image of God therein: 2 Cor. iii. 18. But without it-by any other means, and not by it--we can behold nothing of this image of God. 3. "Lumen præparans, elevans, disponens subjectum "—the internal light of the mind in the saving illumination of the Holy Spirit, enabling us-by that means, and in the use of it-spiritually to behold and discern the glory of God in the face of Christ: 2 Cor. iv. 6.

Through both these, in their several ways of operation, there proceedeth-from the real object of our faith, Christ, as the image of God-a transforming power, whereby the soul is changed into the same image, or is made conformable unto Christ; which is that whereunto we are predestinated. But we may yet a little farther contemplate on these things, in some instances wherein the glory of God and our own duty are concerned.

1. The glory of God's wisdom is exalted, and the pride of the imaginations of men is proportionably debased. And in these two consists the real foundation of all religion in our souls. This God designed in the dispensation of himself and his will, 1 Cor. i. 29, 31; this he calls us unto, Isa. ii. 22; Zech. ii. 13. As this frame of heart is prevalent in us, so do all other graces shine and flourish. And it is that which influences all our duties, so far as they are acceptable unto God. And there is no truth more instructive unto it than that before us. It is taken for granted-and the event hath demonstrated it to be so-that some express representation should be made of God unto us, wherein we might contemplate the glorious excellencies of his nature, and he might draw nigh unto us, and be present with us. This, therefore, men attempted to effect and accomplish; and this God alone hath performed, and could so do. And their several ways for this end are herein manifest. As the way whereby God hath done it is the principal exaltation of his infinite wisdom and goodness, (as shall be immediately more fully declared,) so the way whereby men attempted it was the highest instance of wickedness and folly. It is, as we have declared, in Christ alone that God hath done it. And that therein he hath exalted and manifested the riches, the treasures of his infinite wisdom and goodness, is that which the Gospel, the Spirit, and the church, do give testimony unto. A more glorious effect of divine wisdom and goodness, a more illustrious manifestation of them, there never was, nor ever shall be, than in the finding out and constitution of this way of the representation of God unto us. The ways of men, for the same end, were so far from giving a right representation of the perfections of the divine nature, that they were all of them below, beneath, and unworthy of our own. For in nothing did the blindness, darkness, and folly of our nature, in its depraved condition, ever so exert and evidence themselves, as in contriving ways for the representation of God unto

us—that is, in idolatry, the worst and vilest of evils: so Ps. cxv. 4-8; Isa. xliv.; Rev. ix. 19, 20, &c. This pride and folly of men was that which lost all knowledge of God in the world, and all obedience unto him. The ten commandments are but a transcript of the light and law of nature. The first of these required that God-the only true God-the Creator and Governor of all-should be acknowledged, worshipped, believed in, and obeyed. And the second was, that we should not make unto ourselves any image or representation of him. Whatever he would do himself, yet he strictly forbade that we should make any such unto ourselves. And here began the apostasy of the world from God. They did not absolutely reject him, and so cast off the first fundamental precept of the law of nature-but they submitted not unto his wisdom and authority in the next, which was evidently educed from it. They would make images and representations of him unto themselves; and by this invention of their own, they first dishonoured him, and then forsook him, giving themselves up unto the rule and service of the devil. Wherefore, as the way that God in infinite wisdom found out for the representation of himself unto us, was the only means of recovery from the first apostasy -the way found out by men, unto the same end, was the great means of casting the generality of mankind unto the farthest degree of a new apostasy from God whereof our nature is capable. And of the same kind will all our contrivances be found to be-in what belongs unto his worship and glory-though, unto us, they may appear both specious and necessary. This, therefore, should lead us into a continual admiration of the wisdom and grace of God, with a due sense of our own vileness and baseness by nature. For we are in nothing better or wiser than they who fell into the utmost folly and wickedness, in their designs for the highest end, or the representation of God unto The more we dwell on such considerations, the more fear and reverence of God, with faith, trust, and delight in him, will be increased -as also humility in ourselves, with a sense of divine grace and love.

us.

2. There is a peculiar ground of the spiritual efficacy of this representation of God. The revelations that he hath made of himself, and of the glorious properties of his nature, in the works of creation and providence, are, in themselves, clear, plain, and manifest: Ps. xix. 1,2; Rom. i. 19, 20. Those which are made in Christ are sublime and mysterious. Howbeit, the knowledge we have of him as he is represented unto us in Christ is far more clear, certain, steady, effectual, and operative, than any we can attain in and by all other ways of revelation. The reason hereof is, not only because there is a more full and extensive revelation made of God, his counsels and his will, in Christ and the Gospel, than in all the works of creation and providence; but because this revelation and representation of God is re

