and Divine Ways of its manifestation those who know not Christ know nothing of them and many things in Providence do interpose to hinder our view of this Love for although that indeed God is Love yet his wrath is revealed from Heaven against the ungodliness of Men As all things at this day are filled with Evidences of his anger and displeasure How then shall we know wherein shall we behold the Glory of God in this that he is Love The Apostle declares it in the next words ver 9. Herein was manifest the love of God towards us because God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him This is the only Evidence given us that God is Love Hereby alone is the Divine Nature as such made known unto us namely in the Mission Person and Office of the Son of God Without this all is in Darkness as unto the true Nature and supream Operation of this Divine Love HEREIN do we behold the Glory of Christ himself even in this life This Glory was given him of the Father Namely That he now should declare and evidence that God is Love and he did so that in all things he might have the Preheminence Herein we may see how Excellent how Beautiful how Glorious and Desirable he is seeing in him alone we have a due Representation of God as he is Love which is the most joyful Sight of God that any Creature can obtain He who beholds not the Glory of Christ herein is utterly ignorant of those Heavenly Mysteries he knoweth neither God nor Christ he hath neither the Father nor the Son He knows not God because he knows not the holy Properties of his Nature in the Principal way designed by infinite Wisdom for their Manifestation he knows not Christ because he sees not the Glory of God in him Wherefore whatever Notions Men may have from the Light of Nature or from the Works of Providence that there is Love in God however they may adorn them in elegant affecting Expressions Yet from them no Man can know that God is Love In the Revelation hereof Christ hath the Preeminence nor caâ— any Man comprehend any thing of it aright but in him It is that which the whole Light of the Creation cannot discover for it is the Spring and Center of the Mystery of Godliness THESE things are of the deep things of God such as belong unto that Wisdom of God in a Mystery which they that are Carnal cannot receive as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the meanest Believer who lives in the Exercise of Faith may have an Understanding of them so far as is needful unto his Love and Obedience The Sum of the whole is this if you would behold the Glory of Christ as the great Means of your Sanctification and Consolation as the only Preparation for the beholding of his Glory in Eternal Blessedness Consider what of God is made known and represented unto you in him wherein God purposed and designed to glorifie himself in him Now this is all that may be known of God in a saving manner especially his Wisdom his Love his Goodness Grace and Mercy whereon the Life of our Souls doth depend And the Lord Christ being appointed the only Way and Means hereof how exceeding glorious must he be in the Eyes of them that do believe THESE things being promised I shall close this first Consideration of that Glory of Christ which we behold by Faith in this World with some such Observations as may excite us unto the Practise of this great Duty and Improvement of this great Priviledge the greatest which on this side Heaven we can be made Partakers of THERE are some who regard not these things at all but rather despise them They never entertain any serious thoughts of obtaining a View of the Glory of God in Christ which is to be Unbelievers They look on him as a Teacher that came forth from God to reveal his Will and to teach us his Worship and so indeed he was But this they say was the sole use of his Person in Religion which is Mahumetism The Manifestation of all the holy Properties of the Divine Nature with the Representation of them unto Angels above and the Church in this World as he is the Image of the incisible God in the Constitution of his Person and the Discharge of his Office are things they regard not yea they despise and scorn what is professed concerning them for Pride and Contempt of others were always the safest Covert of Ignorance otherwise it would seem strange that Men should openly boast of their own Blindness But these Conceptions of Mens Minds are influenced by that Unbelief of his Divine Person which maketh havock of Christianity at this Day in the World I speak of them whose minds are better disposed towards heavenly things and unto them I say Wherefore do you love Jesus Christ for so you profess to do Wherefore do you trust in him Wherefore do you honour him Wherefore do you desire to be in Heaven with him Can you give a reason of this hope that is in you An account why you do all or any of these things If you cannot all that you pretend towards him is but fancy and imagination you fight uncertainly as men beating the air or is one of your reasons hereof That in him you do by Faith behold that glory of God with the Holy Properties of his Nature and their Principal Operations in order unto your own Salvation and Blessedness which otherwise would have been eternally hid from you Hereon is he precious unto them that do believe LET us therefore as many as are spiritual be thus minded Let us make use of this Priviledge with rejoycing and be found in the discharge of this Duty with diligence For thus to behold the glory of Christ is both our priviledge and our duty The duties of the Law were a burthen and a yoke but those of the Gospel are Priviledges and Advantages IT is a Promise concerning the days of the New Testament that our eyes shall see the King in his beauty Isa. 33 17. We shall behold the Glory of Christ in its Lustre and Excellency What is this Beauty of the King of Saints Is it not that God is in him and he is the great representative of his Glory unto us Wherefore in the contemplation of this Glory consists the principal exercise of Faith And who can declare the Glory of this Priviledge That we who are born in Darkness and deserved to be cast out into utter Darkness should be translated into this marvellous Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. WHAT are all the stained Glories the fading Beauties of this World Of all that the Devil shewed our Saviour from the Mount What are they in comparison of one View of the Glory of God represented in Christ and of the Glory of Christ as his great Representative
the Divine Nature Infinite Being and Goodness in a Nature intelligent and self-subsistent So the Apostle declares it He that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder Heb. 11. 6. 2. IN this State of Infinite Eternal Being and Goodness antecedent unto any Act of Wisdom or Power without himself to give Existence unto other Things God was and is eternally in himself all that he will be all that he can be unto Eternity For where there is Infinite Being and Infinite Goodness there is Infinite Blessedness and Happiness whereunto nothing can be added God is always the same That is his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 102. 27. Thou art he always the same All things that are make no addition unto God no change in his State His Blessedness Happiness Self-satisfaction as well as all other his Infinite Perfections were absolutely the same before the Creation of any thing whilst there was nothing but himself as they are since he hath made all things For the Blessedness of God consists in the ineffable mutual Inbeing of the Three holy Persons in the same Nature with the immanent reciprocal Actings of the Father and the Son in the eternal Love and Complacency of the Spirit Hereunto nothing can be added herein no Change can be made by any external Work or Effect of Power Herein doth God act in the perfect Knowledge and perfect Love of his own Perfections unto an infinite Acquiescency therein which is the Divine Blessedness This gives us the true Notion of the Divine Nature antecedent unto the Manifestation of it made by any outward Effects Infinite Being and Goodness eternally blessed in the Knowledge and Enjoyment of it self by inconceivable ineffable internal Actings answering the manner of its Subsistence which is in three distinct Persons 3. THIS Being and Goodness of God by his own Will and Pleasure acting themselves in Infinite Wisdom and Power produced the Creation of all things Herein he communicated a finite limited dependent Being and Goodness unto other things without himself For all Being and Goodness being as was said in him alone it was necessary that the first outward Work and Effect of the Divine Nature must be the Communication of Being and Goodness into other things Wherefore as when he had given unto every thing its Being out of nothing by the Word of his Power saying Let them be and they were so it is said that he looked on all that he had made and behold they were exceeding good Gen. 1. last Being and Goodness must be the first outward Effects of the Divine Nature which being wrought by Infinite Power and Wisdom do represent unto us the Glory of God in the Creation of all things Infinite Being in Self-subsistence which is necessary in the first Cause and Spring of all things Infinite Goodness to communicate the Effect of this Being unto that which was not and Infinite Wisdom and Power in that Communication are gloriously manifested therein 4. IN this State all things that were made depended immediately on God himself without the Interposition of any other Head of Influence or Rule They had the Continuance of their Being and its Preservation from the immediate Actings of these Properties of the Divine Nature whereby they were made and their Dependance on God was by Vertue of that Law which was implanted on the Principles and Powers of their several Natures by God himself 5. THUS in the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth He provided himself of two distinct Rational Families that should depend on him according to a Law of Moral Obedience and thereby give Glory to him with two distinct Habitations for them cognate unto their Nature and Use Heaven above and the Earth beneath The Earth he appointed for the Habitation of Man which was every way suited unto the Constitution of his Nature the Preservation of his Being and the End of his Creation in giving Glory to God Heaven he prepared for the Habitation of the Angels which was suited unto the Constitution of their Nature the Preservation of their Being and the End of their Creation in giving Glory to God Wherefore as Man had Power and Dominion over all things here below and was to use them all unto the Glory of God by which means God received Glory from them also though in themselves bruit and inanimate so the Angels had the like Dominion over the Coelestial and Aetherial Bodies wherewith God had fitted the Place of their Habitation that through the Contemplation and Use of them God might have a Revenue of Glory and Praise from them also To suppose any other Race of Intellectual Creatures besides Angels in Heaven and Men on Earth is not only without all Countenance from any Divine Testimony but it disturbs and disorders the whole Representation of the Glory of God made unto us in the Scripture and the whole Design of his Wisdom and Grace as declared therein Intellectual Creatures not comprehended in that Government of God and Mystery of his Wisdom in Christ which the Scripture Reveals are a Chimera framed in the Imaginations of some Men scarce duly sensible of what it is to be wise unto Sobriety 6. THIS Order of things was beautiful and comely Hence were they all said to be exceeding good For each of these Families had their own immediate distinct Dependance on God He was the immediate Head of them There was no other common Head interposed between God and them They were not an Head unto one another There were no Communications unto them but what were immediate from God himself And their Union among themselves was in this alone that all their Obedience did meet and center in God So God made the Heavens and the Earth and two distinct Families in them for himself 7. THIS beautiful Order in it self this Union between the two Families of God was disturbed broken dissolved by the Entrance of Sin For hereby part of the Family above and the whole Family below fell off from their Dependance on God and ceasing to center in him as their Head they fell into Variance and Enmity among themselves For the Center of this Union and Order being removed and lost nothing but Enmity and Confusion remained among them Hereon to shew that its Goodness was lost God cursed the Earth and all that was in it for it was put in Subjection unto Man who was now fallen from him Howbeit he cursed not the Heavens which were in Subjection unto the Angels because some of them only left their Habitation and the Habitation of the Residue was not to be cursed for their Sakes But Mankind was wholly gone off from God 8. THE Angels that sinned God utterly rejected for ever as an Example of his Severity the whole Race of Mankind he would not utterly cast off but determined to recover and save a Remnant according to the Election of Grace which how he did it in a way of Condecency unto all his Divine
