A53708:515
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 13: The second Difference between our beholding the Glory of Christ by Faith in this World,…
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 there was a difference between the Person of David, and an Image with a bolster of Goats Hair, though the one were laid in the room and place of the other. And there is so between Christ and an Image, though the one be put into the place of the other. Neither do these things serve unto any other end, but to divert the Minds of Men from Faith and Love to Christ; giving them some such satisfactions in the room of them, as that their carnal Affections do cleave unto their Idols. And indeed it doth belong unto the Wisdom of Faith, or we stand in need of spiritual Light, to discern and judge between the working of natural Affections towards spiritual Objects, on undue motives, by undue means, with indirect ends, wherein all Papal Devotion consists, and the spiritual Exercise of Grace in those Affections duly fixed on spiritual Objects.
BUT there was a difference between the Person of David, and an Image with a bolster of Goats Hair, though the one were laid in the room and place of the other. And there is so between Christ and an Image, though the one be put into the place of the other. Neither do these things serve unto any other end, but to divert the Minds of Men from Faith and Love to Christ; giving them some such satisfactions in the room of them, as that their carnal Affections do cleave unto their Idols. And indeed it doth belong unto the Wisdom of Faith, or we stand in need of spiritual Light, to discern and judge between the working of natural Affections towards spiritual Objects, on undue motives, by undue means, with indirect ends, wherein all Papal Devotion consists, and the spiritual Exercise of Grace in those Affections duely fixed on spiritual Objects.
BUT as was said, it is a real experience of the Efficacy, that there is in the spiritual beholding of the Glory of Christ by Faith as proposed in the Gospel, to strengthen, increase and excite all Grace unto its proper exercise, so changing and transforming the Soul gradually into his likeness, which must secure us against all those Pretences; and so I return from this Digression.
BUT as was said, it is a real experience of the Efficacy, that there is in the spiritual beholding of the Glory of Christ by Faith as proposed in the Gospel, to strengthen, encrease and excite all Grace unto its proper exercise, so changing and transforming the Soul gradually into his likeness, which must secure us against all those Pretences; and so I return from this Digression.