able to receive them to keep and preserve them as also to dispose of them into a state of Rest and Blessedness are required of us THE Soul is now parting with all things here below and that for ever None of all the things which it hath seen heard or enjoyed by its outward senses can be prevailed with to stay with it one hour or to take one step with it in the Voyage wherein it is ingaged It must alone by it self lanch into eternity It is entring an Invisible World which it knows no more of than it hath received by Faith None hath come from the dead to inform us of the State of the other World Yea God seems on purpose so to conceal it from us that we should have no evidence of it at least as unto the manner of things in it but what is given unto Faith by Divine Revelation Hence those who died and were raised again from the dead unto any continuance among men as Lazarus probably knew nothing of the Invisible State Their Souls were preserved by the Power of God in their Being but bound up as unto present Operations This made a great Emperor cry out on the approach of Death O animula tremula vagula blandula quae nunc abibis in loca horrida squalida c. O poor trembling wandring Soul into what places of darkness and defilement art thou going HOW is it like to be after the few moments which under the pangs of Death we have to continue in this World Is it an Annihilation that lies at the door is Death the Destruction of our whole Being so as that after it we shall be no more So some would have the state of things to be Is it a state of subsistence in a wandring condition up and down the World under the Influence of other more powerful Spirits that rule in the Air visiting Tombs and Solitary places and sometimes making appearances of themselves by the Impressions of those more powerful Spirits as some imagine from the story concerning Samuel and the Witch of Endor and as it is commonly received in the Papacy out of a compliance with their Imagination of Purgatory Or is it a state of universal misery and wo a state incapable of comfort or joy Let them pretend what they please who can understand no comfort or joy in this Life but what they receive by their Sences they can look for nothing else And whatever be the state of this Invisible World the Soul can undertake nothing of its own conduct after its departure from the Body It knows that it must be absolutely at the disposal of another WHEREFORE no man can comfortably venture on and into this condition but in the exercise of that Faith which enables him to resign and give up his departing Soul into the Hand of of God who alone is able to receive it and to dispose it into a Condition of Rest and Blessedness So speaks the Apostle I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day HEREIN as in all other Graces is our Lord Jesus Christ our great example He resigned his departing Spirit into the hands of his Father to be owned and preserved by him in its state of Separation Father into thy hands I commit my spirit Luk. 23. 46 as did the Psalmist his Type in an alike condition Psal. 31. 5. But the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ herein the object and exercise of it what he believed and trusted unto in this Resignation of his Spirit into the Hand of God is at large expressed in the sixteenth Psalm I have saith he set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore He left his Soul in the hand of God in full assurance that it should suffer no evil in its state of Separation but should be brought again with his Body into a blessed Resurrection and eternal Glory So Stephen resigned his Soul departing under violence into the hands of Christ himself When he died he said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit THIS is the last Victorious act of Faith wherein its conquest over its last enemy Death it self doth consist Herein the Soul says in and unto it self Thou art now taking leave of Time unto eternity all things about thee are departing as shades and will immediately disappear The things which thou art entring into are yet invisible Such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor will they enter into the heart of man fully to conceive Now therefore with quietness and confidence give up thy self unto the Sovereign Power Grace Truth and Faithfulness of God and thou shalt find assured rest and peace BUT Jesus Christ it is who doth immediately receive the Souls of them who believe in him So we see in the instance of Stephen And what can be a greater encouragement to resign them into his hands than a daily Contemplation of his Glory in his Person his Power his Exaltation his Office and Grace Who that believes in him that belongs unto him can fear to commit his departing Spirit unto his Love Power and Care Even we also shall hereby in our dying moments see by Faith Heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God ready to receive us This added unto the Love which all Believers have unto the Lord Jesus which is enflamed by Contemplation of his Glory and their desires to be with him where he is it will strengthen and confirm our minds in the Resignation of our departing Souls into his hand SECONDLY It is required in us unto the same end that we be ready and wiling to part with the flesh wherewith we are cloathed with all things that are useful and desirable thereunto The Alliance the Relation the Friendship the Union that are between the Soul and the Body are the greatest the nearest the firmest that are or can be among meer created Beings There is nothing like it nothing equal unto it The Union of Three persons in the one single Divine Nature and the Union of two Natures in one person of Christ are infinite ineffable and exempted from all comparison But among created Beings the Union of these two essential parts of the same Nature in one Person is most excellent Nor is any thing equal to it or like it found in any other Creatures Those who among them have most of life have either no Bodies as Angels or no Souls but what perish with them as all Brute creatures below ANGELS being pure immaterial Spirits have nothing in them nothing belonging
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 Grace 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 old 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 Wisdom 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 Union 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 Union 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 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 without 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
secured We were created in a Covenant Relation unto God Our Nature was related unto him in a way of Friendship of Likeness and Complacency But the Bond of this Relation and Union was quickly broken by our Apostasy from him Hereon our whole Nature became to be at the utmost Moral distance from God and Enmity against him which is the depth of Misery But God in Infinite Wisdom and Grace did design once more to recover it and take it again near unto himself And he would do it in such a way as should render it utterly impossible that there should ever be a Separation between him and it any more Heaven and Earth may pass away but there shall never be a Dissolution of the Union between God and our Nature any more He did it therefore by assuming it into a substantial Union with himself in the Person of the Son Hereby the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in it Bodily or Substantially and Eternally Hereby is its Relation unto God eternally secured And among all the Mysterious Excellencies which relate hereunto there are two which continually present themselves unto our consideration 1. THAT this Nature of ours is capable of this glorious Exaltation and Subsistence in God No Creature could conceive how Omnipotent Wisdom Power and Goodness could actuate themselves unto the Production of this Effect The Mystery hereof is the Object of the Admiration of Angels and will be so of the whole Church unto all Eternity What is revealed concerning the Glory way and manner of it in the Scripture I have declared in my Treatise concerning the Mystery of Godliness or the Person of Christ. What mind can Conceive what Tongue can Express who can sufficiently Admire the Wisdom Goodness and Condescention of God herein And whereas he hath proposed unto us this glorious Object of our Faith and Meditation how vile and foolish are we if we spend our thoughts about other things in a neglect of it 2. THIS is also an ineffable Pledge of the Love of God into our Nature For although he will not take it in any other Instance save that of the Man Christ Jesus into this Relation with himself by vertue of personal Union Yet therein he hath given a glorious Pledge of his Love unto and Valuation of that Nature For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham And this kindness intends unto our Persons as Participant of that Nature