A53708:448
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.
Chapter 12: Differences between our beholding the Glory of Christ by Faith in this World, and by si…
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.
BUT here it must be observed, that the description and Representation of the Lord Christ and his glory in the Gospel, is not absolutely, or in it self either dark or obscure. Yea, it is perspicuous, plain and direct. Christ is therein evidently set forth crucified, exalted, glorified. But the Apostle doth not here discourse concerning the Way or Means of the Revelation of it unto us, but of the Means or Instrument whereby we comprehend that Revelation. This is our Faith, which as it is in us, being weak and imperfect, we comprehend the Representation that is made unto us of the Glory of Christ, as Men do the sense of a dark Saying, a Riddle, a Parable, that is, imperfectly, and with difficulty.
BUT here it must be observed, that the description and Representation of the Lord Christ and his glory in the Gospel, is not absolutely, or in it self either dark or obscure. Yea, it is perspicuous, plain and direct. Christ is therein evidently set forth crucified, exalted, glorified. But the Apostle doth not here discourse concerning the Way or Means of the Revelation of it unto us, but of the Means or Instrument whereby we comprehend that Revelation. This is our Faith, which as it is in us, being weak and imperfect, we comprehend the Representation that is made unto us of the Glory of Christ, as Men do the sence of a dark Saying, a Riddle, a Parable, that is, imperfectly, and with difficulty.
ON the account hereof we may say at present, How little a portion is it that we know of him? as Job speaks of God, Chap. 26. 14. How imperfect are our Conceptions of him? How weak are our Minds in their Management? There is no part of his glory that we can fully comprehend. And what we do comprehend (as there is a Comprehension in Faith, Eph. 3. 18.) we cannot abide in the steady contemplation of. For ever blessed be that Sovereign Grace, whence it is that he who commanded the light ⟨p. 143⟩to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of his own Glory in the face of Jesus Christ, and there in of the glory of Christ himself; that he hath so revealed him unto us, as that we may love him, admire him and obey him; but constantly, steadily, and clearly to behold his glory in this life we are not able, for we walk by Faith and not by Sight.