Wisdom unites both the Natures he had sinned against in the one Person of the Son who was the first Object of his Pride and Malice Hereby his Destruction is attended with Everâ—â—sting Shame in the Discovery of his Folly wherein he would have contended with infinite Wisdom as well as Misery by the Powers of the two Natures united in one Person HERE lies the Foundation of the Church The Foundation of the whole Old Creation was laid in an Act of absolute Soveraign Power Hereby God hanged the Earth upon nothing But the Foundation of the Church is on this Mysterious immoveable Rock Thou art Christ the Son of the living God on the most intimate Conjunction of the two Natures the Divine and Humane in themselves infinitely distant in the same Person WE may name one place wherein it is gloriously represented unto us Isa. 9. 6. For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be on his Shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Here must the whole Church fall down and worship the Author of this wonderful Contrivance and captivating their Understandings unto the Obedience of Faith humbly adore what they cannot comprehend THIS was obscurly represented unto the Church of old Exo. 3. 2 3 4 5 6. And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a Flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the Bush burned with Fire and the Bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great Sight why the Bush is not burnt And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the Bush and said Moses Moses and he said here am I. And he said draw not nigh hither â—ut of thy Shooes from off thy Feet for the Place whereon thou standest is holy Ground Moreover he said I am the God of â—hy Fathers the God of Abraham c. THIS Fire was a Type or Declaration of the Presence of God in the Person of the Son For with respect unto the Father he is called an Angel the Angel of the Covenant but absolutely in himself he was Jehovah the God of Abraham c. And of his Presence the Fire was a proper Representation For in his Nature he is as a Consuming Fire and his present Work was the Delivery of â—he Church out of a Fiery Tryal This Fâ—â—e placed it self in a Bush where it burned but the Bush was not consumed And although the Continuance of the Fire in the Bush was but for a short season a present Appearance yet thence was God said to dwell in the Bush The good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Deut. 33. 16. And this is so spoken because the being of the Fire in the Bush for a season was a Type of him in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily and that for ever Col. 2. 9. Of him who was made flesh and dwelt among us Joh. 1. 14. The Eternal Fire of the Divine Nature dwells in the Bush of our frail Nature yet is not consumed thereby God thus dwells in this Bush with all his Good will towards Sinners MOSES looked on this sight as a marvellous and wondrous thing And if it were so in the Type what is it in the Truth Substance and Reality of it AND by Direction given unto him to put off his shooes we are taught to cast away all fleshly Imaginations and carnal Affections that by pure Acts of Faith we may behold this Glory the Glory of the only begotten of the Father I DESIGN not here to insist on the Explication or Confirmation of this glorious Truth concerning the constitution of the Person of Christ in and by his Incarnation What I can comprehend what I do believe concerning it I have fully declared in a large peculiar Treatise Here I take the Truth it self as known or as it may be thence learned My present Business is only to stir up the Minds of Believers unto a due Contemplation of the Glory of Christ in the sacred Mysterious Constitution of his Person as God and Man in one So much as we abide herein so much do we live by the Faith of the Son of God and God can by a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation open the Eyes of our Understandings that we may behold this Glory unto our ineffable Consolation and Joy And unto the diligent Discharge of our Duty herein I shall offer the ensuing Directions 1. LET us get it fixed on our Souls and in our Minds that this Glory of Christ in the Divine Constitution of his Person is the best the most noble useful beneficial Object that we can be conversant about in our Thoughts or or cleave unto in our Affections What are all other things in comparison of the Knowledge of Christ In the Judgment of the great Apostle they are but Loss and Dung Phil. 3. 8 9 10. So they were to him and if they are not so to us we are carnal WHAT is the World and what are the things thereof which most men spend their Thoughts about and fix their Affections on The Psalmist gives his Judgment about them in comparison of a View of this Glory of Christ Psal. 4. 6. Many say who will shew us any good Who will give and help us to attain so much in and of this World as will give Rest and Satisfaction unto our Minds That is the good enquired after But saith he Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon us The Light of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus is that satisfactory Good alone which I desire and seek after THE Scripture reproacheth the Vanity and Folly of the Minds of Men in that they spend their Money for that which is not Bread and their Labour for that which profiteth not They ingage the Vigor of their Spirits about perishing things when they have durable Substance and Riches proposed unto them HOW do Men for the most part exercise their Minds What are they conversant about in their Thoughts SOME by them make provision for the flesh to fulfil it in the Lusts thereof as Rom. 13. 14. They search about continually in their Thoughts for Objects suited unto their Lusts and carnal Affections coyning framing and stamping of them in their Imaginations They fix their Eyes with delight on Toads and Serpents with all noisome filthy Objects refusing in the mean time to behold the Beauty and Glory of the Light of the Sun So is it with all that spend their Thoughts about the Objects of their sinful Pleasures refusing to look up after one view of this Glory of Christ. SOME keep their Thoughts in continual Exercise about the Things of this World as unto the Advantages and Emoluments which they expect from them Hereby are they transformed into the Image of the World becoming earthly carnal
not change it into a thing Divine and Spiritual but preserved it entire in all its Essential Properties and Actings Hence it really did and suffered was tried tempted and forsaken as the same Nature in any other Man might do and be That Nature as it was peculiarly his and therefore he or his Person therein was exposed unto all the temporary Evils which the same Nature is subject unto in any other Person THIS is a short general View of this incomprehensible Condescention of the Son of God as it is described by the Apostle Pil. 2. 5 6 7 8. And this is that wherein in an especial manner we are to behold the Glory of Christ by Faith whilst we are in this World BUT had we the Tongue of Men and Angles we were not able in just measure to express the Glory of this Condescention For it is the most ineffable Effect of the Divine Wisdom of the Father and of the Love of the Son the highest Evidence of the Care of God towards Mankind What can be equal unto it What can be like it It is the Glory of Christian Religion and the animating Soul of all Evangelical Truth This carryeth the Mystery of the Wisdom of God above the Reason or Understanding of Men and Angels to be the Object of Faith and Admiration only A Mystery it is that becomes the Greatness of God with his Infinite Distance form the whole Creation which renders it unbecoming him that all his Ways and Works should be comprehensible by any of his Creatures Job 11. 4 5 9. Rom. 11. 34 35 36. HE who was eternally in the Form of God that is was essentially so God by Nature equally participant of the same Divine Nature with God the Father God over all blessed for ever who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth he takes on him the Nature of Man takes it to be his own whereby he was no less truly a Man in time than he was truly God from Eternity And to encrease the Wonder of this Mystery because it was necessary unto the end the designed he so humbled himself in this Assumption of our Nature as to make himself of no Reputation in this World yea unto that Degree that he said of himself that he was a Worm and no Man in comparison of them who were of any Esteem WE speak of these things in a poor low broken manner We teach them as they are revealed in the Scripture We labour by Faith to adhere unto them as revealed But when we come into a steady direct View and Consideration of the thing it self our Minds fail our Hearts tremble and we can find no rest but in an Holy Admiration of what we cannot comprehend Here we are at a loss and know that we shall be so whilst we are in this World But all the ineffable Fruits and Benefits of this Truth are communicated unto them that do believe IT is with reference hereunto that that great Promise concerning him is given unto the Church Isa. 8. 14. He shall be for a Sanctuary namely unto all that believe as it is expounded 1 Pet. 2. 8. but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them that stumble at the Word being disobedient whereunto also they were appointed HE is herein a Sanctuary an assured Refuge unto all that betake themselves unto him What is it that any Man in distress who flies thereunto may look for in a Sanctuary A Supply of all his Wants a Deliverance from all his Fears a Defence against all his Dangers is proposed unto him therein Such is the Lord Christ herein unto sin-distressed Souls he is a Refuge unto us in all spiritual Distresses and Disconsolations Heb. 6. 18. See the Exposition of the Place Are we or any of us burdened with a Sense of Sin Are we perplexed with Temptations Are we bowed down under the Oppression of any Spiritual Adversary Do we on any of these accounts walk in Darkness and have no Light One View of the Glory of Christ herein is able to support us and relieve us UNTO whom we betake our selves for Relief in any case we have regard to nothing but their Will and their Power If they have both we are sure of Relief And what shall we fear in the Will of Christ as unto this end What will he not do for us He who thus emptied and humbled himself who so infinitely condescended from the Prerogative of his Glory in his Being and Self-sufficiency in the Susception of our Nature for the Discharge of the Office of a Mediator on our Behalf will he not relieve us in all our Distresses Will he not do all for us we stand in need of that we may be eternally saved Will he not be a Sanctuary unto us NOR have we hereon any Ground to fear his Power For by this infinite Condescention to be a suffering Man he lost nothing of his Power as God Omnipotent nothing of his Infinite Wisdom or glorious Grace He could still do all that he could do as God from Eternity If there be any thing therefore in a Coalescency of Infinite Power with Infinite Condescention to constitute a Sanctuary for distressed Sinners it is all in Christ Jesus And if we see him not glorious herein it is because there is no Light of Faith in us THIS then is the Rest wherewith we may cause the weary to rest and this is the Refreshment Herein is he an hiding place from the Wind and a Covert from the Tempest as Rivers of Water in a dry place and as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Hereon he says I have satiated the weary soul and have refreshed every sorrowful soul. Under this Consideration it is that in all Evangelical Promises and Invitations for coming to him he is proposed unto distressed Sinners as their only Sanctuary HEREIN he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence unto the unbelieving and disobedient who stumble at the Word They cannot they will not see the Glory of this Condescention they neither desire nor labour so to do yea they hate it and despise it Christ in it is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence unto them Wherefore they chuse rather utterly to deny his Divine Person than allow that he did thus abase himself for our Sakes Rather than they will own this Glory they will allow him no Glory A Man they say he was and no more and this was his Glory This is that Principle of Darkness and Unbelief which works effectually at this day in the Minds of many They think it an absurd thing as the Jews did of old that he being a man should be God also or on the other hand that the Son of God should thus condescend to take our Nature on him This they can see no Glory in no Relief no Refuge no Refreshment unto their souls in any of their Distresses Therefore do they deny his Divine