ceived by faith alone, the other by reason only: and it is faith that is the principle of spiritual light and life in us. What is received thereby is operative and effectual, unto all the ends of the life of God. For we live by faith here, as we shall by sight hereafter. Reason alone especially as it is corrupted and depraved-can discern no glory in the representation of God by Christ; yea, all that is spoken thereof, or declared in the Gospel, is foolishness unto it. Hence many live in a profession of the faith of the letter of the Gospel, yet-having no light, guide, nor conduct, but that of reason-they do not, they cannot, really behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; nor hath the revelation of it any efficacy upon their souls. The manifestation of him in the light of nature, by the works of creation and providence, is suited unto their reason, and doth affect it: for that [manifestation] which is made in Christ, they say of it, as the Israelites did of manna, that came down from heaven, "What is it?" we know not the meaning of it. For it is made unto faith alone, and all men have not faith. And where God shines into the heart, by that faith which is of divine operation-there, with "open face, we behold the glory of God, as in a glass;" or have the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. There is not the meanest believer, but-in the real exercise of faith in Christ-hath more glorious apprehensions of God, his wisdom, goodness, and grace, of all his glorious excellencies, than the most learned and wise in the world can attain unto, in the exercise of reason on the proper objects of it. So are these things opposed by the apostle, 1 Cor. i. Wherefore, faith in Christ is the only means of the true knowledge of God; and the discoveries which are made of him and his excellencies thereby are those alone which are effectual to conform us unto his image and likeness. And this is the reason why some men are so little affected with the Gospel-notwithstanding the continual preaching of it unto them, and their outward profession of it. It doth not inwardly affect them, it produceth no blessed effects in them. Some sense they have of the power of God in the works of creation and providence, in his rule and government, and in the workings of natural conscience. Beyond these, they have no real sense of him. The reason is, because they have not faith-whereby alone the representation that is made of God in Christ, and declared in the Gospel, is made effectual unto the souls of men. Wherefore

3. It is the highest degeneracy from the mystery of the Christian religion, for men to satisfy themselves in natural discoveries of the Divine Being and excellencies, without an acquaintance with that perfect declaration and representation of them which is made in the person of Christ, as he is revealed and declared in the Gospel. It is confessed that there may be good use made of the evidence which

course.

reason gives or takes from its own innate principles-with the consideration of the external works of divine wisdom and power-concerning the being and rule of God. But to rest herein-to esteem it the best and most perfective knowledge of God that we can attain--not to rise up unto the more full, perfect, and evident manifestation of himself that he hath made in Christ—is a declaration of our unbelief, and a virtual renunciation of the Gospel. This is the spring of that declension unto a mere natural religion which discovers itself in many, and usually ends in the express denial of the divine person of Christ. For when the proper use of it is despised, on what grounds can the notion of it be long retained? But a supposition of his divine person is the foundation of this disWere he not the essential image of the Father in his own divine person, he could not be the representative image of God unto us as he is incarnate. For if he were a man only-however miraculously produced and gloriously exalted, yet the angels above, the glorious heavens, the seat and throne of God, with other effects of creating power and wisdom, would no less represent his glory than it could be done in him. Yet are they nowhere, jointly nor separately, styled "the image of the invisible God"-" the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person;" nor doth God shine into our hearts to give us the knowledge of his glory in the face of them. And it argues the woful enmity of the carnal mind against God and all the effects of his wisdom, that, whereas he hath granted us such a glorious image and representation of himself, we like it not, we delight not in the contemplation of it, but either despise it or neglect it, and please ourselves in that which is incomparably beneath it.

4. Because God is not thus known it is that the knowledge of him is so barren and fruitless in the world, as it manifests itself to be. It were easy to produce, yea, endless to number the testimonies that might be produced out of heathen writers, given unto the being and existence of God, his authority, monarchy, and rule; yet what were the effects of that knowledge which they had? Besides that wretched idolatry wherein they were all immersed, as the apostle declares, Rom. i, it rescued them from no kind of wickedness and villany; as he there also manifests. And the virtues which were found among them were evidently derived from other causes, and not from the knowledge they had of God. The Jews have the knowledge of God by the letter of the Old Testament; but yetnot knowing him in Christ, and having lost all sense and apprehension of those representations which were made of his being in him, in the Law-they continue universally a people carnal, obstinate, and wicked. They have neither the virtues of the heathens among them, nor the power of the truth of religion. As it was with them

of old, so it yet continueth to be; "they profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate:" Tit. i 16. So is it among many that are called Christians at this day in the world: great pretence there is unto the knowledge of God-yet did flagitious sins and wickedness scarce ever more abound among the heathens themselves. It is the knowledge of "God in Christ" alone that is effectually powerful to work the souls of men into a conformity unto him. Those alone who behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ are changed into the same image, from glory to glory.

CHAPTER VI.

The Person of Christ the great Repository of Sacred Truth-Its Relation thereunto.

Divine supernatural truth is called by the apostle, "The truth which is after godliness:" Tit. i. 1. Whereas, therefore, the person of Christ is the great mystery of godliness, we must, in the next place, inquire-What is the relation of spiritual supernatural truth thereunto? And this I shall do, in pursuit of what was proposed in the foregoing chapter, viz., that he is the great representative unto the church, of God, his holy properties, and the counsels of his will.

All divine truth may be referred unto two heads. First, that which is essentially so; and then that which is so declaratively. The first is God himself, the other is the counsel of his will.

First, God himself is the first and only essential Truth, in whose being and nature the springs of all truth do lie. Whatever is truth so far as it is so, derives from him, is an emanation from that eternal fountain of it. Being, truth, and goodness, is the principal notion of God; and in him they are all the same. How this is represented in Christ-as in himself he is the essential image of the Father, and as incarnate the representative image of him unto us -hath been declared.

Secondly, The counsels of God are the next spring and cause-as also the subject-matter or substance-of all truth that is so declaratively. Divine truth is "the declaration of the counsels of God:" Acts xx. 27. Of them all the person of Christ is the sacred repository and treasury-in him are they to be learned. All their efficacy and use depend on their relation unto him. He is the centre and circumference of all the lines of truth-that is, which is divine, spiritual, and supernatural. And the beauty of it is presented unto us only in his face or person. We see it not, we know it not, but