For he designed this Glory unto the Man Christ Jesus that he might be the first-born of the New Creation that we might be made conformable unto him according to our measure and as the Members of that Body whereof he is the Head we are Participant in this Glory 3. IT is he in whom our Nature hath been carried successfully and victoriously through all the Oppositions that it is liable unto and even Death it self But the Glory hereof I shall speak unto distinctly in its proper place which follows and therefore shall here pass it by 4. HE it is who in himself hath given us a Pledge of the capacity of our Nature to inhabit those blessed Regions of Light which are far above these aspectable Heavens Here we dwell in Tabernacles of Clay that are crushed before the Moth such as cannot be raised so as to abide one foot breadth above the Earth we tread upon The heavenly Luminaries which we can behold appear too great and glorious for our Cohabitation We are as Grashoppers in our own eyes in comparison of those Gigantick Beings and they seem to dwell in places which would immediately swallow up and extinguish our Natures How then shall we entertain an Apprehension of being carried and exalted above them all to have an everlasting subsistence in places incomprehensibly more glorious than the Orbs wherein they reside What capacity is there in our Nature of such an Habitation But hereof the Lord Christ hath given us a Pledge in himself Our Nature in him is passed through these Aspectable Heavens and is exalted far above them It s eternal Habitation is in the blessed Regions of Light and Glory and he hath promised that where he is there we shall be and that for ever OTHER Encouragements there are innumerable to stir us up unto diligence in the discharge of the Duty here proposed namely a continual Contemplation of the Glory of Christ in his Person Office and Grace Some of them the Principal of them which I have any Acquaintance with are represented in the ensuing Discourse I shall therefore here add the peculiar Advantage which we may obtain in the diligent discharge of this Duty Which is that it will carry us chearfully comfortably and victoriously through Life and Death and all that we have to conflict withal in either of them AND let it be remembred that I do here suppose what is written on this Subject in the ensuing Discourse as being designed to prepare the minds of the Readers for the due Improvement of it AS unto this present Life it is well known what it is unto the most of them who concern themselves in these things Temptations Afflictions Changes Sorrows Dangers Fears Sickness and Pains do fill up no small part of it And in the other hand all our Earthly Relishes Refreshments and Comforts are uncertain transitory and unsatisfactory all things of each sort being embittered by the Remainders of sin Hence every thing wherein we are concerned hath the Root of Trouble and Sorrow in it Some labour under Wants Poverty and Straits all their days and some have very few hours free from Pains and Sickness And all these things with others of an alike Nature are heightened at present by the Calamitous Season wherein our lot is fallen All things almost in all Nations are filled with Confusiens Disorders Dangers Distresses and Troubles Wars and Rumors of Wars do abound With Tokens of farther approaching Judgments Distress of Nations with perplexities mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth There is in many places no Peace unto him that goeth out nor to him that cometh in but great Vexations are on the Inhabitants of the World Nation is destroyed of Nation and City of City for God doth vex them with all Adversity And in the mean time Vexation with the ungodly deeds of wicked men doth greatly further the Troubles of Life the sufferings of many also for the Testimony of their Consciences are deplorable with the Divisions and Animosities that abound amongst all sorts of Christians BUT the Shortness the Vanity the Miseries of humane Life have been the subject of the complaints of all sorts of considering Persons Heathens as well as Christians nor is it my present business to insist upon them My enquiry is only after the Relief which we may obtain against all these evils that we faint not under them that we may have the victory over them THIS in general is declared
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 puffed 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 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 Everlasting 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 put of thy Shooes from off thy Feet for the Place whereon thou standest is holy Ground Moreover he said I am the God of thy 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 the Church out of a Fiery Tryal This Fire 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
This could not be done by us But through the Obedience of Christ by vertue of this his Mystical Conjunction with the Church the Law was so fulfilled in us by being fulfilled for us as that the Glory of God in the giving of it and annexing eternal Rewards unto it is exceedingly exalted see Rom. 8. 3 4. THIS is that Glory of Christ whereof one view by faith will scatter all the fears answer all the objections and give relief against all the Despondencies of poor tempted doubting souls and an Anchor it will be unto all believers which they may cast within the Vail to hold them firm and stedfast in all Tryals Storms and Temptations in Life and Death CHAP. X. The Glory of Christ in the Communication of himself unto Believers ANOTHER instance of the Glory of Christ which we are to behold here by Faith and hope that we shall do so by sight hereafter consists in the Mysterious Communication of himself and all the Benefits of his Mediation unto the souls of them that do believe to their present happiness and future eternal Blessedness HEREBY he becomes theirs as they are his which is the Life the Glory and Consolation of the Church Cant. 6. 3. Chap. 3. 16. Chap. 3. 10. He and all that he is being appropriated unto them by vertue of their Mystical Union There is there must be some Ground formal Reason and Cause of this Relation between Christ and the Church whereby he is theirs and they are his he is in them and they in him so as it is not between him and other Men in the World THE Apostle speaking of this Communication of Christ unto the Church and the Union between them which doth ensue thereon affirms that is a Great Mystery for I speak saith he concerning Christ and the Church Ephes. 5. 32. I SHALL very briefly enquire into the Causes Ways and Means of this Mysterious Communication whereby he is made to be ours to be in us to dwell with us and all the benefits of his Mediation to belong unto us For as was said it is evident that he doth not thus communicate himself unto all by a natural Necessity as the Sun gives light equally unto the whole World nor is he present withall by an Ubiquity of his humane Nature nor as some dream by a Diffusion of his rational Soul into all nor doth he become ours by a carnal eating of him in the Sacrament but this Mystery proceeds from and depends on other Reasons and Causes as we shall briefly declare BUT yet before I proceed to declare the way and manner whereby Christ communicateth himself unto the Church I must premise something of Divine Communications in General and their Glory And I shall do this by touching a little on the harmony and Correspondency that is between the Old Creation and the New 1. ALL Being Power Goodness and Wisdom were originally essentially infinitely in God And in them with the other Perfections of his Nature consisted his Essential Glory 2. THE Old Creation was a Communication of Being and Goodness by Almighty Power directed by Infinite Wisdom unto all things that were created for the manifestation of that Glory This was the first Communication of God unto any thing without himself and it was exceeding glorious see Psal. 19. 1. Rom. 1. 21. And it was a curious Machine framed in the subordination and dependency of one thing on another without which they could not subsist nor have a continuance of their Beings All Creatures below live on the Earth and the products of it the Earth for its whole production depends on the Sun and other Heavenly Bodies as God declares Hos. 2. 21 22. I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the Heavens and they shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oil and they shall hear Jezreel God hath given a subordination of things in a Concatenation of Causes whereon their Subsistence doth depend Yet 4. IN 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 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