this mutual Dependency on and Supplies unto one another they all depend on and are influenced from God himself the Eternal Fountain of Being Power and Goodness He hears the Heavens and in the Continuation of this Order by constant Divine Communication of Being Goodness and Power unto all Things God is no less glorified than in the first Creation of them Act. 14. 15 16 17. Chap. 17. 24 25 26 27 28 29. 5. THIS Glory of God is visible in the Matter of it and is obvious unto the Reason of Mankind for from his Works of Creation and Providence they may learn his Eternal Power and Godhead wherein he is essentially glorious 6. BUT by this divine Communication God did not intend only to glorifie himself in the essential Properties of his Nature but his Existence also in Three Persons of Father Son and Spirit For although the whole Creation in its first framing and in its Perfection was and is by an Emanation of Power and Goodness from the Divine Nature in the Person of the Father as he is the Fountain of the Trinity whence he is said peculiarly to be the Creator of all things yet the immediate Operation in the Creation was from the Son the Power and Wisdom of the Father Joh. 1. 1 2 3. Col. 1. 16. Heb. 1. 3. And as upon the first Production of the Mass of the Creation it was under the especial care of the Spirit of God to preserve and cherish it unto the production of all distinct sorts of Creatures Gen. 1. 2. So in the Continuance of the whole there is an especial Operation of the same Spirit in all things Nothing can subsist one Moment by vertue of the Dependance which all things have on one another without a continual Emanation of Power from him see Psal. 104. 29 30. BY these divine Communications in the production and preservation of the Creature doth God manifest his Glory and by them alone in the way of Nature he doth so and without them although he would have been for ever essentially glorious yet was it impossible that his Glory should be known unto any but himself Wherefore on these divine Communications doth depend the whole Maninifestation of the Glory of God But this is far more eminent though not in the outward Effects of it so visible in the new Creation as we shall see 1. ALL Goodness Grace Life Light Mercy and Power which are the Springs and Causes of the New Creation are all originally in God in the divine Nature and that infinitely and essentially In them is God eternally or essentially glorious and the whole Design of the New Creation was to manifest his Glory in them by external Communications of them and from them 2. THE first Communication of and from these things is made unto Christ as the Head of the Church For in the first place it pleased God that in him should all the fulness of these things dwell so as that the whole New Creation might consist in him Col. 1. 17 18 19. And this was the first Egress of divine Wisdom for the Manifestation of the Glory of God in these holy Properties of his Nature For 3. THIS Communication was made unto him as a Repository and Treasury of all that Goodness Grace Life Light Power and Mercy which were necessary for the Constitution and Preservation of the New Creation They were to be laid up in him to be hid in him to dwell in him and from him to be communicated unto the whole Mystical Body designed unto him that is the Church And this is the first Emanation of divine Power and Wisdom for the Manifestation of his Glory in the New Creation This Constitution of Christ as the Head of it and the Treasuring up in him all that was necessary for its Production and Preservation wherein the Church is chosen and preordained in him unto Grace and Glory is the Spring and Fountain of divine Glory in the Communications that ensue thereon 4. THIS Communication unto Christ is 1. Unto his Person and then 2. With respect unto this Office It is in the Person of Christ that all Fulness doth originally dwell On the Assumption of human Nature into personal Union with the Son of God all Fulness dwells in him bodily Col. 2. 9. And thereon receiving the Spirit in all Fulness and not by Measure all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge were hid in him Col. 2. 3. and he was filled with the unsearchable Riches of Divine Grace Ephes. 3. 8 9 10 11. And the Office of Christ is nothing but the way appointed in the Wisdom of God for the Communication of the Treasures of Grece which were communicated unto his Person This is the end of the whole Office of Christ in all the parts of it as he is a Priest a Prophet and a King They are I say nothing but the Ways appointed by infinite Wisdom for the Communication of the Grace laid up in his Person unto the Church The transcendent Glory hereof we have in some weak measure enquired into 5. THE Decree of Election prepared if I may so say the Mass of the New Creation In the oldâ— Creation God first prepared and created the Mass or Matter of the whole which afterwards by the Power of the holy Spirit was formed into all the distinct Beings whereof the whole Creation was to consist and animated according to their distinct Kinds AND in order unto the Production and Perfecting of the Work of the new Creation God did from Eternity in the holy purpose of his Will prepare and in design set apart unto himself that Portion of Mankind whereof it was to consist Hereby they were only the peculiar Matter that was to be wrought upon by the Holy Ghost and the glorious Fabrick of the Church erected out of it What was said it may be of the Natural Body by the Psalmist is true of the Mystical Body of Christ which is principally intended Psal. 139. 15 16. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy Book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them The substance of the Church whereof it was to be formed was under the Eye of God as proposed in the Decree of Election yet was it as such imperfect It was not formed or shaped into Members of the Mystical Body But they were all written in the Book of Life And in pursuance of the Purpose of God there they are by the holy Spirit in the whole course and continuance of time in their several Generations fashioned into the Shape designed for them 6. THIS therefore is herein the glorious Order of divine Communications From the infinite eternal Spring of Widsom Grace Goodness and Love in the Father all the Effects whereof unto his end were treasured up in the Person and
all these things pass by without any further consideration BUT here I must fix with them unto whom I speak at present unless there be a full Conviction in them of the woful deplorable condition of every Soul of whatever Quality Profession Religion outward State it be who is not yet made partaker of Christ all that I have further to add will be of no signification Remember then that the due consideration hereof is unto you in your State your chiefest concernment in this World and be not afraid to take in a full and deep sense of it for if you are really delivered from it and have good Evidence thereof it is nothing unto you but matter of eternal Praise and Thanksgiving And if you are not so it is highly necessary that your Minds should be possessed with due Apprehension of it The work of this Conviction is the first effect of true Religion and the great Abuse of Religion in the World is that a pretence of it deludes the Minds of men to apprehend that it is not necessary for to be of this or that Religion of this or that way in Religion is supposed sufficient to secure the Eternal State of men though they are never convinced of their lost estate by Nature 4. HEREON consider the Infinite Condescention and Love of Christ in his Invitations and Calls of you to come unto him for Life Deliverance Mercy Grace Peace and Eternal Salvation Multitudes of these Invitations and Calls are recorded in the Scripture and they are all of them filled up with those blessed Encouragements which Divine wisdom knows to be suited unto lost convinced Sinners in their present state and condition It were a blessed Contemplation to dwell on the Consideration of the Infinite Condescention Grace and Love of Christ in his Invitations of Sinners to come unto him that they may be saved of that mixture of Wisdom and perswasive Grace that is in them of the force and efficacy of the pleading and Argument that they are accompanied withal as they are recorded in the Scripture but that belongs not to my present Design This I shall only say that in the Declaration and Preaching of them Jesus Christ yet stands before Sinners calling inviting encouraging of them to come unto him THIS is somewhat of the Word which he now speaks unto you Why will ye dye why will ye perish why will you not have compassion on your own Souls Can your Hearts endure or can your hands be strong in the day of Wrath that is approaching It is but a little while before all your Hopes your Reliefs and Presumptions will forsake you and leave you eternally miserable Look unto me and be saved come unto me and I will ease you of all Sins Sorrows Fears Burthens and give rest unto your Souls Come I entreat you lay aside all Procrastinations all delays put me off no more Eternity lyes at the door cast out all cursed self-deceiving Reserves do not so hate me as that you will rather perish than accept of Deliverance by me THESE and the like things doth the Lord Christ continually declare proclaim plead and urge on the Souls of Sinners as it is fully declaclared Prov. 1. ver 20. to the 34. He doth it in the preaching of the word as if he were present with you stood amongst you and spake personally to every one of you And because this would not suit his present state of Glory he hath appointed the Ministers of the Gospel to appear before you and to deal with you in his stead avowing as his own the Invitations that are given you in his Name 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. CONSIDER therefore his Infinite Condescention Grace and Love herein Why all this towards you doth he stand in need of you Have you deserved it at his hands Did you love him first Cannot he be happy and blessed without you Hath he any Design upon you that he is so earnest in calling you unto him Alas it is nothing but the overflowing of Mercy Compassion and Grace that moves and acts him herein Here lyes the entrance of innumerable Souls into a Death and Condemnation far more severe than those contained in the Curse of the Law 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. In the contempt of this Infinite Condescention of Christ in his Holy Invitation of Sinners to himself lies the sting and poyson of Unbelief which unavoidably gives over the Souls of Men unto Eternal Ruine And who shall once pity them to Eternity who are guilty of it Yea but 5. PERHAPS if you should on his Invitation begin to look to him and resolve to come to him you are greatly afraid that when it comes to the Tryal he will not receive you for