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(Owen. The Glory of Christ, Part 1. File 7) 
 
(... continued from File 8) 
 
 
Chapter 7. 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 prophecies and  

predictions concerning Jesus Christ under the Old Testament are  

referred, - namely, his sufferings, and the glory that ensued  

thereon, 1 Peter 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 into his glory?" Luke  

24: 26. The one is frequently expressed elsewhere, Rom. 14: 9; Phil.  

2: 5-9.  

 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 world is contrary hereunto. First the good  

things of this life, and then eternal misery, is the method of that  

kingdom, Luke 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 oil, whereby the church is dedicated unto  

God and sanctified, does flow. This glory of Christ in his  

exaltation, which followed on his sufferings, is that which we now  

inquire 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 veil 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 veil  

is taken off, whereby the whole glory of his person in itself 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 ascension.  

 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 veiled 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 does 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  

veiled the glory of it by the interposition of the flesh, or the  

assumption of our nature to be his own; with this addition, that  

therein he took on him the "form of a servant," of a person of mean  

and low degree. But this temporary eclipse being past and over, it  

now shines forth in its infinite lustre and beauty, which belongs  

unto the present exaltation of his person. And when those who beheld  

him here as a poor, sorrowful, persecuted man, dying on the cross,  

came to see him in all the infinite, untreated glories of the divine  

nature, manifesting themselves in his person, it could not but fill  

their souls with transcendent joy and admiration. And this is one  

reason of his prayer for them whilst he was on the earth, that they  

might be where he is to behold his glory; for he knew what ineffable  

satisfaction it would be unto them for evermore.  

 3. I do not understand absolutely the glorification of the human  

nature of Christ, - that very soul and body wherein he lived and  

died, suffered and rose again, - though that also be included  

herein. This also were a subject meet for our contemplation,  

especially as it is the exemplar of that glory which he will bring  

all those unto who believe in him. But because at present we look  

somewhat farther, I shall observe only one or two things concerning  

it.  

 (1.) That very nature itself which he took on him in this world,  

is exalted into glory. Some under a pretence of great subtlety and  

accuracy, do deny that he has either flesh or blood in heaven; that  

is, as to the substance of them, however you may suppose that they  

are changed, purified, glorified. The great foundation of the church  

and all gospel faith, is, that he was made Flesh, that he did  

partake of flesh and blood, even as did the children. That he has  

forsaken that flesh and blood which he was made in the womb of the  

blessed Virgin, - wherein he lived and died, which he offered unto  

God in sacrifice, and wherein he rose from the dead, - is a Socinian  

fiction. What is the true nature of the glorification of the  

humanity of Christ, neither those who thus surmise, nor we, can  

perfectly comprehend. It does not yet appear what we ourselves shall  

be; much less is it evident unto us what he is, whom we shall be  

like. But that he is still in the same human nature wherein he was  

on the earth, that he has the same rational soul and the same body,  

is a fundamental article of the Christian faith.  

 (2.) This nature of the man Christ Jesus is filled with all the  

divine graces and perfections whereof a limited, created nature is  

capable. It is not deified, it is not made a god; - it does not in  

heaven coalesce into one nature with the divine by a composition of  

them, - it has not any essential property of the Deity communicated  

unto it, so as subjectively to reside in it; - it is not made  

omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent; but it is exalted in a fulness  

of all Divine perfection ineffably above the glory of angels and  

men. It is incomprehensibly nearer God than they all, - hath  

communications from God, in glorious light, love, and power,  

ineffably above them all; but it is still a creature.  

 For the substance of this glory of the human nature of Christ,  

believers shall be made partakers of it; for when we see him as he  

is, we shall be like him; but as unto the degrees and measures of  

it, his glory is above all that we can be made partakers of. "There  

is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another  

glory of the stars; and one star differeth from another in glory,"  

as the apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 15: 41. And if there be a difference  

in glory among the stars themselves as to some degrees of the same  

glory, how much more is there between the glory of the sun and that  

of any star whatever! Such is the difference that is, and will be  

unto eternity, between the human nature of Christ and what glorified  

believers do attain unto. But yet this is not that properly wherein  

the glory of Christ in his exaltation, after his humiliation and  

death, does consist. The things that belong unto it may be reduced  

unto the ensuing heads.  

 1. It consisteth in the exaltation of the human nature, as  

subsisting in the divine person, above the whole creation of God in  

power, dignity, authority, and rule, with all things that the wisdom  

of God has appointed to render the glory of it illustrious. I have  

so largely insisted on the explication and confirmation of this part  

of the present glory of Christ, in the exposition of Heb. 1: 2, 3,  

that I have nothing more to add thereunto.  

 2. It does so in the evidence given of the infinite love of God  

the Father unto him, and his delight in him, with the eternal  

approbation of his discharge of the office committed unto him. Hence  

he is said "to sit at the right hand of God," or at "the right hand  

of the majesty on high." That the glory and dignity of Christ in his  

exaltation is singular, the highest that can be given to a creature,  

incomprehensible; - that he is, with respect unto the discharge of  

his office, under the eternal approbation of God; - that, as so  

gloriously exalted, he is proclaimed unto the whole creation, - are  

all contained in this expression.  