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 Joh 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 bypostatical Union 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 ourselves 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 they knew not what Luk. 9. 30 33. And the reason hereof was because no man in this life can have a Visive Power either spiritual or corporeal directly and immediately to behold the real Glory of Christ. SHOULD the Lord Jesus appear now to any of us in his Majesty and Glory it would not be unto our edification nor consolation For we are not meet nor able by the Power of any Light or Grace that we have received or can receive to bear the immediate appearance and representation of them His beloved Apostle John had leaned on his bosom probably many a time in this life in the intimate familiarities of love But when he afterwards appeared unto him in his Glory he fell at his feet as dead Rev. 1. 17. And when he appeared unto Paul all the account he could give thereof was that he saw a light from Heaven above the brightness of the Sun whereon he and all that were with him fell to the ground Act. 26. 13 14. AND this was one Reason why in the days of his Ministry here on earth his Glory was vailed with the infirmities of the flesh and all sorts of sufferings as we have before related The Church in this life is no way meet by the Grace which it can be made partaker of to converse with him in the immediate manifestations of his Glory AND therefore those who dream of his Personal Reign on the earth before the day of Judgment unless they suppose that all the Saints shall be perfectly glorified also which is only to bring down Heaven to the Earth for a while to no purpose provide not at all for the edification or consolation of the Church For no present grace advanced unto the highest degree whereof in this World it is capable can make us meet for an immediate converse with Christ in his unvailed Glory How much more abominable is the folly of men who would represent the Lord Christ in his present Glory by Pictures and Images of him When they have done their utmost with their burnished Glass and Guildings an eye of flesh cannot only behold it but if it be guided by reason see it contemptible and foolish But the true Glory of Christ neither inward nor outward sight can bear the rays of in this life THE dispensation which we are meet for is only that of his presence with us by his Spirit We know him now no more after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 16. We are advanced above that way and means of the knowledge of him by the fleshly carnal Ordinances of the Old Testament And we know him not according unto that bodily presence of his which his Disciples enjoyed in the days of his flesh We have attained somewhat above that also For such was the nature of his Ministry here on earth that there could not be the promised dispensation of the spirit until that was finished Therefore he tells his Disciples that it was expedient for them that he should go away and
MEDITATIONS AND DISCOURSES ON THE GLORY of CHRIST IN HIS Person Office and Grace WITH The differences between FAITH and SIGHT Applied unto the use of them that believe By the late Reverend JOHN OWEN D. D. LONDON Printed for B. A. and are to be Sold by most Book-sellers in London 1691. PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader THE Design of the ensuing Discourse is to declare some part of that Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ which is revealed in the Scripture and proposed as the principal Object of our Faith Love Delight and Admiration But alas after our utmost and most diligent enquiries we must say How little a portion is it of him that we can understand His Glory is incomprehensible and his praises are unutterable Some things an illuminated mind may conceive of it but what we can express in Comparison of what it is in it self is even less than nothing But as for those who have forsaken the only true Guide herein endeavouring to be wise above what is written and to raise their Contemplations by Fancy and Imagination above Scripture Revelation as many have done they have darkned Counsel without knowledge uttering things which they understand not which have no substance or spiritual food of Faith in them HOWBEIT that real view which we may have of Christ and his Glory in this World by Faith however weak and obscure that knowledge which we may attain of them by Divine Revelation is inexpressibly to be preferred above all other Wisdom Understanding or Knowledge whatever So it is declared by him who will be acknowledged a competent Judge in these things Yea doubtless saith he I account all these things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. He who doth not so hath no part in him THE Revelation made of Christ in the Blessed Gospel is far more excellent more glorious and more filled with rayes of Divine Wisdom and Goodness than the whole Creation and the just comprehension of it if attainable can contain or afford Without the knowledge hereof the mind of Man however priding it self in other Inventions and Discoveries is wrapped up in Darkness and Confusion THIS therefore deserves the severest of our Thoughts the best of our Meditations and our utmost diligence in them For if our future blessedness shall consist in being where he is and beholding of his Glory what better Preparation can there be for it than in a constant previous Contemplation of that Glory in the Revelation that is made in the Gospel unto this very end that by a view of it we may be gradually transformed into the same Glory I shall not therefore use any Apology for the publishing of the ensuing Meditations intended first for the exercise of my own mind and then for the Edification of a private Congregation which is like to be the last Service I shall do them in that kind Some may by the consideration of them be called to attend unto the same Duty with more diligence than formerly and receive Directions for the discharge of it And some may be provoked to communicate their greater Light and Knowledge unto the good of many And that which I design farther in the present Discourse is to give a brief account of the Necessity and Use in Life and Death of the Duty exhorted unto PARTICULAR motives unto the diligent discharge of this Duty will be pressed in the Discourse it self Here some things more general only shall be promised For all persons not immersed in sensual pleasures not overdrencht in the love of this World and present things who have any generous or noble Thoughts about their own Nature Being and End are under the highest Obligation to betake themselves unto this Contemplation of Christ and his Glory Without this they shall never attain true Rest or Satisfaction in their own minds He it is alone in whom the Race of mankind may boast and glory on whom all its felicities do depend For 1. HE it is in whom our Nature which was debased as low as Hell by Apostasy from God is exalted above the whole Creation Our Nature in the Original Constitution of it in the persons of our first Parents was crowned with Honour and Dignity The Image of God wherein it was made and the Dominion over the lower World wherewith it was intrusted made it the Seat of excellency of Beauty and of Glory But of them all it was at once devested and made naked by sin and laid grovelling in the Dust from whence it was taken Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return was its righteous Doom And all its internal faculties were invaded by deformed Lusts every thing that might render the whole unlike unto God whose Image it had lost Hence it became the contempt of Angels the Dominion of Satan who being the enemy of the whole Creation never had any thing or place to reign in but the debased nature of Man Nothing was now more vile and base its Glory was utterly departed It had both lost its peculiar nearness unto God which was its Honour and was fallen into the greatest Distance from him of all Creatures the Devils only excepted which was its Ignominy and Shame And in this state as unto any thing in it self it was left to perish eternally IN this Condition Lost Poor Base yea Cursed the Lord Christ the Son of God found our Nature And hereon in infinite Condescention and Compassion sanctifying a portion of it unto himself he took it to be his own in an holy ineffable subsistence in his own Person And herein again the same nature so depressed into the utmost misery is exalted above the whole Creation of God For in that very nature God hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every Name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come This is that which is so celebrated by the Psalmist with the highest Admiration Psal. 8. 3 4 5 6 7 8. This is the greatest Priviledge we have among all our fellow-Creatures This we may glory in and value our selves upon Those who ingage this nature on the service of sensual Lusts and Pleasures who think that its Felicity and utmost Capacities consist in their satisfaction with the accomplishment of other earthly temporary desires are satisfied with it in its State of Apostasy from God But those who have received the Light of Faith and Grace so as rightly to understand the Being and End of that Nature whereof they are partakers cannot but rejoyce in its deliverance from the utmost Debasement into that glorious Exaltation which it hath received in the Person of Christ. And this must needs make thoughts of him full of refreshment unto their Souls Let us take care of our persons the Glory of our nature is safe in Him For 2. IN him the Relation of our nature unto God is eternally