no Heart can conceive no Tongue can express what wretched vile and provoking Sinners you have been That the Lord Christ will receive unto him such as we are we have no hopes or that ever we shall find Acceptance with him I say it is not amiss when Persons come so far as to be sensible of what Discouragements they have to conflict withall what difficulties lye in their way and what objections do arise against them for the most do perish in a senceless stupidity they will not consider how it is with them what is required of them nor how it will be in the latter end they doubt not but that either they do believe already or can do so when they please but when any come so far as to charge the failure of their Acceptance with Christ on their own unworthiness and so are discouraged from coming unto him there are Arguments for their Conviction and Perswasion which nothing but the Devil and Unbelief can defeat Wherefore that which is now proposed unto consideration in answer hereunto is the Readiness of Christ to receive every Sinner be he who or what he will that shall come unto him And hereof we have the highest Evidences that Divine Wisdom and Grace can give unto us This is the Language of the Gospel of all that the Lord Christ did or suffered which is recorded therein This is the Divine Testimony of the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and of the Three that bear witness in Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood all give their joynt Testimony that the Lord Christ is ready to receive all Sinners that come to him they who receive not this Testimony make God a Lyar both Father Son and Spirit Whatever the Lord Christ is in the Constitution of his Person in the Representation of the Father in his Office in what he did on the Earth in what he doth in Heaven proclaims the same Truth Nothing but cursed Obstinacy in Sin and Unbelief can suggest a thought unto our minds that he is not willing to receive us when we come unto him Herein we are to bear Testimony against the Unbelief of all unto whom the Gospel is preached that come not unto him Unbelief acting
it's Exercise for it first respects him and then other things for him when the Mind is fixed on him and his Glory every Grace will be in a Readiness for it's due Exercise And without this we shall never attain it by any Resolutions or Endeavours of our own let us make the Tryal when we please 3. THIS will assuredly put us on a vigilant watch and constant conflict against all the deceitful workings of Sin against all the Entrances of Temptation against all the ways and means of Surprizals into foolish frames by vain Imaginations which are the causes of our Decays Our Recovery or Revival will not be effected nor a fresh Spring of Grace be obtained in a careless slothful Course of Profession Constant watching fighting contending against Sin with our utmost endeavour for an absolute Conquest over it are required hereunto And nothing will so much excite and encourage our Souls hereunto as a constant view of Christ and his Glory every thing in him hath a constraining Power hereunto as is known to all who have any Acquaintance with these things FINIS Books Sold by William Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-street Books written by the late Dr. John Owen In Folio 1. His Exposition on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews with Exercitations concerning the Messiah Wherein the Promises concerning him to be a Spiritual Redeemer of Mankind are explained and vindicated His Coming and Accomplishment of his Work according to the Promises is proved and Confirmed The Person or who he is declared The whole Oeconomy of the Mosaical Law Rites Worship and Sacrifices is explained And in all the Doctrine of the Person Office and Work of the Messiah is opened The Nature and demerit of the first Sin is unfolded The Opinions and Traditions of the Ancient and Modern Jews are examined Their Objectious against the Lord Christ and the Gospel are Answered The time of the Coming of the Messiah is stated And the great fundamental Truths of the Gospel vindicated In four Volumes Folio 2. A Discourse concerning the Holy Spirit Wherein an Account is given of his Name Nature Personality Dispensation Operations and Effects His whole Work in the Old and New Creation is Explained The Doctrine concerning it vindicated from Oppositions and Reproaches The Nature also and Necessity of Gospel Holiness the Difference between Grace and Morality or a Spiritual Life unto God in Evangelical Obedience and a Course of Moral Vertues are stated and declared Fol. 3. The Doctrine of the Saints Perseverance explained and confirmed Or the certain Permanency of their 1. Acceptation with God and 2. Sanctification from God manifested and proved from 1. The Eternal Principles 2. The Effectual Causes And 3. The External Means thereof c. Fol. Books in Quarto written by the same Author 1. THe True Nature of a Gospel Church and its Government Wherein these following particulars are distinctly handled I. The Subject Matter of the Church II. The formal Cause of a particular Church III. Of the Polity Rule or Discipline of the Church in general IV. The Officers of the Church V. The Duty of Pastors of Churches VI. The Office of Teachers in the Church VII Of the Rule of the Church or of Ruling Elders VIII The nature of Church Polity or Rule with the Duty of Elders IX Of Deacons X. Of Excommucation XI Of the Communion of Churches Price Bound 3. s. 2. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ explained confirmed and vindicated 3. An Enquiry into the Original Nature Institution Power Order and Communion of Evangelical Churches With an Answer to the Dscourse of the Vnreasonableness of Separation written by Dr. Edward Stillingfleet And in the Defence of the Vindication of Nonconformists from the Guilt of Schism 4. The Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded declared and practically Improved 5. A Discourse of Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost each Person distinctly In Love Grace and Consolation Or the Saints fellowship with the Father Son and Holy Ghost unfolded 6. Vindiciae Evangelicae Or The Mystery of the Gospel vindicated and Socinianism examined in the Consideration and Confutation of a Catechism called A Scripture Catechism written by J. Biddle M. A. And the Catechism of Valentinus Smalcius commonly called the Racovian Catechism 7. A Display of Arminianism Being a Discovery of the Old Pelagian Idol Free-will with the New Goddess Contingency advancing themselves into the Throne of the God of Heaven to the prejudice of his Grace Providence and Supreme Dominion over the Children of Men. Wherein the main Errors of the Arminians are laid open by which they are fallen off from the received Doctrine of all the Reformed Churches with their Opposition in divers particulars to the Doctrine established in the Church of England Discovered out of their own Writings and Confessions and confuted by the Word of God 8. The Death of Death in the Death of of Christ. A Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation that is in the Blood of Christ with the Merit thereof and the Satisfaction wrought thereby Wherein the proper End of the Death of Christ is asserted the immediate Effects and Fruits thereof assigned with their Extent in respect of it's Object and the whole Controversie about Vniversal Redemption fully discussed In four Parts 9. A Declaration of the Glorious Mystery of the Person of Christ God and Man With the Infinite Wisdom Love and Power of God in the Contrivance and Constitution thereof As also the Grounds and Reasons of his Incarnation the Nature of his Ministry in Heaven the Present State of the Church above thereon and the Use of his Person in Religion With an Account and Vindication of the Honour Worship Faith Love and Obedience due unto him in and from the Church Books in Octavo written by the same Author 1. THe Nature of Apostasie from the Profession of the Gospel and the Punishment of Apostates declared in an Exposition of Heb. 6. 4 5 6. With an Enquiry into the Causes and Reasons of the Decay of the Power of Religion in the World or the present general Defection from the Truth Holiness and Worship of the Gospel Also of the Proneness of Churches and Persons of all sorts unto Apostasie With Remedies and Means of Prevention 2. Exercitations concerning the Name Original Nature Use and Continuance of a Day of Sacred Rest. Wherein the Original of the Sabbath from the Foundation of the World the Morality of the Fourth Commandment with the Change of the Seventh Day are enquired into Together with an Assertion of the Divine Institution of the Lord's Day and Practical Directions for it's due Observation 3. The Nature Power Deceit and Prevalency of the remainders of Indwelling-Sin in Believers Together with the ways of it's working and Means of Prevention Opened evinced and applyed with a Resolution of sundry Cases of Conscience thereunto appertaining 4. An Answer to a Book entituled Fiat Lux. 5. A Vindication of the
of the Ocean filled with Cold and Darkness and to place him under the Beams of the Sun For he is no way meet to receive any Refreshment thereby Heaven it self would not be more advantagious unto Persons not renewed by the Spirit of Grace in this Life HENCE the Apostle gives thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. 12. Indeed the Beginning here and the Fulness of Glory hereafter are communicated unto Believers by an Almighty Act of the Will and Grace of God But yet he hath ordained Ways and Means whereby they may be made meet receptive Subjects of the Glory so to be communicated unto them That this Way and Means is by the beholding of the Glory of Christ by Faith shall be fully declared in our Progress This therefore should excite us unto this Duty for all our present Glory consists in our Preparation for future Glory 2. NO Man can by Faith take a real View of this Glory but Vertue will proceed from it in a transforming Power to change him into the same Image 2 Cor. 3. 18. How this is done and how we become like unto Christ by beholding his Glory shall be fully declared in our Progress 3. THE constant Contemplation of the Glory of Christ will give Rest Satisfaction and Complacency unto the Souls of them who are exercised therein Our Minds are apt to be filled with a Multitude of perplexed Thoughts Fears Cares Dangers Distresses Passions and Lusts do make various Impressions on the Minds of Men filling them with Disorder Darkness and Confusion But where the Soul is fixed in its Thoughts and Contemplations on this glorious Object it will be brought into and kept in an Holy Serene Spiritual Frame For to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace And this it doth by taking off our Hearts from all undue Regard unto all things below in comparison of the great Worth Beauty and Glory of what we are conversant withal See Phil. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. A Defect herein makes many of us Strangers unto an Heavenly Life and to live beneath the Spiritual Refreshments and Satisfactions that the Gospel doth tender unto us 4. THE Sight of the Glory of Christ is the Spring and Cause of our Everlasting Blessedness We shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 17. Or be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 23. For there shall we behold his Glory Joh. 17. 24. and by seeing him as he is we shall be made like him 1 Joh. 3. 2. which is our Everlasting Blessedness THE Enjoyment of God by Sight is commonly called the Beatifical Vision and it is the sole Fountain of all the Actings of our Souls in the State of Blessedness which the old Philosophers knew nothing of neither do we know distinctly what they are or what is this Sight of God Howbeit this we know that God in his Immense Essence is invisible unto our Corporeal Eyes and will be so to Eternity as also incomprehensible unto our Minds For nothing can perfectly comprehend that which is Infinite but what is it self Infinite Wherefore the Blessed and Blessing Sight which we shall have of God will be always in the Face of Jesus Christ. Therein will that Manifestation of the Glory of God in his Infinite Perfections and all their blessed Operations so shine into our Souls as shall immediately fill us with Peace Rest and Glory THESE things we here admire but cannot comprehend We know not well what we say when we speak of them yet is there in True Belivers a Fore-sight and Fore-taste of this Glorious Condition There enters sometimes by the Word and Spirit into their hearts such a sense of the uncreated Glory of God shining forth in Christ as Affects and Satiates their Souls with ineffable Joy Hence ariseth that Peace of God which is above all vnderstanding keeping our Hearts and Minds through Jesus Christ. Phil. 4. 