State all things that were made depended immediately on God himself without the Interposition of any other Head of Influence or Rule They had the Continuance of their Being and its Preservation from the immediate Actings of these Properties of the Divine Nature whereby they were made and their Dependance on God was by Vertue of that Law which was implanted on the Principles and Powers of their several Natures by God himself 5. THUS in the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth He provided himself of two distinct Rational Families that should depend on him according to a Law of Moral Obedience and thereby give Glory to him with two distinct Habitations for them cognate unto their Nature and Use Heaven above and the Earth beneath The Earth he appointed for the Habitation of Man which was every way suited unto the Constitution of his Nature the Preservation of his Being and the End of his Creation in giving Glory to God Heaven he prepared for the Habitation of the Angels which was suited unto the Constitution of their Nature the Preservation of their Being and the End of their Creation in giving Glory to God Wherefore as Man had Power and Dominion over all things here below and was to use them all unto the Glory of God by which means God received Glory from them also though in themselves bruit and inanimate so the Angels had the like Dominion over the Coelestial and Aetherial Bodies wherewith God had fitted the Place of their Habitation that through the Contemplation and Use of them God might have a Revenue of Glory and Praise from them also To suppose any other Race of Intellectual Creatures besides Angels in Heaven and Men on Earth is not only without all Countenance from any Divine Testimony but it disturbs and disorders the whole Representation of the Glory of God made unto us in the Scripture and the whole Design of his Wisdom and Grace as declared therein Intellectual Creatures not comprehended in that Government of God and Mystery of his Wisdom in Christ which the Scripture Reveals are a Chimera framed in the Imaginations of some Men scarce duly sensible of what it is to be wise unto Sobriety 6. THIS Order of things was beautiful and comely Hence were they all said to be exceeding good For each of these Families had their own immediate distinct Dependance on God He was the immediate Head of them There was no other common Head interposed between God and them They were not an Head unto one another There were no Communications unto them but what were immediate from God himself And their Union among themselves was in this alone that all their Obedience did meet and center in God So God made the Heavens and the Earth and two distinct Families in them for himself 7. THIS beautiful Order in it self this Union between the two Families of God was disturbed broken dissolved by the Entrance of Sin For hereby part of the Family above and the whole Family below fell off from their Dependance on God and ceasing to center in him as their Head they fell into Variance and Enmity among themselves For the Center of this Union and Order being removed and lost nothing but Enmity and Confusion remained among them Hereon to shew that its Goodness was lost God cursed the Earth and all that was in it for it was put in Subjection unto Man who was now fallen from him Howbeit he cursed not the Heavens which were in Subjection unto the Angels because some of them only left their Habitation and the Habitation of the Residue was not to be cursed for their Sakes But Mankind was wholly gone off from God 8. THE Angels that sinned God utterly rejected for ever as an Example of his Severity the whole Race of Mankind he would not utterly cast off but determined to recover and save a Remnant according to the Election of Grace which how he did it in a way of Condecency unto all his Divine
Perfections I have elsewhere declared 9. HOWBEIT he would not restore them into their former State so as to have again two distinct Families each in an immediate Dependance on himself though he left them in different and distinct Habitations Eph. 3. 15. But he would gather them both into one and that under a new Head in whom the one Part should be preserved from sinning and the other delivered from sin committed 10. THIS then is that which the Apostle declares in these Words To gather together in one all things which are in Heaven and which are in Earth even in him And so he again expresseth it Col. 1. 20. To reconcile all things unto himself in him whether they are things in Heaven or things in Earth all things were fallen into disorder and confusion by sin they were fallen off from God into variance among themselves God would not restore them into their first Order in an immediate Dependance on his Divine Perfections He would no longer keep them in two distinct Families but he would in his infinite Wisdom and Goodness gather them up into one common Head on whom they should have their immediate Dependance and be reconciled again among themselves 11. THIS New Head wherein God hath gathered up all things in Heaven and Earth into one one Body one Family on whom is all their dependance in whom they all now consist is Jesus Christ the Son of God incarnate see 1 Cor. 11. 