unto their essence that can dye Beasts have nothing in them that can live when their Bodies dye The Soul of a Beast cannot be preserved in a separate Condition no not by an act of Almighty Power for it is not and that which is not cannot live It is nothing but the Body it self in an act of its material Powers ONLY the Nature of Man in all the Works of God is capable of this Convulsion The essential parts of it are separable by Death the one continuing to exist and act its especial Powers in a separate state or condition The Powers of the whole entire nature acting in Soul and Body in conjunction are all scattered and lost by Death But the Powers of one Essential part of the same Nature that is of the Soul are preserved after Death in a more perfect acting and exercise than before This is peculiar unto human nature as a mean partaking of Heaven and Earth of the perfection of Angels above and of the imperfection of the Beasts below Only there is this difference in these things Our participation of the heavenly spiritual perfections of the Angelical Nature is for eternity our participation of the imperfections of the animate creatures here below is but for a season For God hath designed our Bodies unto such a glorious refinement at the Resurrection as that they shall have no more Alliance unto that brutish nature which perisheth for ever For we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto Angels or Equal to them Our bodies shall no more be capable of those Acts and Operations which are now common to us with other living creatures here below THIS is the preeminence of the nature of Man as the wise Man declares For unto that Objection of Atheistical Epicureans As the one dieth so dieth the other they have all one breath so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast and all go into one place all are of the dust and all turn to the dust again He granteth that as unto their Bodies it is for a season in them we have a present participation of their nature But saith he here lieth the Difference Who knoweth the spirit of a Man that goeth upward and the spirit of a beast that goeth downward unto the earth Unless we know this unless we consider the different state of the spirit of Men and Beasts we cannot be delivered from this Atheism but the thoughts hereof will set us at liberty from it They dye in like munner and their bodies go equally to the dust for a season but the Beast hath no spirit no soul but what dies with the body and goes to the dust If they had their bodies also must be raised again unto a conjunction with them Otherwise Death would produce a new race of creatures unto Eternity But man hath an immortal Soul saith he an heavenly Spirit which when the Body goes into the dust for a season ascends to Heaven where the guilt of sin and the curse of the Law interpose not from whence it is there to exist and to act all its Native powers in a state of blessedness BUT as I said by reason of this peculiar intimate Union and Relation between the Soul and Body there is in the whole Nature a fixed Aversation from a Dissolution The Soul and Body are naturally and necessarily unwilling to fall into a state of Separation wherein the one shall cease to be what it was and the other knows not clearly how it shall subsist The Body claspeth about the Soul and the Soul receiveth strange Impressions from its embraces the entire nature existing in the Union of them both being unalterably averse unto a Dissolution WHEREFORE unless we can overcome this inclination we can never dye comfortably or chearfully We would indeed rather chuse to be cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life that the cloathing of Glory might come on our whole Nature Soul and Body without Dissolution But if this may not be yet then do believers so conquer this Inclination by Faith and Views of the Glory of Christ as to attain a desire of this Dissolution So the Apostle testifies of himself I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better than to abide here Phil. 1. 23. saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not an ordinary desire not that which worketh in me now and then but a constant habitual Inclination working in â—â—â—â—ment Acts and Desires And what doth he so desire It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to depart say we out of this Body from this Tabernacle to leave it for a season But it is such a departure as consists in the Dissolution of the present state of his Being that it should not be what it is But how is it possible that a man should attain such an Inclination unto such a Readiness for such a vehement desire of a Dissolution It is from a View by Faith of Christ and his Glory whence the Soul is satisfied that to be with him is incomparably better than in its present state and condition HE therefore that would dye comfortably must be able to say within himself and to himself Dye then thou frail and sinful flesh Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return I yield thee up unto the righteous doom of the holy One. Yet therein also I give thee into the hand of the great Refiner who will hide thee in thy Grave and by thy consumption purifie thee from all thy Corruption and Disposition to evil And otherwise this will not be After a long sincere Endeavour for the Mortification of all sin I find it will never be absolutely perfect but by this Reduction into the dust Thou shalt no more be a residence for the least remainder of sin unto Eternity nor any clog unto my Soul in its actings on God Rest therefore in hope For God in his appointed season when he shall have a desire unto the work of his hands will call unto thee and thou shalt answer him out of the dust Then shall he by an act of his Almighty Power not only restore thee unto thy pristine Glory as at the first Creation when thou wast the pure Workmanship of his hands but enrich and adorn thee with inconceivable Priviledges and Advantages Be not then afraid away with all Reluctancy go into the Dust rest in Hope for thou shalt stand in thy lot at the end of the days THAT which will enable us hereunto in an eminent manner is that View and Consideration of the Glory of Christ which is the subject of the ensuing Meditations For be who is now possessed of all that Glory underwent this Dissolution of Nature as truly and really as ever we shall do THIRDLY There is required hereunto a Readiness to comply with the Times and Seasons wherein God would have us depart and leave this World Many think they shall be willing to dye when their time is come but they have many
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 〈…〉 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 Understanding 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 〈…〉 fie 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. 16. I do here only mention these things because I have handled them at large in my Discourse of the Mistery of Godliness 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. 2. 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 behold 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 Unbelief 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