7. Christ in Believers the Hope of Glory gives them to taste of the First-fruits of it yea sometimes to bath their Souls in the Fountain of Life and to drink of the Rivers of Pleasure that are at his Right hand Where any are utterly unacquainted with these things they are Carnal yea Blind and seeing nothing afar off These Enjoyments indeed are rare and for the most part of short Continuance Rara hora brevis mora But it is from our own Sloth and Darkness that we do not enjoy more Visits of this Grace and that the Dawnings of Glory do not more shine on our Souls Such things as these may excite us to Diligence in the Duty proposed unto us AND I shall enquire 1. What is that Glory of Christ which we do or may behold by Faith 2. How do we behold it 3. Wherein our doing so differs from immediate Vision in Heaven And in the whole we shall endeavour an Answer unto the Enquiry made unto the Spouse by the Daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved thou fairest among Women What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved that thou dost so charge us CHAP. II. The Glory of the Person of Christ as the only Representative of God unto the Church THE Glory of Christ is the Glory of the Person of Christ. So he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 17. 28. That Glory which is mine belongeth to me unto my Person THE Person of Christ may be considered two ways 1. Absolutely in it self 2. In the Susception and Discharge of his Office with what ensued thereon His Glory on these distinct Accounts is distinct and different but all equally his own How in both respects we may behold it by Faith is that which we enquire into THE first thing wherein we may behold the Glory of the Person of Christ God and Man which was given him of his Father consists in the Representation of the Nature of God and of the Divine Person of the Father unto the Church in him For we behold the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Otherwise we know it not we see it not we see nothing of it that is the way of seeing and knowing God declared in the Scripture as our Duty and Blessedness The Glory of God comprehends both the Holy Properties of his Nature and the Counsels of his Will and the Light of the Knowledge of these things we have only in the Face or Person of Jesus Christ. Whatever obscure imperfect Notions we may have of them otherways we cannot have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Light of the Illuminating iradiating Knowledge of the Glory of God which may enlighten our Minds and sactifie our Hearts but only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Face or Person of Jesus Christ for he is the Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4. The Brightness of the Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1. 2. The Image of the
invisible God Col. 1. 1◠I do here only mention these things because I have handled them at large in my Discourse of the Mistery of 〈◊〉 or the Person of Christ whereunto I refer the Readers for their full Declaration and Vindication Herein is he glorious in that he is the great Representative of the Nature of God and his Will unto us which without him would have been eternally hid from us or been invisible unto us we should never have seen God at any time here nor hereafter Joh. 1. 18. IN his Divine Person absolutely considered he is the Essential Image of God even the Father He is in the Father and the Father in him in the Unity of the same Divine Essence Joh. 14. 10. Now he is with the Father John 1. 1. In the Distinction of his Person so is he his Essential Image Col. 1. 15. Heb. 1. ◠In his Incarnation he becomes the Representative Image of God unto the Church 2 Cor. 4. 6. without whom our Understandings can make no such Approach unto the Divine Excellencies but that God continues to be unto us what he is in himself the Invisible God In the Face of Jesus Christ we see his Glory THIS is the Original Glory of Christ given him by his Father and which by Faith we may behold He and he alone declares represents and makes known unto Angels and Men the Essential Glory of the Invisible God his Attributes and his Will without which a perpetual comparative Darkness would have been on the whole Creation especially that part of it here below THIS is the Foundation of our Religion the Rock whereon the Church is built the Ground of all our Hopes of Salvation of Life and Immortality All is resolved into this namely the Representation that is made of the Nature and Will of God in the Person and Office of Christ If this fail us we are lost for ever if this Rock stand firm the Church is safe here and shall be triumphant hereafter HEREIN then is the Lord Christ exceedingly glorious Those who cannot beheld this Glory of his by Faith namely as he is the great Divine Ordinance to represent God unto us they know him not In their Worship of him they worship but an Image of their own devising YEA in the Ignorance and Neglect hereof consists the formal Nature of Vnbelief even that which is inevitably ruinous unto the Souls of Men. He that discerns not the Representation of the Glory of God in the Person of Christ unto the Souls of Men is an Unbeliever Such was the State of the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles of old They did not they would not they could not behold the Glory of God in him nor how he did represent him That this was both the Cause and the Formal Nature of their Unbelief the Apostle declares at large 1 Cor. 1. 21 22 23 24 25. Not to see the Wisdom of God and the Power of God and consequently all the other holy Properties of his Nature in Christ is to be an Unbeliever THE Essence of Faith consists in a due Ascription of Glory to God Rom. 4. 20. This we cannot attain unto without the Manifestation of those Divine Excellencies unto us wherein he is Glorious This is done in Christ alone so as that we may glorifie God in a saving and acceptable Manner He who discerns not the Glory of Divine Wisdom Power Goodness Love and Grace in the Person and Office of Christ with the way of the Salvation of Sinners by him is an Unbeliever HENCE the great Design of the Devil in the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospel was to blind the Eyes of Men and fill their Minds with Prejudices that they might not behold this Glory of his So the Apostle gives an Account of his Success in this Design 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them By various Ways and Methods of Deceit to secure the Reputation he had got of being God of this World by Pretences and Appearances of supernatural Power and Wisdom he laboured to blind the Eyes of Men with Prejudices against that glorious Light of the Gospel which proposed the Lord Christ as the only Image of God This Blindness this Darkness is cured in them that believe by the mighty Power of God For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath irradiated our Hearts with the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ v. 6. wherein true saving Faith doth consist Under this Darkness perished the unbelieving World of Jews and Gentiles and such is the present Condition of all by whom the Divine Person of Christ is denied for no mere Creature can ever make a perfect Representation of God unto us But we must a little further enquire into this Mystery SINCE Men fell from God by sin it is no small part of their Misery and Punishment that they are covered with thick Darkness and Ignorance of the Nature of God They know him not they have not seen him at any time Hence is that Promise to the Church in Christ Isa. 60. 1 2. For behold the Darkness shall cover the Earth and gross Darkness the People but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his Glory shall be seen upon thee THE Antient Philosophers made great Enquiries into and obtained many Notions of the Divine Being its Existence and Excellencies And these Notions they adorned with great Elegancy of Speech to allure others unto the Admiration of them Hereon they boasted themselves to be the only Wise Men in the World Rom. 1. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they boasted that they were the Wise But we must abide in the Judgment of the Apostles concerning them in their Enquiries He assures us that the World in its Wisdom that is these wise Men in it by their Wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. And he calls the Authors of their best Notions Atheists or Men without God in the Word Ephes. 2. 12. For 1. THEY had no certain Guide Rule nor Light which being attended unto might lead them infallibly into the Knowledge of the Divine Nature All they had of this Kind was their own 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Reasonings or Imaginations whereby they commenced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Disputers of the World but in them they maxed vain and their foolish Heart was darkned Rom. 1. 21. They did at best but endeavour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feel after God as Men do in the Dark after what they cannot clearly discern Acts 17. 27. Among others Cicero's Book De Natura Deorum gives us an exact Account of the Intention of the Apostle in that Expression And it is at this Day not Want of Wit but Hatred of the Mysteries
of our Religion which makes so many prone to forgo all Supernatural Revelation and to betake themselves unto a Religion declared as they suppose by Reason and the Light of Nature like Bats and Owls who being not able to bear the Light of the Sun betake themselves unto the Twi-light to the Dawnings of Light and Darkness 2. WHATEVER they did attain as unto rational Notions about things invisible and incomprehensible yet could they never deliver themselves from such Principles and Practises in Idolatry and all manner of flagitious Sins as that they could be of any Benefit unto them This is so effectually demonstrated by the Apostle in the First Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans as that we need not to insist upon it MEN may talk what they please of a Light within them or of the Power of Reason to conduct them unto that Knowledge of God whereby they may live unto him But if they had nothing else if they did not boast themselves of that Light which hath its Foundation and Original in Divine Revelation alone they would not excel them who in the best Management of their own Reasonings knew not God but waxed vain in their Imaginations WITH respect unto this Vniversal Darkness that is Ignorance of God with horrid Confusion accompanying it in the Minds of Men Christ is called and is the Light of Men the Light of the World because in and by him alone this Darkness is dispelled as he is the Son of Righteousness 2. THIS Darkness in the Minds of Men this Ignorance of God his Nature and his Will was the Original of all Evil unto the World and yet continues so to be For 1. HEREON did Satan erect his Kingdom and Throne obtaining in his Design until he bare himself as the God of this World and was so esteemed by the most He exalted himself by Vertue of this Darkness as he is the Prince of Darkness into the Place and Room of God as the Object of the Religious Worship of Men. For the things which the Gentiles sacrificed they sacrificed unto Devils and not to God 1 Cor. 10. 21. Levit. 17. 7. Chap. 32. 17. Psal. 108. 27. Gal. 3. 