3. Eph. 1. 21 22 23. This Glory was reserved for him none other could be meet for it or worthy of it see Col. 1. 17 18 19 20 12. TO answer all the Ends of this New Head of Gods recollected Family all Power in Heaven and Earth all Fulness of Grace and Glory is committed unto him There is no Communication from God no Act of Rule towards this Family no Supply of Vertue Power Grace or Goodness unto Angels or Men but what is immediately from this New Head whereinto they are gathered In him they all consist on him do they depend unto him are they subject in their Relation unto him doth their Peace Union and Agreement among themselves consist This is the Recapitulation of all things intended by the Apostle 13. IT is true that he acts distinctly and variously towards the two parts of the Recollected Family of Angels and Men according as their different States and Conditions do require For 1. We had need of a Reparation by Redemption and Grace which the Angels had not 2. Angels were capable of immediate Confirmation in Glory which we are not until we come to Heaven Therefore 1. He assumed our Nature that it might be repaired which he did not the Nature of the Angels 2. He gives us Union unto himself by his Spirit which exalts us into a Dignity and Honour meet for Fellowship with them in the same Family THIS is a brief Account of the mysterious Work of Divine Wisdom in the Recapitulation of all things in Jesus Christ and herein is he transcendently glorious or his Glory herein is far above our Comprehension Yet some few things may be observed to direct us in the View and Contemplation of it As 1. HE alone was a meet and capable Subject of it He only could bear the weight of this Glory No meet Creature in Heaven or Earth was meet to be thus made the Head of the whole new Creation of God In none of them could all things consist None of them was meet to be thus in the Place of God to have all things depend upon him and be put in subjection unto him so as that there should be no Communication between God and the Creation but by and through him alone Wherefore when the holy Ghost assigns this Glory unto him he so describes him as that we may discern his singular meetness for it as that he is the Brightness of the Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person upholding all things by the Word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. That he is the Image of the invisible God the first born of every Creature by whom all things were created that are in Heaven and that are in the Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 15 16 17 18 19. Such an one alone and no other was meet to bear and uphold this Glory And the Glory of his Person is such as that it is the Blessedness of all Creatures to center in this Glory of his Office 2. THIS is that Glory which God designed unto his only Son incarnate and it gives us a little View into the Glory of that Mystery the wonderful eternal Design of God to glorifie himself in the Incarnation of Christ. God would have his eternal his only begotten Son to be incarnate to take our Nature on him to be made Man What is his Design in this incomprehensible Work of his Wisdom Love and Power Indeed in the first place it was for the Redemption of the Church by the Sacrifice of himself and other Acts of his Mediation But there is that which is more general and comprehensive and wherein all the concerns of the Glory of God do center And this was that he might gather all things into one in him that the whole Creation especially that which was to be eternally blessed should have a new Head given unto it for its Sustentation Preservation Order Honor and Safety All Springs are in him and all Streams are unto him and in and by him unto God Who can express the Divine Beauty Order and Harmony of all things that are in this their Recapitulation in Christ The Union and Communion between Angels and Men the Order of the whole Family in Heaven and Earth the Communication of Life Grace Power Mercy and Consolation to the Church the Rule and Disposal of all things unto the Glory of God do all depend hereon This Glory God designed unto his Son incarnate and it was the greatest the highest that could be communicated unto him For as the Apostle observes All things are put in subjection unto him he only excepted who doth â—o make them subject that is God the Father 1 Cor. 15. THERE is no Contemplation of the Glory of Christ that ought more to affect the Hearts of them that do believe with Delight and Joy than this of the Recapitulation of all things in him One View by Faith of him in the place of God as the supream Head of the whole Creation moving acting guiding and disposing of it will bring in spiritual Refreshment unto a believing Soul AND it will do so the more in that it gives a glorious Representation of his Divine Nature also For that any meer Creature should thus be an Head of Life Motion and Power as also of soveraign Rule and disposal of the whâ—le new Creation with all things reduced into