 3. Hereunto is added the full manifestation of his own divine  

wisdom, love, and grace, in the work of mediation and redemption of  

the church. This glory is absolutely singular and peculiar unto him.  

Neither angels nor men have the least interest in it. Here, we see  

it darkly as in a glass; above, it shines forth in its brightness,  

to the eternal joy of them who behold him.  

 This is that glory which our Lord Jesus Christ in an especial  

manner prayed that his disciples might behold. This is that whereof  

we ought to endeavour a prospect by faith; - by faith, I say, and  

not by imagination. Vain and foolish men, having general notions of  

this glory of Christ, knowing nothing of the real nature of it, have  

endeavoured to represent it in pictures and images, with all that  

lustre and beauty which the art of painting, with the ornaments of  

gold and jewels, can give unto them. This is that representation of  

the present glory of Christ, which, being made and proposed unto the  

imagination and carnal affections of superstitious persons, carrieth  

such a show of devotion and veneration in the Papal Church. But they  

err, not knowing the Scripture, nor the eternal glory of the Son of  

God.  

 This is the sole foundation of all our meditations herein. The  

glory that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the real actual possession of  

in heaven can be no otherwise seen or apprehended in this world, but  

in the light of faith fixing itself on divine revelation. To behold  

this glory of Christ is not an act of fancy or imagination. It does  

not consist in framing unto ourselves the shape of a glorious person  

in heaven. But the steady exercise of faith on the revelation and  

description made of this glory of Christ in the Scripture, is the  

ground, rule, and measure, of all divine meditations thereon.  

 Hereon our duty it is to call ourselves to an account as unto our  

endeavour after a gracious view of this glory of Christ: - When did  

we steadily behold it? when had we such a view of it as wherein our  

souls have been satisfied and refreshed? It is declared and  

represented unto us as one of the chief props of our faith, as a  

help of our joy, as an object of our hope, as a ground of our  

consolation, - as our greatest encouragement unto obedience and  

suffering. Are our minds every day conversant with thoughts hereof?  

or do we think ourselves not much concerned herein? Do we look upon  

it as that which is without us and above us, - that which we shall  

have time enough to consider when we come to heaven? So is it with  

many. They care neither where Christ is nor what he is, so that one  

way or other they may be saved by him. They hope, as they pretend,  

that they shall see him and his glory in heaven, - and that they  

suppose to be time enough; but in vain do they pretend a desire  

thereof, - in vain are their expectations of any such thing. They  

who endeavour not to behold the glory of Christ in this world, as  

has been often said, shall never behold him in glory hereafter unto  

their satisfaction; nor do they desire so to do, only they suppose  

it a part of that relief which they would have when they are gone  

out of this world. For what should beget such a desire in them?  

Nothing can do it but some view of it here by faith; which they  

despise, or totally neglect. Every pretence of a desire of heaven,  

and of the presence of Christ therein, that does not arise from,  

that is not resolved into, that prospect which we have of the glory  

of Christ in this world by faith, is mere fancy and imagination.  

 Our constant exercise in meditation on this glory of artist will  

fill us with joy on his account; which is an effectual motive unto  

the duty itself. We are for the most part selfish, and look no  

farther than our own concernments. So we may be pardoned and saved  

by him, we care not much how it is with himself, but only presume it  

is well enough. We find not any concernment of our own therein. But  

this frame is directly opposite unto the genius of divine faith and  

love. For their principal actings consist preferring Christ above  

ourselves, and our concerns in him above all our own. Let this,  

then, stir us up unto the contemplation of this glory. Who is it  

that is thus exalted over all? Who is thus encompassed with glory,  

majesty, and power? Who is it that sits down at the right hand of  

the Majesty on high, - all his enemies being made his footstool? Is  

it not he who in this world was poor, despised, persecuted, and  

slain, - all for our sakes? Is it not the same Jesus who loved us,  

and gave himself for us, and washed us in his own blood? So the  

apostle told the Jews that the same Jesus whom they slew and hanged  

on a tree, God had exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and  

Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and the forgiveness of  

sins," Acts 5: 30, 31. If we have any valuation of his love, if we  

have any concernment in what he has done and suffered for the  

church, we cannot but rejoice in his present state and glory.  

 Let the world rage whilst it pleaseth; let it set itself with all  

its power and craft against every thing of Christ that is in it, -  

which, whatever is by some otherwise pretended, proceeds from a  

hatred unto his person; let men make themselves drunk with the blood  

of his saints; we have this to oppose unto all their attempts, unto  

our supportment, namely, what he says of himself: "Fear not; I am  

the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and,  

behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of  

death," Rev. 1: 17, 18.  

 Blessed Jesus! we can add nothing to thee, nothing to thy glory;  

but it is a joy of heart unto us that thou art what thou art, - that  

thou art so gloriously exalted at the right hand of God; and we do  

long more fully and clearly to behold that glory, according to thy  

prayer and promise. 





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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-09: owgch-07.txt