8. This is the Territory of Satan yea the Power and Scepter of his Kingdom in the Minds of the Children of Disobedience Hereby he maintains his Dominion unto this Day in many and great Nations and with individual persons innumerable 2. THIS is the spring of all wickedness and confusion among men themselves Hence arose that flood of Abominations in the Old World which God took away with a Flood of Desolation Hence were the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah which he revenged with fire from Heaven In brief All the Rage Blood Confusion Desolations Cruelties Oppressions Villanies which the World hath been and is filled withal whereby the souls of men have been and are flouded into eternal destruction have all arisen from this corrupt Fountain of the Ignorance of God 3. OF such as those described we are the Posterity and Off-spring Our Fore-fathers in this Nation were given up unto as brutish a service of the Devil as any Nation under the Sun It is therefore an effect of infinite mercy that the day hath dawned on us poor Gentiles and that the day-spring from on high hath visited us See the glory of this Grace expressed Ephes. 3. 5 6 7 8 9 10. God might have left us to perish in the blindness and ignorance of our Fore-fathers but of his own accord and by his own powerful Grace alone he hath translated us out of darkness into his marvellous light But alas the horrible ingratitude of men for the glorious light of the Gospel and the abuse of it will issue in a fore revenge GOD was known under the Old Testament by the Revelation of his Word and the Institution of his Worship This was the glory and priviledge of Israel as the Psalmist declares Psal. 147. 19 20. He sheweth his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel He hath not dealâ— so with any Nation The Church then knew him yet so as that they had an apprehension that he dwelt in thick darkness where they could not have any clear views of him Exod. 20. 21. Deut. 5. 22. 1 Kings 8. 12. 2 Chron. 6. 1. And the Reason why God so represented himself in darkness unto them was to instruct them in their imperfect state wherein they could not comprehend that glory which should afterwards be revealed For as he is now made known in Christ we see that he is light and in him there is no darkness at all 4. HITHERTOâ— darkness in general covered the Earth and gross darkness the people as unto the knowledge of God only there was a twilight in the Church The day did not yet dawn the shadows did not flee away nor the day-star shine in the hearts of men But when the Son of Righteousness did arise in his strength and beauty when the Son of God appeared in the flesh and in the discharge of his Office God himself as unto his Being and manner of Existence in three distinct persons with all the glorious properties of the Divine Nature were illustriously manifested unto them that did believe and the light of the knowledge of them dispelled all the shadows that were in the Church and shone into the darkness which was in the world so as that none continued ignorant of God but those who would not see See Job 1. 5 14 17 18. 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. HEREIN is the Lord Christ glorious And this is that which I shall now speak unto namely How we may behold the glory of Christ in the Representation and Revelation that is made of God and his glory in his Person and Office unto all that do believe For it is not so much the declaration of the nature of the things themselves wherein the glory of Christ doth consist as our way and duty in the beholding of them which at present is designed HE calls unto us saying Behold me look unto me and be saved Isa. 45. 2. What is it that we see in Christ What do we behold in him He asketh that Question concerning his Church What will ye see in the Shulamite Whereto he answers as it were the company of two armies Cant. 6. 13. or the Two Churches of the Old and New Testament in order and beauty We may enquire What shall we what do we see in him Do we see him as the Image of the invisible God representing him his Nature Properties and Will unto us Do we see him as the Character the express Image of the Person of the Father so as that we have no need of Philip's Request Lord shew us the Father because having seen him we have seen the Father also John 14. 9. THIS is our first saving view of Christ the first instance of our beholding his glory by faith So to see him as to see God in him is to behold his glory for herein
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 Sancturay 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 Vnderstanding 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
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 iâ—â—ition 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 Stâ—â—ngth 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 Matter of Enquiry and Instruction for the most high and holy Spirits in Heaven The manifold Wisdom of God in them is made known unto Principalities and Powers in heavenly Places by the Church Ephes. 3. 10. And shall we neglect that which is the Object of Angelical Diligence to enquire into especially considering that we are more than they concerned in it IS Christ then thus glorious in our Eyes Do we see the Father in him or by seeing of him Do we sedulously daily contemplate on the Wisdom Love Grace Goodness Holiness and Righteousness of God as revealing and manifesting themselves in him Do we sufficiently consider that the immediate Vision of this Glory in Heaven will be our everlasting Blessedness Doth the imperfect View which we have of it here encrease our Desires after the perfect Soght of it above With respect unto these Enquiries I shall briefly speak unto sundry sorts of Men. SOME will say they understand not these things nor any Concernment of their own in them If they are true yet are they Notions which they may safely be without the Knowledge of for so far as they can discern they have no Influence on Christian Practice or Duties of Morality And the preaching of them doth but take off the Minds of Men from more necessary Duties But if the Gospel be hid it is hid unto them that perish And unto the Objection I say 1. NOTHING is more fully and clearly revealed in the Gospel than that unto us Jesus Christ is the Image of the invisible God that he is the Character of the Person of the Father so as that in seeing him we see the Father also that we have the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in his Face alone as hath been proved This is the Principal Fundamental Mystery and Truth of the Gospel and which if it be not received believed owned all other Truths are useless unto our Souls To refer all the Testimonies that are given hereunto to the Doctrine which he taught in Contradistinction unto his Person as acting in the Discharge of his Office is Antievangilical Antichristian turning the whole Gospel into a Fable 2. IT is so that the Light of Faith is given unto us principally to enable us to behold the Glory of God in Christ to contemplate on it as unto all the Ends of its Manifestation So is it expresly affirmed 2 Cor. 4. 6. If we have not this Light as it is communicated by the Power of God unto them that do believe Ephes. 1. 17 18 19. we must be Strangers unto the whole Mystery of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. 3. THAT in the beholding of the Glory of God in Christ we behold his Glory also For herein is he infinitely glorious above the whole Creation in that in and by him alone the Glory of the Invisible God is represented unto us Herein do our Souls live This is that whereby the Image of God is renewed in us and we are made like unto the First born 4. THIS is so far from being unnecessary unto Christian Practice and the sanctified Duties of Morality that he knows not Christ he knows not the Gospel he knows not the Faith of the Catholick Church who imagins that they can be performed acceptably without it Yea this is the Root whence all other Christian Duties do spring and whereon they grow whereby they are distinguished from the Works of Heathens He is no Christian who believes not that Faith in the Person of Christ is the Spring of all Evangelical Obedience or who knows not that this Faith respects the Revelation of the Glory of God in him IF these things are so as they are the most important Truths of the Gospel and whose Denial overthrows the Foundation of Faith and is ruinous to Christian Religion Certainly it is our Duty to live in the constant Exercise of Faith with respect unto this Glory of Christ. And we have sufficient Experience of what kind of Morality the Ignorance of it hath
Contrivance Constitution and efficacious Accomplishment of the great Work of our Redemption and Salvation This gives as unto us an unutterable Lustre unto the Native Amiableness of the Divine Excellencies The Wisdom and Love of God are in themselves infinitely Glorious infinitely Amiable nothing can be added unto them there can be no encrease of their essential Glory Howbeit as they are eternally resident in the Divine Nature and absolutely the same with it we cannot so comprehend them as to have an endearing satiating View of their Glory But as they are exerted in the Work of the Redemption and Salvation of the Church as they are expressed communicating their blessed Effects unto the Souls of them that do believe which is done only in Christ so the Beams of their Glory shine unto us with unspeakable Refreshment and Joy 2 Cor. 4. 6. Hence the Apostle on the Consideration of the Actings of the Holy Properties of God in this blessed Work falls into that Contemplation O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out For who hath not known the Mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor or who hath first given unto him and it shall be recompensed unto him again For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen Rom 11. 33 34 35 36. 2. IN and through Christ we do believe in God 1 Pet. 1. 24. This is the Life of our Souls God himself in the infinite Perfections of his Divine Nature is the ultimate Object of our Faith but he is not here the immediate Object of it but the Divine Way and Means of the Manifestation of himself and them unto us are so Through Christ we believe in God By our Belief in him we come to place our Faith ultimately in God himself and this we can no otherwise do but by beholding the Glory of God in him as hath been declared 3. THIS is the only way whereby we may attain the saving sanctifying Knowledge of God Without this every Beam of Divine Light that shines on us or gleans from without as the Light shineth into Darkness when the Darkness comprehendeth it not Joh. 1. 5. Every Spark that ariseth from the Remainders of the Light of Nature within do rather amaze the Minds of Men than lead them into the saving Knowledge of God So a Glance of Light in a dark Night giving a transient View of various Objects and passing away doth rather amaze than direct a Traveller and leave him more exposed unto wandring than before Such were all those Notions of the Divine Being and its Excellencies which those who boasted themselves to be wise among the Heathen embraced and improved They did but fluctuate in their Minds they did not transform them into the Image and Likeness of God as the saving Knowledge of him doth Col. 3. 10. SO the Apostle expresseth this Truth Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World For after that in the Wisdom of God the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe For the Jews require a sign and the Gentiles seek after Wisdom but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling-block and unto the Greeks Foolishness but unto them that are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor 1. 