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 sore 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 dealt 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 King 〈…〉 2. 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. HITHERTO 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 15 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 is he eternally glorious And this is that Glory whose view we ought to long for and labour after And if we see it not we are yet in darkness yea tho' we say we see we are blind like others So David longed and prayed for it when yet he could behold it only in Types and Shadows Psal. 63. 1 2. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen them in the sanctuary For there was in the Sanctuary an obscure representation of the Glory of God in Christ. How much more should we prize that view of it which we may have with open face tho' yet as in a glass 2 Cor. 3. 18. MOSES when he had seen the Works of God which were great and marvellous yet found not himself satisfied therewith Wherefore after all he prays that God would shew him his Glory Exod. 33. 18. He knew that the Ultimate Rest Blessedness and Satisfaction of the Soul is not in seeing the works of God but the Glory of God himself Therefore did he desire some immediate dawnings of it upon him in this World I beseech thee shew me thy Glory And if we have right apprehensions of the Future State of Blessedness we cannot but have the same desire of seeing more of his Glory in this life But the Question is How me may attain it If we are left unto our selves in this Enquiry if we have no other way for it but the immediate fixing of our thoughts on the Immensity of the Divine Nature we must come every one to the Conclusion that Agur makes on the like consideration Surely I am more brutish than any Man and have not the Understanding of a Man I neither learned Wisdom nor have the Knowledge of the Holy Who hath ascended up into Heaven or descended Who hath gathered the wind in his fist Who hath bound the waters in a garment Who hath established all the ends of the earth What is his name and what is his sons name if thou canst tell Prov. 30. 2 3 4. IT is in Christ alone that we may have a clear distinct view of the Glory of God and his Excellencies For him and him alone hath he appointed the representative of himself unto us And we shall take an Account hereof in one or two especial Instances 1. INFINITE Wisdom is one of the most glorious Properties of the Divine Nature It is that which is directive of all the external Works of God wherein the Glory of all the other Excellencies of God is manifested wherefore the manifestation of the whole Glory of God proceeds originally from Infinite Wisdom But as Job speaks Where shall this Wisdom be found and what is the place of understanding Chap. 28. 12. Can we by searching find out God Can we find out the Almighty to perfection Chap. 11. 7. As it is in it self an Essential Eternal
Property of the Divine Nature we can have no comprehension of it We can but adore it in that infinite distance wherein we stand from God but in its Operations and Effects it may be discerned for they are designed of God for its manifestation Among these the most excellent is the contrivance of the great Work of the Salvation of the Church so it is celebrated by the Apostle Eph. 3. 9 10 11. To make all Men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God If we have any Interest in God if we have any hopes of Blessedness in beholding of his Glory unto Eternity we cannot but desire a view such as is attainable of this Infinite manifold Wisdom of God in this life But it is in Christ alone that we can discern any thing of it for him hath the Father chosen and sealed to represent it unto us All the Treasures of this Wisdom are hid laid up and laid out in him Herein lies the essence and form of Faith Believers by it do see the Wisdom of God in Christ in his Person and Office Christ the Wisdom of God Unbelievers see it not as the Apostle argues 1 Cor. 1. 22 23 24. IN beholding the Glory of this Infinite Wisdom of God in Christ we behold his own Glory also the Glory given him of his Father for this is his Glory that in and by him and him alone the Wisdom of God is manifested and represented unto us When God appointed him as the great and only means of this end he gave him honour and glory above the whole Creation for it is but little of Divine Wisdom which the works of it declare in comparison of what is manifested in Christ Jesus We no way deny or extenuate the manifestation that is made of the Wisdom of God in the works of Creation and Providence It is sufficient to detect the folly of Atheism and and Idolatry and was designed of God unto that end But it 's comparative insufficiency with respect unto the rerepresentation of it in Christ as unto the ends of knowing God aright and living unto him the Scripture doth abundantly attest And the abuse of it was Catholic as the Apostle declares Rom. 1. 20. c. To see this Wisdom clearly is our Wisdom and a due apprehension of it fills the Souls of Believers with joy unspeakable and full of Glory 2. WE may also instance in the Love of God The Apostle tells us that God is Love 1 Joh. 4. 8. Divine Love is not to be considered only in its effects but in its Nature and Essence and so it is God himself For God is Love And a blessed Revelation this is of the Divine Nature It casts out Envy Hatred Malice Revenge with all their Fruits in Rage Fierceness Implacability Persecution Murther into the Territories of Satan They belong not unto God in his Nature or Actings for God is Love So the same Apostle tells us that he who slew his Brother was of the wicked one 1 Joh. 3. 12. He was of the Devil his Father and his works did he do BUT the Enquiry is as before How shall we have a view of this Love of God as Love By what way or means shall we behold the Glory of it It is hidden from all living in God himself The Wise Philosophers who discoursed so much of the Love of God knew nothing of this that God is Love The Most of the Natural Notions of men about it are corrupt and the best of them weak and imperfect Generally the Thoughts of men about it are that he is of a facile and easie Nature one that they may make bold withal in all their occasions as the Psalmist declares Psal. 50. 21. And whereas it must be learned in its Effects Operations 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 can 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 premised 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 invisible 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 THE most pernicious effect of Unbelief under the preaching of the Gospel is that together with an influence of Power from Satan it blinds the eyes of mens minds that they should not see this Glory of Christ whereon they perish eternally 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. BUT the most of those who at this day are called Christians are strangers unto this duty Our Lord Jesus Christ told the Pharisees that notwithstanding all their boasting of the knowledge of God they had not heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape that is as Moses did They had no real acquaintance with him they had no spiritual view of his Glory and so it is amongst our selves Notwithstanding the general profession that is of the Knowledge of Christ they are but few who thus behold his Glory and therefore few who are transformed into his Image and Likeness SOME Men speak much of the Imitation of Christ and following of his Example and it were well if we could see more of it really in effect But no Man shall ever become like unto him by bare Imitation of his Actions without that view or intuition of his Glory which alone is accompanied with a transforming power to change them into the same image THE Truth is the best of us all are wofully defective in this Duty and many are discouraged from it because a Pretence of it in some hath degenerated into Superstition But we are loth at any time seriously to engage in it and come with an unwilling kind of Willingness unto the Exercise of our Minds in it THOUGHTS of this Glory of Christ are too high for us or too hard for us such as we cannot long delight in we turn away from them with a kind of Weariness yet are they of the same Nature in general with our beholding of the Glory of Christ in Heaven wherein there shall be no weariness or Satiety unto Eternity Is not the Cause of it that we are unspiritual or carnal having our Thoughts and Affections wonted to give Entertainment unto other things For this is the principal Cause of our Unreadiness and Incapacity to exercise our Minds in and about the great Mysteries of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3. And it is so with us moreover because we do not stir up our selves with Watchfulness and Diligence in continual Actings of Faith on this Blessed Object This is that which keeps many of us at so low an Ebb as unto the Powers of an Heavenly Life and spiritual Joys DID we abound in this Duty in this Exercise of Faith our Life in walking before God would be more sweet and pleasant unto us our spiritual Light and Strength would have a daily Encrease we should more represent the Glory of Christ in our Ways and Walking than usually we do and Death it self would be most welcome unto us THE Angels themselves desire to look into the things of the Glory of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 10 12. There is in them