occasioned by a vail of Types and Shadows cast on it by the Represenâ—ative Institutions of it It doth not arise from the want of a clear Doctrinal Revelation of the Person and Office of Christ But as was before declared it proceedeth from two other Causes First from the nature of Faith it self in comparison of Vision It is not able to look directly into this excellent Glory nor fully to comprehend it Secondly from the way of its proposal which is not substantiâ—â— of the thing it self but only of an Image of it as in a Glass But the light the view of the Glory of Christ which we shall have in Heaven is much more above that which we now enjoy by the Gospel than what we do or may so enjoy is above what they have attained under their Types and Shadows There is a far greater distance between the Vision of Heaven and the sight which we have now by faith than is between the sight which we now have and what they had under the Old Testament Heaven doth more excell the Gospel-State than that State doth the Law Wherefore if they did so pray so long for so desire the removal of their Shadows and Vails that they might see what we now see that they might so behold the Glory of Christ as we may behold it in the Light of the Gospel how much more should we if we have the same Faith with them the same Love which neither will nor can be satisfied without perfect fruition long and pray for the removal of all Weakness of all Darkness and Inâ—erposition that we may come unto that immediate beholding of his Glory which he so earnestly prayed that we might be brought unto To sum up briefly what hath been spoken There are three things to be considered concerning the Glory of Christ three degrees in its manifestation The Shadow the perfect Image and the Substance it self Those under the Law had only the shadow of it and of the things that belong unto it they had not the perfect Image of them Heb. 10. 1. Under the Gospel we have the perfect Image which they had not or a clear compleat revelation and declaration of it presenting it unto us as in a glass But the enjoyment of these things in their Substance is referred for Heaven we must be where he is that we may behold his Glory Now there is a greater difference and distance between the real substance of any thing and the most perfect image of it than there is between the most perfect image and the lowest shadow of the same thing If then they longed to be freed from their state of Types and Shadows to enjoy the Representation of the Glory of Christ in that Image of it which is given us in the Gospel much more ought we to breath and pant after our deliverance from beholding it in the Image of it that we may enjoy the Substance it self For whatever can be manifest of Christ on this side Heaven it is granted unto us for this end that we may the more fervently desire to be present with him AND as it was their Wisdom and their Grace to rejoyce in the Light they had and in those typical Administrations of Divine Worship which shadowed out the Glory of Christ unto them yet did always pant after that more excellent Light and full Discovery of it which was to be made by the Gospel So it will be ours also thankfully to use and improve the Revelations which we enjoy of it and those Institutions of Worship wherein our Faith is assisted in the view thereof yet so as continually to breath after that perfect that glorifying sight of it which is reserved for Heaven above AND may we not a little examine our selves by these things Do we esteem this pressing towards the perfect view of the Glory of Christ to be our Duty and do we abide in the performance of it If it be otherwise with any of us it is a signal evidence that our Profession is Hypocritical If Christ be in us he is the hope of Glory in us and where that hope is it will be active in desires of the things hoped for Many love the World to well and have their minds too much filled with the things of it to entertain desires of speeding through it unto a state wherein they may behold the Glory of Christ. They are at home and are unwilling to be absent from the body tho to be present with the Lord. They hope it may be that such a season will come at one time or another and then it will be the best they can look for when they can be here no more But they have but a little sight of the Glory of Christ in this World by Faith if any at all who so little so faintly desire to have the immediate sight of it above I cannot understand how any Man can walk with God as he ought or hath that Love for Jesus Christ which true Faith will produce or doth place his Refreshments and Joy in spiritual things in things above that doth not on all just occasions so meditate on the Glory of Christ in Heaven as to long for an admittance into the immediate sight of it OUR Lord Jesus Christ alone perfectly understood wherein the Eternal Blessedness of them that believe