20 21 22 23 24. AFTER it was evident unto all that the World the Wise the Studious the Contemplative Part of it in the Wisdom of God disposing them into that Condition wherein they were left unto themselves in their own Wisdom their Natural Light and Reason did not could not come to the saving Knowledge of God but were pusâ—ed up into a Contempt of the only way of the Revelation of himself as Weakness and Folly it pleased God then to manifest all their Wisdom to be Folly and to establish the only Means of the Knowledge of himself in Christ Jesus CHAP. III. The Glory of Christ in the Mysterious Constitution of his Person THE Second Thing wherein we may behold the Glory of Christ given him of his Father is in the Mysterious Constitution of his Person as he is God and Man in one and the same Person There are in him in his one single individual Person two distinct Natures The one Eternal Infinite Immense Almighty the Form and Essence of God The other having a beginning in Time Finite Limited Confined unto a certain Place which is our Nature which he took on him when he was made Flesh and dwelt among us The Declaration of the Nature of this Glory is a Part of my Discourse of the Person of Christ whereunto I refer the Reader My present Design is of another Nature THIS is that Glory whose Beams are so illustrious as that the blind World cannot bear the Light and Beauty of them Multitudes begin openly to deny this Incarnation of the Son of God this Personal Union of God and Man in their distinct Natures They deny that there is either Glory or Truth in it and it will ere long appear it begins already to evidence it self what greater Multitudes there are who yet do not who yet dare not openly reject the Doctrine of it who in Truth believe it not nor see any Glory in it Howbeit this Glory is the Glory of our Religion the Glory of the Church the sole Rock whereon it is built the only Spring of present Grace and future Glory THIS is that Glory which the Angels themselves desire to behold the Mystery whereof they bow down to look into 1 Pet. 1. 12. So was their Desire represented by the Cherubims in the most holy Place of the Tabernacle for they were a Shadow of the Ministry of Angels in the Church The Ark and Mercy Seat were a Type of Christ in the Discharge of his Office and these Cherubims were made standing over them as being in Heaven above but earnestly looking down upon them in a Posture of Reverence and Adoration So they did of Old and in their present Contemplation of it consists no small part of their Eternal Blessedness HEREON depends the Ruine of Satan and his Kingdom His Sin so far as we can conceive consisted of two Parts 1. His Pride against the Person of the Son of God by whom he was created For by him were all things created that are or were when first created in Heaven whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers Col. 1. 16. Against him he lifted up himself which was the Beginning of his Transgression 2. Envy against Mankind made in the Image of God of the Son of God the First-born This compleated his Sin nothing was now left whereon to act his Pride and Malice Unto his Eternal Confusion and Ruine God in infinite
nothing stands in need of nothing nothing can be added unto him seeing he giveth unto all Life and Breath and all things Act. 17. 25. The whole Creation in all its Excellency cannot contribute one Mite unto the Satisfaction or Blessedness of God He hath it all in Infinite Perfection from himself and his own Nature our Goodness extends not unto him A Man cannot profit God as he may profit his Neighbour If thou sinnest what dost thou against him and if thy Transgressions are multiplied what dost thou unto him God loseth nothing of his own Self-â—ufficiency and Blessedness therein by all this and if thou be righteous what givest thou unto him or what receiveth he at thy hand Job 35. 6 7 8. And from hence also it follows that all Gods concernment in the Creation is by an Act of Condescention HOW glorious then is the Condescention of the Son of God in his Susception of the Office of Mediation For if such be the Perfection of the Divine Nature and its distance so absolutely Infinite from the whole Creation and if such be his Self sufficiency unto his own Eternal Blessedness as that nothing can be taken from him nothing added unto him so that every Regard in him unto any of the Creatures is an Act of Self-umiliation and Condescention from the Prerogative of his Being and State what Heart can conceive what Tongue can express the Glory of that Condescention in the Son of God whereby he took our Nature upon him took it to be his own in order unto a discharge of the Office of Mediation on our Behalf BUT that we may the better behold the Glory of Christ herein we may briefly consider the Especial Nature of this Condescention and wherein it doth consist BUT whereas not only the Denial but Misapprehensions hereof have pestered the Church of God in all Ages we must in the first place reject them and then declare the Truth 1. THIS Condescention of the Son of God did not consist in a laying aside or parting with or separation from the Divine Nature so as that he should cease to be God by being Man The Foundation of it lay in this that he was in the form of God and counted it not robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. v. 6. That is being really and essentially God in his Divine Nature he professed himself therein to be equal with God or the Person of the Father He was in the Form of God that is he was God participant of the Divine Nature for God hath no Form but that of his Essence and Being and hence he was equal with God in Authority Dignity and Power Because he was in the Form of God he must be equal with God for there is Order in the Divine Persons but no Inequality in the Divine Being So the Jews understood him that when he said God was his Father he made himself equal with God For in his so saying he ascribed unto himself equal Power with the Father as unto all Divine Operations My Father saith he worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5. 17 18. And they by whom his Divine Nature is denied do cast this Condescention of Christ quite out of our Religion as that which hath no Reality or Substance in it But we shall speak of them afterwards BEING in this state it is said that he took on him the form of a servant and was found in fashion as a Man ver 7. This is his Condescention It is not said that he ceased to be in the Form of God but continuing so to be he took on him the form of a Servant in our Nature He became what he was not but he ceased not to be what he was so he testifieth of himself Joh. 3. 13. No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man which is in heaven Although he was then on Earth as the Son of Man yet he ceased not to be God thereby in his Divine Nature he was then also in Heaven HE who is God can no more be not God than he who is not God can be God And our difference with the Socinians herein is we believe that Christ being God was made Man for our Sakes they say that being only a Man he was made a God for his own sake THIS then is the foundation of the Glory of Christ in this Condescention the Life and Soul of all heavenly Truth and Mysteries namely that the Son of God becoming in time to be what he was not the Son of Man ceased not thereby to be what he was even the Eternal Son of God Wherefore 2. MUCH less did this Condescention consist in the Conversion of the Divine Natura into the Humane which was the Imagination of some of the Arians of old and we have yet to my own knowledg some that follow them in the same Dotage They say that the Word which was in the Beginning by which all things were made being in it self an Effect of the Divine Will and Power was in the fulness of time turned into Flesh that is the Substance of it was so as the Water in the Miracle wrought by our Saviour was turned into Wine for by an Act of the Divine Power of Christ it ceased to be Water substantially and was Wine only not Water mixed with Wine So these Men suppose a Substantial Change of the one Nature into the other of the divine Nature into the humane like what the Papists imagine in their Trasubstantiation So they say God was made Man his Effence being turned into that of a Man BUT this no way belongs unto the Condescention of Christ. We may call it Ichabod it hath no Glory in it It destroys both his Natures and leaves him a Person in whom we are not concerned For according unto this Imagination that Divine Nature wherein he was in the Form of God did in its own Form cease to be yea was utterly destroyed as being substantially changed into the Nature of Man as the Water did cease to be when it was turned into Wine and that humane Nature which was made thereof hath no Alliance or Kindred unto us or our Nature seeing it was not made of a Woman but of the Substance of the Word 3. THERE was not in this Condescention the least Change or Alteration in the Divine Nature Eutiches and those that followed him of old conceived that the two Natures of Christ the Divine and Humane were mixed and compounded as it were into one And this could not be without an Alteration in the divine Nature for it would be made to be essentially what it was not for one Nature hath but one and the same Essence BUT as we said before altho the Lord Christ himself in his Person was made to be what he was not before in that our Nature hereby was made to be his yet his Divine Nature was not so There is in it neither variableness nor shadow of turning It
Father into Execution and wrought out the Accomplishment of it was the Love of the Son which we enquire after and Light may be given unto it in the ensuing Observations 1. THE whole Number or Society of the Elect were Creatures made in the Image of God and thereby in a State of Love with him All that they were had or hoped for were effects of Divine Goodness and Love And the Life of their Souls was Love unto God And a blessed State it was preparatory for the Eternal Life of Love in Heaven 2. FROM this State they fell by sin into a state of Enmity with God which is comprehensive of all Miseries Temporal and Eternal 3. NOTWITHSTANDING this woful Catastrophe of our first state yet our Nature on many Accounts was recoverable unto the Enjoyment of God as I have at large elsewhere declared 4. IN this Condition the first Act of Love in Christ towards us was in Pity and Compassion A Creature made in the Image of God and fallen into Misery yet capable of Recovery is the proper Object of Divine Compassion That which is so celebrated in the Scripture as the Bowels the Pity the Compassion of God is the acting of Divine Love towards us on the consideration of our Distress and Misery But all Compassion ceaseth towards them whose condition is irrecoverable Wherefore the Lord Christ pitied not the Angels that fell because their Nature was not to be relieved Of this Compassion in Christ see Heb. 2. 14 15 16. Isa. 63. 9. 5. AS then we lay under the Eye of Christ in our Misery we were the Objects of his Pity and Compassion But as he looketh on us as recoverahle out of that state his Love worketh in and by Delight It was an inconceivable Delight unto him to take a prospect of the deliverance of mankind unto the Glory of God which is also an act of Love see this divinely expressed Prov. 8. 30 31 as that place hath been elsewhere explained 6. IF it be enquired whence this compassion and delight in him should arise what should be the cause of them that he who was eternally blessed in his own self-sufficiency should so deeply concern himself in our lost forlorn Condition I say it did so merely from the Infinite Love and Goodness of his own Nature without the least procuring inducement from us or any thing in us 1 Pet. 3. 16. 7. IN this his Readiness Willingness and Delight springing from Love and Compassion the council of God concerning the way of our Recovery is as it were proposed unto him Now this was a way of great difficulties and perplexities unto himself that is unto his Person as it was to be constituted Unto the Divine Nature nothing is grievous nothing is difficult But he was to have another Nature wherein he was to undergo the difficulties of this way and work It was required of him that he should pity us until he had none left to pity himself when he stood in need of it that he should pursue his delight to save us until his own soul was heavy and sorrowful unto death that he should relieve us in our sufferings by suffering the same things that we should have done But he was not in the least hereby deterred from undertaking this work of Love and Mercy for us Yea his love rose on this Proposal like the Waters of a mighty Stream against opposition For hereon he says Lo I come to â—o thy will O God it is my delight to do it Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Isa. 50. 4 5 6 7. 