Glory of Christ in our Contemplations on his Person we should not pass it over as a Notion of Truth which we assent unto namely that he is thus glorious in himself but endeavor to affect our Hearts with it as that wherein our own principal Interest doth lie wherein it will be effectual unto the Transformation of our Souls into his Image BUT some it may be will say at least I fear some may truly say That these things do not belong unto them they do not find that ever they had any Benefit by them They hope to be saved as well as others by the Mediation of Christ but as unto this beholding of his Glory by constant Meditation and Actings of Faith therein they know nothing of it nor are concerned in it The Doctrine which they are taught out of the Scripture concerning the Person of Christ they give their Assent unto but his Glory they hope they shall see in another World here they never yet enquired after it SO it will be It is well if these things be not only neglected because the Minds of Men are carnal and cannot discern spiritual things but also despised because they have an Enmity unto them It is not for all to walk in these retired Paths Not for them who are negligent and slothful whose Minds are earthly and carnal Nor can they herein sit at the Feet of Christ with Mary when she chose the better part who like Martha are cumbred about many things here in this World Those whose principal Design is to add unto their present Enjoyments in the midst of the prosecution whereof they are commonly taken from them so as that their Thoughts do perish because not accomplished will never understand these things Much less will they do so whose Work it is to make provision for the Flesh to fulfil it in the Lusts thereof THEY must make it their Design to be heavenly minded who will find a Relish in these things Those who are Strangers unto holy Meditation in general will be Strangers unto this Mystery in a peculiar manner SOME Men can think of the World of their Relations and the manifold Occasions of Life but as unto the things that are above and within the Vail they are not concerned in them WITH some it is otherwise They profess their Desire to behold the Glory of Christ by Faith but they find it as they complain too high and difficult for them They are at a Loss in their Minds and even overwhelmed when they begin to view his Glory They are like the Disciples who saw him in his Transfiguration they were filled with Amazement and knew not what to say or said they knew not what And I do acknowledge that the Weakness of our Minds in the comprehension of this Eternal Glory of Christ and their Instability in Meditations thereon whence we cannot stedfastly look on it or behold it gives us an afflicting abasing Consideration of our present State and Condition And I shall say no more unto this Case but this alone When Faith can no longer hold open the Eyes of our Understandings unto the beholding of the Son of Righteousness shining in his Beauty nor exercise orderly Thoughts about this incomprehensible Object it will betake it self unto that holy Admiration which we have spoken unto and therein it will put it self forth in pure Acts of Love and Complacency CHAP. IV. The Glory of Christ in his Susception of the Office of a Mediator First in his Condescention THE Things whereof we have thus far discoursed relating immediately unto the Person of Christ in it self may seem to have somewhat of Difficulty in them unto such whose Minds are not duly exercised in the Contemplation of Heavenly Things Unto others they are evident in their own Experience and instructive unto them that are willing to learn That which remains will be yet more plain unto the Understanding and Capacity of the meanest Believer And this is the Glory of Christ in his Office of 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 unto 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 alone And that in general which is ascribed unto him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exinanition or Self-emptiness he emptied himself This the Ancient Church called his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we do his Condescention an Act of which kind in God is called the 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 concrite 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 lofty 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 i◠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-sufficient 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-sufficient God alone wants nothing stands in need of nothing nothing can be added unto him seeing he giveth unto all Life and Breath and althings 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-sufficiency 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-Humiliation 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 restifieth 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 Nature 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 Essence 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 that 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 ever 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 stumbling Stone and a Rock of Offence unto the World If we should confess him only as a Prophet a Man sent by God there would not be much Contest about him not 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 on 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 Angels 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 from 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 his Mystery because it was necessary unto the end he 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
Eternal Admiration we walk in darkness It is the most ineffable Effect of Divine Wisdom and Grace Where are our Hearts and Minds if we can see no Glory in it I know in the Contemplation of it it will quickly overwhelm our Reason and bring our Understanding into a loss But unto this loss do I desire to be brought every day For when Faith can no more act it self in Comprehension when it finds the Object it is fixed on too great and glorious to be brought into our Minds and Capacities it will issue as we said before in holy Admiration humble Adoration and joyful Thanksgiving In and by its actings in them doth it fill the soul with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory CHAP. V. The Glory of Christ in his Love IN the Susception and Discharge of the Mediatory Office by the Son of God the Scripture doth most eminently represent his Love as the sole impelling and leading cause thereof Gal. 2. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 16. Rev. 1. 5. HEREIN is he glorious in a way and manner incomprehensible For in the Glory of Divine Love the chief Brightness of Glory doth consist There is nothing of Dread or Terror accompanying it nothing but what is amiable and infinitely refreshing Now that we may take a view of the Glory of Christ herein by Faith the Nature of it must be enquired into 1. THE Eternal Disposing Cause of the whole work wherein the Lord Christ was engaged by the Susception of this Office for the Redemption and Salvation of the Church is the Love of the Father Hereunto it is constantly ascribed in the Scripture And this Love of the Father acted it self in his Eternal Decrees before the foundation of the world Eph. 1. 4. and afterwards in the sending of his Son to render it effectual Joh. 3. 16. Originally it is his Eternal Election of a Portion of mankind to be brought unto the enjoyment of himself through the Mystery of the Blood of Christ and the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes. 2. 13 16. 1 Ephes. 1. 4 5 6 7 8 9. 1 Pet. 1. 2. THIS Eternal Act of the Will of God the Father doth not contain in it an actual approbation of and complacency in the state and condition of those that are elected but only designeth that for them on the Account whereof they shall be accepted and approved And it is called his Love on sundry Accounts 1. BECAUSE it is an act suited unto that glorious Excellency of his Nature wherein he is Love for God is Love 1 John 4. 8 9. And the first Egress of the Divine Properties must therefore be in an act of communicative Love And whereas this Election being an Eternal Act of the Will of God can have no moving cause but what is in himself if we could look into all the Treasures of the Divine Excellencies we should find none whereunto it could be so properly ascribed as unto Love Wherefore 2. IT is stiled Love because it was free and undeserved as unto any thing on our part For whatever good is done unto any altogether undeserved if it be with a design of their Profit and Advantage it is in an Act of Love and can have no other cause So is it with us in respect of Eternal Election There was nothing in us nothing foreseen as that which from our selves would be in us that should any way move the Will of God unto this Election For whatever is good in the best of men is an effect of it Ephes. 1. 4. Whereas therefore it tends unto our eternal Good the spring of it must be Love And 3. THE Fruits or Effects of it are inconceivable Acts of Love It is by multiplied Acts of Love that it is made effectual John 3. 16. Jerem. 31. 5. Eph. 1. 3 4 5 6. 1 John 4. 