in him doth consist And this is the sum of what he prays for with respect unto that end namely that we may be where he is to behold his Glory And is it not our Duty to live in a continual desire of that which he prayed so earnestly that we might attain If in our selves we as yet apprehend but little of the Glory the Excellency the Blessedness of it yet ought we to repose that confidence in the Wisdom and Love of Christ that it is our best infinitely better than any thing we can enjoy here below UNTO those who are inured unto those Contemplations they are the salt of their Lives whereby every thing is condited and made savory unto them as we shall shew afterwards And the want of spiritual diligence herein is that which hath brought forth a negligent careless wordy profession of Religion which countenancing it self with some outward Duties hath lost out of it the power of Faith and Love in their principal Operations Hereby many deceive their own Souls Goods Lands Possessions Relations Trades with secular Interests in them are the things whose Image is drawn on their Minds and whose Characters are written on their Foreheads as the Titles whereby they may be known As believers beholding the Glory of Christ in the blessed Glass of the Gospel are changed into the same Image and Likeness by the Spirit of the Lord so these Persons beholding the Beauty of the World and the Things that are in it in the cursed Glass of Self-love they are in their minds changed into the same Image Hence perplexing Fears vain Hopes empty Embraces of perishing things fruitless desires earthly carnal
it's Exercise for it first respects him and then other things for him when the Mind is fixed on him and his Glory every Grace will be in a Readiness for it's due Exercise And without this we shall never attain it by any Resolutions or Endeavours of our own let us make the Tryal when we please 3. THIS will assuredly put us on a vigilant watch and constant conflict against all the deceitful workings of Sin against all the Entrances of Temptation against all the ways and means of Surprizals into foolish frames by vain Imaginations which are the causes of our Decays Our Recovery or Revival will not be effected nor a fresh Spring of Grace be obtained in a careless slothful Course of Profession Constant watching fighting contending against Sin with our utmost endeavour for an absolute Conquest over it are required hereunto And nothing will so much excite and encourage our Souls hereunto as a constant view of Christ and his Glory every thing in him hath a constraining Power hereunto as is known to all who have any Acquaintance with these things FINIS Books Sold by William Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-street Books written by the late Dr. John Owen In Folio 1. His Exposition on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews with Exercitations concerning the Messiah Wherein the Promises concerning him to be a Spiritual Redeemer of Mankind are explained and vindicated His Coming and Accomplishment of his Work according to the Promises is proved and Confirmed The Person or who he is declared The whole Oeconomy of the Mosaical Law Rites Worship and Sacrifices is explained And in all the Doctrine of the Person Office and Work of the Messiah is opened The Nature and demerit of the first Sin is unfolded The Opinions and Traditions of the Ancient and Modern Jews are examined Their Objectious against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are Answered The time of the Coming of the Messiah is stated And the great fundamental Truths of the Gospel vindicated In four Volumes Folio 2. A Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit Wherein an Account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and New Creation is Explained The Doctrine concerning it vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches The Nature also and Necessity of Gospel Holiness the Difference between Grace and Morality or a Spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a Course of Moral Vertues are stated and declared Fol. 3. The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance explained and confirmed Or the certain Permanency of their 1. Acceptation with God and 2. Sanctification from God manifested and proved from 1. The Eternal Principles 2. The Effectual Causes And 3. The External Means thereof c. Fol. Books in Quarto written by the same Author 1. THe True Nature of a Gospel Church and its Government Wherein these following particulars are distinctly handled I. The Subject Matter of the Church II. The formal Cause of a particular Church III. Of the Polity Rule or Discipline of the Church in general IV. The Officers of the Church V. The Duty of Pastors of Churches VI. The Office of Teachers in the Church VII Of the Rule of the Church or of Ruling Elders VIII The nature of Church Polity or Rule with the Duty of Elders IX Of Deacons X. Of Excommucation XI Of the Communion of Churches Price Bound 3. s. 2. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ explained confirmed and vindicated 3. An Enquiry into the Original Nature Institution Power Order and Communion of Evangelical Churches With an Answer to the Dscourse of the Vnreasonableness of Separation written by Dr. Edward Stillingfleet And in the Defence of the Vindication of Nonconformists from the Guilt of Schism 4. The Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded declared and practically Improved 5. A Discourse of Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost each Person distinctly In Love Grace and Consolation Or the Saints fellowship with the Father Son and Holy Ghost unfolded 6. Vindiciae Evangelicae Or The Mystery of the Gospel vindicated and Socinianism examined in the Consideration and Confutation of a Catechism called A Scripture Catechism written by J. Biddle M. A. And the Catechism of Valentinus Smalcius commonly called the Racovian Catechism 7. A Display of Arminianism Being a Discovery of the Old Pelagian Idol Free-will with the New Goddess Contingency advancing themselves into the Throne of the God of Heaven to the prejudice of his Grace Providence and Supreme Dominion over the Children of Men. Wherein the main Errors of the Arminians are laid open by which they are fallen off from the received Doctrine of all the Reformed Churches with their Opposition in divers particulars to the Doctrine established in the Church of England Discovered out of their own Writings and Confessions and confuted by the Word of God 8. The Death of Death in the Death of of Christ. A Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation that is in the Blood of Christ with the Merit thereof and the Satisfaction wrought thereby Wherein the proper End of the Death of Christ is asserted the immediate Effects and Fruits thereof assigned with their Extent in respect of it's Object and the whole Controversie about Vniversal Redemption fully discussed In four Parts 9. A Declaration of the Glorious Mystery of the Person of Christ God and Man With the Infinite Wisdom Love and Power of God in the Contrivance and Constitution thereof As also the Grounds and Reasons of his Incarnation the Nature of his Ministry in Heaven the Present State of the Church above thereon and the Use of his Person in Religion With an Account and Vindication of the Honour Worship Faith Love and Obedience due unto him in and from the Church Books in Octavo written by the same Author 1. THe Nature of Apostasie from the Profession of the Gospel and the Punishment of Apostates declared in an Exposition of Heb. 6. 4 5 6. With an Enquiry into the Causes and Reasons of the Decay of the Power of Religion in the World or the present general Defection from the Truth Holiness and Worship of the Gospel Also of the Proneness of Churches and Persons of all sorts unto Apostasie With Remedies and Means of Prevention 2. Exercitations concerning the Name Original Nature Use and Continuance of a Day of Sacred Rest. Wherein the Original of the Sabbath from the Foundation of the World the Morality of the Fourth Commandment with the Change of the Seventh Day are enquired into Together with an Assertion of the Divine Institution of the Lord's Day and Practical Directions for it's due Observation 3. The Nature Power Deceit and Prevalency of the remainders of Indwelling-Sin in Believers Together with the ways of it's working and Means of Prevention Opened evinced and applyed with a Resolution of sundry Cases of Conscience thereunto appertaining 4. An Answer to a Book entituled Fiat Lux. 5. A Vindication of the
Animadversions on Fiat Lux. Wherein the Principles of the Roman Church as to Moderation Unity and Truth are examined And sundry Important Controversies concerning the Rule of Faith Papal Supremacy the Mass Images c. discussed 6. A Vindication of some Passages in a Discourse concerning Communion with God from the Exceptions of William Sherlock Rector of St. George Botolph-lane 7. A Discourse concerning Evangelical Love Church-Peace and Vnity With the Occasions and Reasons of present Differences and Divisions about things Sacred and Religious Written in the Vindication of the Principles and Practice of some Ministers and others 8. A brief Declaration and Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity As also of the Person and Satisfaction of Christ. Accommodated to the Capacity and Use of such as may be in danger to be seduced and the establishment of the Truth 9. A Discourse of the Mortification of Sin in Believers 1. The Necessity 2. The Nature and 3. The Means of it With a Resolution of sundry Cases of Conscience thereunto belonging 10. A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace wherein Sins Reign is discovered in whom it is and in whom it is not How the Law supports it how Grace delivers from it by sealing up it's Dominion in the Heart From Rom. 6. 