A53708:272
Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ
Meditations and discourses on the glory of Christ, in his person, office, and grace with the differences between faith and sight applied unto the use of them that believe / by the late Reverend John Owen, D.D.
London: printed by B.A., 1691
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
5. AS then we lay under the Eye of Christ in our Misery, we were the Objects of his Pity and Compassion: But as he looketh on us as recoverable out of that state, his Love worketh in and by Delight. It was an inconceivable Delight unto him to take a prospect of the deliverance ⟨p. 78⟩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.
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 selfsufficiency should so deeply concern himself in our lost forlorn Condition? I say it did so, merely from the Infinite Love and Goodness of his own Nature, without the least procuring inducement from us, or any thing in us, 1 Pet. 3. 16.
7. IN this his Readiness, Willingness and Delight, springing from Love and Compassion, the council of God concerning the way of our Recovery, is, as it were proposed unto him. Now this was a way of great difficulties and perplexities unto himself; that is, unto his Person as it was to be constituted. Unto the Divine Nature nothing is grievous, nothing is difficult: But he was to have another Nature, wherein he was to undergo the difficulties of this way and work. It was required of him, that he should pity us until he had none left to pity himself when he stood in need of it; that he should pursue his delight to save us, until his own soul was heavy and sorrowful unto death; that he should relieve us in our sufferings by suffering the same things that we should have done. But he was not in the least hereby deterred from undertaking this work of Love and Mercy for us: Yea his love rose on this Proposal, like the Waters of a mighty Stream against opposition. For hereon he says, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God, it is my delight to do it,