8 9 16. THIS is the Eternal Spring which is derived unto the Church through the Mediation of Christ. Wherefore that which put all the Design of this Eternal Love of the 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 recoverable 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 do 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 fails 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 of it that I can conceive and less than that very little that I can express Yet may it be my duty to excite not only my self but others also unto due Enquiries after it unto which End I offer the things ensuing 1. LABOUR that your minds may continually be fitted and prepared for stch Heavenly Contemplations If they are carnal and sensual or filled with earthly things a due sense of this Love of Christ and its Glory will not abide in them Vertue and Vice in their highest Degrees are not more diametrically opposite and inconsistent in the same mind than are an habitual Course of sensual worldly Thoughts and a due Contemplation of the Glory of the Love of Christ Yea an earnestness of Spirit pregnant with a multitude of Thoughts about the lawful Occasions of Life is obstructive of all due Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ herein FEW there are whose Minds are prepared in a due Manner for this Duty The Actions and Communications of the most evidence what is the inward Frame of their Souls They rove up and down in their Thoughts which are continually lead by their Affections into the Corners of the Earth It is in vain to call such Persons unto Contemplations of the Glory of Christ in his Love An holy Composure of Mind by virtue of spiritual principles an Inclination to seek after Refreshment in Heavenly Things and to bath the Soul in the Fountain of them with constant Apprehensions of the Excellency of this Divine Glory are required hereunto 2. BE not satisfied with General Notions concerning the Love of Christ which represent no Glory unto the Mind wherewith many deceive themselves All who believe his divine Person profess a Valuation of his Love and think them not Christians who are otherwise minded But they have only General Notions and not any distinct Conceptions of it and really know not what it is To deliver us from this Snare peculiar Meditations on its principal Concerns are required of us As 1. WHOSE Love it is namely of the divine Person of the Son of God He is expresly called God with respect unto the Exercise of this Love that we may always consider whose it is 1 Job 3. 16. Hereby we perceive the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us 2. BY what Ways and Means this wonderful Love of the Son of God doth act it self namely in the divine Nature by Eternal Acts of Wisdom Goodness and Grace proper thereunto and in the humane by Temporary Acts of Pity or Compassion with all the Fruits of them in doing and suffering for us see Ephes. 3. 19. Heb. 2. 14 15. Rev. 1. 5. 3. WHAT is the Freedom of it as unto any desert on our Part 1 Joh. 4. 10. It was Hatred not Love that we in our selves deserved which is a Consideration suited to fill the Soul with self-abasement the best of Frames in the contemplation of the Glory of Christ. 4. WHAT is the Efficacy of it in
26. The same is frequently expressed elsewhere Rom. 14. 9. Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. So much as we know of Christ his Sufferings and his Glory so much do we understand of the Scripture and no more THESE are the Two Heads of the Mediation of Christ and his Kingdom and this is their Order which they communicate unto the Church first Sufferings and then Glory If we suffer we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2. 12. They do but deceive themselves who design any other Method of these things Some would reign here in this World and we may say with the Apostle would you did reign that we might reign with you But the Members of the mystical Body must be conformed unto the Head In him Sufferings went before Glory and so they must in them The Order in the Kingdom of Satan and the Word is contrary hereunto First the Good Things of this Life and then Eternal Misery is the Method of that Kingdom Luk. 16. 25. THESE are the two Springs of the Salvation of the Church the two anointed ones that stand before the Lord of the whole Earth from which all the golden Oyl whereby the Church is dedicated unto God and sanctified doth flow This Glory of Christ in his Exaltation which followed on his Sufferings is that which we now enquire into And we shall state our Apprehensions of it in the ensuing Observations 1. THIS is peculiarly that Glory which the Lord Christ prays that his Disciples may be where he is to behold it It is not solely so as it is considered absolutely but it is that wherein all the other Parts of his Glory are made manifest It is the Evidence the Pledge the Means of the Manifestation of them all As unto all the Instances of his Glory before insisted on there was a Vail drawn over them whilst he was in this World Hence the most saw nothing of it and the best saw it but obscurely But in this Glory that Vail is taken off whereby the whole Glory of his Person in it self and in the Work of Mediation is most illustriously manifested When we shall immediately behold this Glory we shall see him as he is This is that Glory whereof the Father made grant unto him before the Foundation of the World and wherewith he was actually invested upon his Ascention 2. BY this Glory of Christ I do not understand the Essential Glory of his Divine Nature or his being absolutely in his own Person over all God blessed for ever But the manifestation of this Glory in particular after it had been vailed in this World under the Form of a Servant belongs hereunto The Divine Glory of Christ in his Person belongs not unto his Exaltation but the Manifestation of it doth so It was not given him by free Donation but the Declaration of it unto the Church of Angels and Men after his Humiliation was so He left it not whilst he was in this World but the direct Evidence and Declaration of it he laid aside until he was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the Dead WHEN the Sun is under a total Eclipse he loseth nothing of his Native Beauty Light and Glory He is still the same that he was from the beginning a great Light to rule the Day To us he appears as a dark useless Meteor but when he comes by his course to free himself from the Lunar Interposition unto his proper Aspect towards us he manifests again his Native Light and Glory So was it with the Divine Nature of Christ as we have before declared He vailed the Glory of it by the Interposition of the Flesh or the Assumption of our Nature to be his own with this Addition that therein he took on him the Form of a Servant of a Person of mean and low Degree But this temporary Eclipse being past and over it now shines forth in its Infinite Lustre and Beauty which belongs unto the present Exaltation of his Person And when those who beheld him here as a poor sorrowful persecuted Man dying on the Cross came to see him 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 furmise 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 Estential 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
of sins Act. 5. 30. 31. If we have any valuation of his Love if we have any concernment in what he hath done and suffered for the Church we cannot but rejoyce in his present State and Glory LET the World rage whilest it pleaseth let it set it self with all its Power and Craft against every thing of Christ that is in it which whatever is by some otherwise pretended proceeds from an hatred unto his Person Let Men make themselves drunk with the blood of his Saints we have this to oppose unto all their attempts unto our supportment Namely what he says of himself Fear not I am the first and the last he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore and have the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1. 16 18. BLESSED Jesus We can add nothing to thee nothing to thy Glory but it is a Joy of heart unto us that thou art what thou art that thou art so gloriously exalted at the right hand of God and do long more fully and clearly to behold that Glory according to thy Prayer and Promise CHAP. VIII Representations of the Glory of Christ under the Old Testament IT is said of our Lord Jesus Christ that beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he declared unto his Disciples in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luk. 24. 27. It is therefore manifest that Moses and the Prophets and all the Scriptures do give Testimony unto him and his Glory This is the line of Life and Light which runs through the whole Old Testament without the conduct whereof we can understand nothing aright therein And the neglect hereof is that which makes many as blind in reading the Books of it as are the Jews the same vail being upon their minds It is Faith alone discovering the Glory of Christ that can remove that vail of darkness which covers the minds of men in reading the Old Testament as the Apostle declares 2 Cor. 3. 