8. BEING thus enclined disposed and ready in the Eternal Love of his Divine Person to undertake the Office of Mediation and the work of our Redemption A body was prepared for him In this Body or Human Nature made his own he was to make this Love effectual in all its Inclinations and Actings It was provided for him unto this end and filled with all Grace in a way unmeasurable especially with Fervent Love unto Mankind And hereby it became a meet Instrument to actuate his Eternal Love in all the fruits of it 9. IT is hence evident that this Glorious Love of Christ doth not consist alone in the Eternal Actings of his divine Person or the Divine Nature in his Person such indeed is the Love of the Father namely his Eternal Purpose for the communication of Grace and Glory with his Acquiescency therein but there is more in the Love of Christ. For when he exercised this Love he was man also and not God only And in none of those Eternal Acts of Love could the Human Nature of Christ have any interest or concern yet is the Love of the Man Christ Jesus celebrated in the Scripture 10. WHEREFORE this Love of Christ which we enquire after is the Love of his Person that is which he in his own Person acts in and by his Distinct Natures according unto their Distinct Essential Properties And the acts of love in these distinct Natures are infinitely distinct and different yet are they all acts of one and the same Person So then whether that Act of Love in Christ which we would at any time consider be an Eternal Act of the Divine Nature in the Person of the Son of God or whether it be an act of the Human performed in time by the Gracious Faculties and Powers of that Nature it is still the Love of one and the self same Person Christ Jesus It was an Act of inexpressible Love in him that he assumed our Nature Heb. 2. 14 17. But it was an act in and of his Divine Nature only For it was antecedent unto the existence of his Human Nature which could not therefore concur therein His laying down his life for us was an act of inconceivable Love 1 John 8. 16. Yet was it only an act of the Human Nature wherein he offered himself and died But both the one and the other were Acts of his Divine Person whence it is said that God laid down his life for us and purchased the Church with his own Blood THIS is that Love of Christ wherein he is glorious and wherein we are by Faith to behold his Glory A great part of the Blessedness of the Saints in Heaven and their Triumph therein consists in their beholding of this Glory of Christ in their thankful contemplation of the Fruits of it see Rev. 5. 9 10. c. THE illustrious Brightness wherewith this Glory shines in Heaven the All satisfying Sweetness which the view of it gives unto the Souls of the Saints there Possessed of Glory are not by us conceivable nor to be expressed Here this love passeth knowledge there we shall comprehend the Dimensions of it Yet even here if we are not slothful and carnal we may have a refreshing prospect of it and where Comprehension failâ— let Admiration take place MY present Business is to exhort others unto the Contemplation of it though it be but a little a very little a small portion
Entrance into Dust and Darkness is no way to be compared with what is to ensue Eternal Distress lies at the Door But yet look up once more and behold me that thou mayest have some Glymps of what is in the Designs of Infinite Wisdom Love and Grace Come forth from thy vain Shelter thy hiding Place I will put my self into thy Condition I will undergo and bear that Burthen of Guilt and Punishment which would sink thee eternally into the bottom of Hell I will pay that which I never took and be made temporally a Curse for thee that thou mayest attain unto Eternal Blessedness To the same purpose he speaks unto convinced Sinners in the Invitation he gives them to come unto him THUS is the Lord Christ set forth in the Gospel evidently crucified before our Eyes Gal. 3. 1. Namely in the Representation that is made of his Glory in the Suffering he underwent for the Discharge of the Office he had undertaken Let us then behold him as poor despised persecuted reproached reviled hanged on a Tree in all labouring under a Sense of the Wrath of God due unto our Sins Unto this End are they recorded in the Gospel read preached and represented unto us But what can we see herein What Glory is in these things Are not these the things which all thâ— World of Jews and Gentiles stumbled and took Offence at Those wherein he was appointed to be a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence Was it not esteemed a foolish thing to look for Help and Deliverance by the Miseries of another To look for Life by his Death The Apostle declares at large that such it was esteemed 1 Cor. 1. So was it in the Wisdom of the World But even on the Account of these things is he Honorable Glorious and Precious in the sight of them that do believe 1 Pet. 2. 6 7. For even herein he was the Wisdom of God and the Power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. And the Apostle declares at large the Grounds and Reasons of the different Thoughts and Apprehensions of Men concerning the Cross and Sufferings of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 3 4 5 6. CHAP. VII The Glory of Christ in his Exaltation after the Accomplishment of the Work of Mediation in this World WE may in the next Place behold the Glory of Christ with respect unto his Office in the Actings of God towards him which ensued on his Discharge of it in this World in his own Exaltation THESE are the two Heads whereunto all the Prophesies and Predictions concerning Jesus Christ under the Old Testament are referred namely his Sufferings and the Glory that ensued thereon 1 Pet. 1. 11. All the Prophets testified beforehand of the Sufferings of Christ and the Glory that should follow So when he himself opened the Scriptures unto his Disciples he gave them this as the Sum of the Doctrine contained in them Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter unto his Glory Luk. 24. 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
Mediation of the Son the holy Spirit unto whom the actual Application of them is committed communicates Life Light Power Grace and Mercy unto all that are designed parts of the New Creation Hereon doth God glorifie both the essential Properties of his Nature his infinite Wisdom Power Goodness and Grace as the only eternal Spring of all these things and also his ineffable glorious Existence in three Persons by the Order of the Communication of these things unto the Church which are originally from his Nature And herein is the glorious Truth of the Blessed Trinity which by some is opposed by some neglected by most looked on as that which is so much above them as that it doth not belong unto them made precious unto them that believe and becomes the Foundation of their Faith and Hope In a View of the glorious Order of those divine Communications we are in a steady Contemplation of the ineffable Glory of the Existence of the Nature of God in the Three distinct Persons of Father Son and Holy Ghost 7. ACCORDING unto this Divine Order the Elect in all Ages are by the holy Spirit moving and acting on that Mass of the New Creation formed and animated with spiritual Life Light Grace and Power unto the Glory of God They are not called accidentally according unto the external Occasions and Causes of their Conversion unto God but in every Age at his own Time and Season the holy Spirit communicates these things unto them in the Order declared unto the Glory of God 8. AND in the same manner is the whole New Creation preserved every Day every moment there is vital Power and Strength Mercy and Grace communicated in this Divine Order to all Believers in the World There is a continual Influence from the Fountain from the Head into all the Members whereby they all consist in him are acted by him who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and the Apostle declares that the whole Constitution of Church-order is suited as an external Instrument to promote these Divine Communications unto all the Members of the Church it self Eph. 4. 13 14 15 16. THIS in general is the Order of Divine Communications which is for the Substance of it continued in Heaven and shall be so unto Eternity For God is and ever will be all and in all But at present it is invisible unto Eyes of Flesh yea the Reason of Men. Hence it is by the most despised they see no Glory in it But let us consider the Prayer of the Apostle that it may be otherwise with us Ephes. 1. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. For the Revelation made of the Glory of God in the old Creation is exceeding inferior to that which he makes of himself in the New HAVING premised these things in general concerning the Glory of Divine Communications I shall proceed to declare in particular the Grounds and Way whereby the Lord Christ communicates himself and therewithal all the Benefits of his Mediation unto them that do believe as it was before proposed WE on our part are said herein to receive him and that by Faith John 1. 11 12. Now where he is received by us he must be tendred given granted or communicated unto us And this he is by some divine Acts of the Father and some of his own THE Foundation of the whole is laid in a Soveraign Act of the Will the Pleasure the Grace of the Father And this is the Order and Method of all divine Operations in the Way and Work of Grace They originally proceed all from him and having effected their Ends do return rest and center in him again see Ephes. 1. 4 5 6. Wherefore that Christ is made ours that he is communicated unto us is originally from the free Act Grant and Donation of the Father 1 Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 5. 15 16 17. And hereunto sundry things do concur As 1. His Eternal Purpose which he purposed in himself to glorifie his Grace in all his Elect by this Communication of Christ and the Benefits of his Mediation unto them which the Apostle declares at large Ephes. 1. 2. His granting all the Elect unto Christ to be his own so to do and suffer for them what was antecedaneously necessary unto the actual Communication of himself unto them Thine they were and thou gavest them to me Joh. 17. 3. The giving of the Promise or the Constitution of the Rule and Law of the Gospel whereby a participation of Christ an Interest in him and all that he is is made over and assured unto Believers Joh. 1. 12. 1 Joh. 1. 1 2 3 4. 4. An Act of Almighty Power working and creating Faith in the Souls of the Elect enabling them to receive Christ so exhibited and communicated unto them by the Gospel Ephes. 1. 19 20. Chap. 2. 5 6 7 8. THESE things which I have but named have an Influence into the Glory of Christ herein For this Communication of him unto the Church is an effect of the eternal Counsel Wisdom Grace and Power of the Father BUT they are the Acts of Christ himself herein which principally we enquire into as those which manifest the Glory of his Wisdom Love and Condescention AND 1. He gives and communicates unto them his holy Spirit the holy Spirit as peculiarly his as granted unto him of the Father as inhabiting in him in all fulness This Spirit abiding originally as to his Person and immeasurably as unto his Effects and Operations in himself he gives unto all Believers to inhabit and abide in them also Joh. 14. 14. 20. 1 Cor. 6. 16 17. Rom. 8. 8. Hence follows an ineffable Vnion between him and them For as in his Incarnation he took our Nature into personal Union with his own so herein he takes our Persons into a Mystical Vnion with himself Hereby he becomes ours and we are his AND herein is he unspeakably glorious For this Mystery of the Inhabitation of the same Spirit in him as the Head and the Church as his Body animating the whole is a transcendent Effect of Divine Wisdom There is nothing of this Nature in the whole Creation besides no such Union no such mutual Communication The strictest Unions and Relations in Nature are but Shadows of it Ephes. 5. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. Herein also is the Lord Christ precious unto them that do believe but a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence unto the Disobedient This glorious ineffable Effect of his Wisdom and Grace this rare peculiar singular Way of the Communication of himself unto the Church is by many despised They know it may be some of them what it is to be joyned unto an Harlot so as to become one Flesh but what it is to be joyned unto the Lord so as to become one Spirit they know not But this Principle and Spring of the spiritual Life of the Church and of all vital spiritual Motions towards God and Things