14. Bound 1 s. 11. A brief and Impartial Account of the Nature of the Protestant Religion it 's State and Fate in the World it 's strength and weakness with the Ways and Indications of the Ruine or Continuance of it's publick National Profession Price stitch'd 6 d. 12. A brief Instruction in the Worship of GOD and Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament By way of Question and Answer With an Explication and Confirmation of those Answers Price bound 1 s. 13. A Discourse of the Work of the Spirâ— in Prayer with a brief Inquiry into the Nature and Use of Mental Prayer and Forms 14. The Causes ways and means of Understanding the Mind of God in the Scripture 15. An Answer to Doctor Parker 16. An humble Testimony unto the Goodness and Severity of God in his dealing with sinful Churches and Nations Or the only way to deliver a sinful Nation from utter Ruine by Impendent Judgments Price bound 1 s. 17. A Discourse of Temptation the Nature and Power of it the Danger of entring into it and the Means of Preventing that Danger With a Resolution of sundry Cases there to belonging Price bound 1 s. 18. The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ unfolded Wherein those Principles of Religion are explained the Knowledge whereof is required before any Person be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper For the use of Christian Congregations Price bound 6 d. 19. The Original of the Scriptures 20. Diatriba de Justitiâ Divinâ 21. The Defence of Mr. Cotton against Mr. Cawdrey 22. Eshcol or Rules for those in Church Fellowship 23. Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ in his Person Office and Grace with the difference between Faith and Sight Applyed unto the use of them that Believe It was formerly Printed and is now Reprinted and may be bound up with the Second Part being the Application both to Unconverted Sinners and Saints under Spiritual Decays Both bound together 2 s. 6 d. All these by the late Reverend Dr. John Owen Books written by other Authors CAryl's Exposition on the Book of Job Two Volumes Pool's Synopsis in Latin Five Volumes With the Index's Pool's Synopsis on the New Testament In Two Volumes in Latin with the Index is sold very Cheap for 20. s. in Quires and 30 s. Bound Index's on the Old and New Testament to be sold alone Price 5. s. Clarks Martyrology Christ alone Exalted Being the compleat Works of Tobias Crisp D. D. containing XLII Sermons on several Select Texts of Scriptures Which were formerly Printed in three small Volumes by that late Eminent and Faithful Dispenser of Gods Word Who was sometime Minister at Brinkworth in Wiltshire and afterward many of the Sermons were preached in and about London To which is now added ten Sermons whereof eight were never before Printed Faithfully transcribed from his own Notes Which is all that ever will be Printed of the said Dr's An Exposition of the whole Book of the Revelation Wherein the Visions and Prophecies of Christ are opened and expounded Shewing the great Conquests of our Lord Jesus Christ for his Church over all his and her Adversaries Pagan Arian and Papal and the glorious State of the Church of God in the New Heavens and New Earth in these latter days By Hanserd Knowles Preacher of the Morning Lecture at Pinners-Hall The Character of a Good Commander together with a short Commendation of the famous Artillery more properly Military Company of London also a brief Encomium on the Great Duke and worthy Prince Elector of Brandenburg Lastly Plain Dealing with Treacherous Dealing Whereunto is annexed the general Exercise of the Prince of Oranges Army By Captain Tho. Plunket The General Exercise ordered by his then Highness the Prince of Orange to be punctually observed of all the Infantry in service of the States General of the Vnited Provinces Containing the General Exercise of Pike and Musket with their Facings Doublings and â—heelings of a Battalion ordered by his present 〈◊〉 to be observed of all the Infantry in his service being short easie and graceful The Second Edition corrected The Heavenly Trade or the best Merchâ—ndizing The only way to live well in impoveâ—shing Times A Discourse occasioned from the decay of Earthly Trades and visible wastes of Practical Piety in the day we live in offering Arguments and Counsels to all towards a speedy revival of dying Godliness and timely prevention of the dangerous Issues thereof impending on us Necessary for all Families The second Edition corrected By Bartholomew Ashwood Minister of the Gospel Author of the Best Treasure Christ a Christians Life Or a Practical Discourse of a Believers Life derived from Christ and Resolved into Christ. Being the substance of several Sermons Preach'd by the Author upon his Recovery from a Fit of Sickness and now extorted from him by the Importunity of Friends By John Gammon Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of â— Congregation in White-Chappel Cook 's Mellifigium Chirurgia or the Marrow of Chirâ—rgery with Anatomy The Fourth Edition enlargeâ— with many Additions Chaâ—eton 's Anatomy Lectures FINIS See Joh. 1. 18. Chap. 14. 7 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Col. 1. 16. Ephes. 3. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Heb. 1. 2.