14 15 16. I shall therefore consider briefly some of those ways and means whereby the glory of Christ was represented unto Believers under the Old Testament 1. IT was so in the Institution of the Beautiful Worship of the Law with all the means of it Herein have they the Advantage above all the splendid Ceremonies that men can invent in the outward worship of God they were designed and framed in Divine Wisdom to represent the Glory of Christ in his Person and his Office This nothing of Human Invention can do or once pretend unto Men cannot create Mysteries nor give unto any thing natural in it self a Mystical signification But so it was in the Old Divine Institutions What were the Tabernacle and Temple What was the Holy Place with the Utensils of it What was the Oracle the Ark the Cherubims the Mercy-Seat placed therein What was the High-Priest in all his Vestments and Administrations What were the Sacrifices and annual sprinkling of Blood in the most Holy Place What was the most whole Systeme of their Religious Worship Were there any thing but Representations of Christ in the Glory of his Person and his Office They were a Shadow and the Body represented by that shadow was Christ. If any would see how the Lord Christ was in particular foresignified and represented in them he may peruse our Exposition on the ninth Chapter of the Epistle unto the Hebrews where it is handled so at large as that I shall not here again insist upon it The Sum is Moses was faithful in all the House of God for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken afterwards Heb. 3. 5. All that Moses did in the erection of the Tabernacle and the institution of all its services was but to give an antecedent Testimony by way of Representation unto the Things of Christ that were aftewards to be revealed And that also was the substance of the Ministry of the Prophets 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. The dark apprehensions of the Glory of Christ which 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 Propheticat 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. Unto 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 way or manner of its accomplishment But now when every word of it is explained declared and its Mystical Sence visibly laid open unto us in the Gospel and by the accomplishment exactly answering every expression in it it is Judicial Blindness not to receive it Nothing but the Satanical Pride of the hearts of men which will admit of no effects of Infinite Wisdom but what they suppose they can comprehend can shut their eyes against the Light of this Truth 6. PROMISES Prophesies Praedictions concerning his Person his coming his Office his Kingdom and his Glory in them all with the Wisdom Grace and Love of God to the Church in him are the Line of Life as was said which runs through all the Writings of the Old Testament and take up a great portion of them Those were the things which he expounded unto his Disciples out of Moses and all the Prophets Concerning these things he appealed to the Scriptures against all his adversaries Search the Scriptures for they are they that testifie of me And if we find them not if we discern them not therein it is because a vail of Blindness is over our minds Nor can we read study or meditate on the Writings of the Old Testament unto any Advantage unless we design to find out and behold the Glory of Christ declared and represented in them For want hereof they are a sealed book to many unto this day 7. IT is usual in the Old Testament to set out the Glory of Christ under Metaphorical Expressions yea it aboundeth therein For such Allusions are exceedingly suited to let in a sense into our minds of those things which we cannot distinctly comprehend And there is an Infinite Condescention of Divine Wisdom in their way of Instruction Representing unto us the Power of Things Spiritual in what we naturally discern Instances of this kind in calling the Lord Christ by the Names of those Creatures which unto our senses represent that Excellency which is spiritually in him are innumerable So he is called the Rose for the sweet savour of his Love Grace and Obedience the Lilly for his gracious Beauty and Amiableness the Pearl of Price for his worth for to them that believe he is precious the Vine for his fruitfulness the Lion for his Power The Lamb for his Meekness and Fitness for Sacrifice with other things of the like kind almost innumerable THESE Things have I mentioned not with any design to search into the depth of this Treasury of those Divine Truths concerning the Glory of Christ but only to give a little Light unto the words of the Evangelist that he opened unto his disciples out of Moses and all the Prophets the things which concerned himself and to stir up our own souls unto a contemplation of them as contained therein CHAP. IX The Glory of Christ in his intimate Conjunction with the Church VVHAT concerns the Glory of Christ in the Mission of the Holy Ghost unto the Church with all the Divine
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 unto 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.
the essence of God What that is we cannot well conceive only we know that the pure in heart shall see God But it hath such an immediate connexion with it and subordination unto it as that without it we can never behold the face of God as the objective blessedness of our Souls For he is and shall be to eternity the only means of Communication between God and the Church AND we may take some Direction in our looking into and longing after this perfect view of the Glory of Christ from the example of the Saints under the Old Testament The sight which they had of the Glory of Christ for they also saw his Glory through the obscurity of its Revelation and its being vailed with types and shadows was weak and imperfect in the most illuminated believers much inferior unto what we now have by faith through the Gospel Yet such it was as encouraged them to enquire and search diligently into what was revealed 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. Howbeit their discoveries were but dark and confused such as Men have of things at a great distance or in a Land that is very far off as the Prophet speaks Isa. 33. 16. And the continuance of this Vail on the Revelation of the Glory of Christ whilst a Vail of Ignorance and Blindness was upon their Hearts and Minds proved the ruin of that Church in its Apostacy as the Apostle declares 2 Cor. 3. 7 13 14. This double vail the covering covered the vail vailed God promised to take away Isa. 25. 7. And then shall they turn to the Lord when they shall be able clearly to behold the Glory of Christ 2 Cor. 3. 16. BUT this caused them who were real Believers among them to desire long and pray for the removal of these Vails the Departure of those shadows which made it as Night unto them in comparison of what they knew would appear when the Sun of Righteousness should arise with healing in his Wings They thought it long ere the day did break and the shadows flee away Cant. 2. 17. Chap. 4. 6. There was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8. 19. A thrusting forth of the head with desire and expectation of the exhibition of the Son of God in the flesh and the accomplishment of all divine promises therein Hence he was called the Lord whom they sought and delighted in Mal. 3. 1. AND great was the spiritual Wisdom of believers in those days They rejoyced and gloried in the Ordinances of Divine Worship which they did enjoy They looked on them as their chiefest priviledge and attended unto them with diligence as an effect of Divine Wisdom and Love as also because they had a shadow of good things to come But yet at the same time they longed and desired that the time of Reformation were come wherein they should all be removed that so they might behold and enjoy the good things signified by them And those who did not so but rested in and trusted unto their present Institutions were not accepted with God Those who were really illuminated did not so but lived in constant desires after the revelation of the whole Mystery of the Wisdom of God in Christ as did the Angels themselves 1 Pet. 1. 3. Ephes. 3. 9 10. IN this frame of heart and suitable actings of their Souls there was more of the power of true faith and love than is found among the most at this day They saw the promises afar off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them Heb. 11. 13. They reached out the arms of their most intent Affections to embrace the Things that were promised We have an instance of this frame in Old Simeon who so soon as he had taken the Child Jesus in his Arms cryed out Now Lord let me depart now let me dye this is that which my Soul hath longed for Luk. 2. 28 29. OUR present darkness and weakness in beholding the Glory of Christ is not like theirs It is not occasioned by a vail of Types and Shadows cast on it by the Representative 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 excelient Glory nor fully to comprehend it Secondly from the way of its proposal which is not substantial of the thing it self but only of an Image of it as in a Glass But the sight 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 Interposition 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