2. Our second direction unto the same end is, that we diligently study the Scripture, and the revelations that are made of this glory of Christ therein. To behold it, is not a work of fancy or imagina- tion; it is not conversing with an image framed by the art of men without, or that of our own fancy within, but of faith exercised on divine revelations. This direction he gives us himself, John v. 39, " Search the Scriptures; for they are they which testify of me." The way whereby this is done is fully set before us in the example of the holy prophets under the Old Testament, 1 Peter i. 11-13.
This principle is always to be retained in our minds in reading of tiie Scripture, — namely, that the revelation and doctrine of the person
IN THE CONSTITUTION OF HIS PERSON. 310
of Christ and his office, is the foundation whereon all other instruc- tions of the prophets and apostles for the edification of the church are huiltj and whereinto they are resolved ; as is declared, Eph. ii. 20-22. So our Lord Jesus Christ himself at large makes it manifest, Luke xxiv. 26, 27, 45, 46. Lay aside the consideration hereof, and the Scrij)tures are no such thing as they pretend unto, — namely, a reve- lation of the glory of God in the salvation of the church; nor are those of the Old Testament so at this day unto the Jews, who own not this principle, 2 Cor. iii. 13-16. There are, therefore, such reve- lations of the person and gloiy of Christ treasured up in the Scrip- ture, from the beginning unto the end of it, as may exercise the faith and contemplation of believers in this world, and shall never, during this life, be fully discovered or understood ; and in divine meditations of these revelations doth much of the life of faith consist.
There are three ways whereby the glory of Christ is represented unto us in the Scripture. First, By direct descriptions of his glo^ rious person and incarnation. See, among other places, Gen. iii. 15; Ps. ii. 7-9, xlv. 2-6, Ixviii. 17, 18, ex.; Isa.vi. 1-4, ix. 6; Zech. iii. 8; John i. 1-3 ; Phil. ii. 6-8 ; Heb. i. 1-3, ii. 14-16 ; Rev. i. 17, 18. Secondly, By jirophecies, promises, and express instructions concern- ing him, all leading unto the contemplation of his glory, which are innumerable. Thirdly, By the sacred institutions of divine worship under the Old Testament : for the end of them all was to represent unto the church the glory of Christ in the discharge of his office ; as we shall see afterward.
We may take notice of an instance m one kind under the Old Testament, and of one and another under the New.
His personal appearances imder the Old Testament carried in them a demonstration of his glory. Such was that in the vision which Isaiah had, "when he saw his glory, and spake of him," chap. vi. 1, 2, " I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim," &c. It was a representation of the glory of the divine presence of Christ filling his human nature, the temple of his body, with a train of all-glorious graces. And if this t}^ical representation of it was so glorious, as that the seraphim were not able steadfastly to behold it, but " covered their faces " upon its appearance, verse 2, how exceeding glorious is it in itself, as it is openly revealed in the Gospel !
Of the same nature are the immediate testimonies given unto him from heaven in the New Testament. So the apostle tells us, " he re- ceived from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent gloiy. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," 2 Peter i. 1 7. The apostle intends the time of his transfiguration in the mount; for so he adds, verse 18, "And
31 6 THE GLOEY OF CHRIST
this voice wliicli came from lieaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount/' Howheit, at sundry other times he had the same testimony, or to the same purpose, from God, even the Father, in heaven. Herein God gave him honour and glory, which all those that believe in him should behold and admire; not only those who heard this testimony with their bodily ears, but all unto whom it is testified in the Scripture, are obliged to look after, and contemplate on, the glory of Christ, as thus revealed and proposed. From the throne of his excellency, b}^ audible voices, by visible signs, by the opening of the heavens above, by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon him, God testified unto him as his eternal Son, and gave him therein honour and glory. The thoughts of this divine testimony, and the glory of Christ therein, hath often filled the hearts of some with joy and delight.
This, therefore, in reading and studying the holy Scripture, we ought with all diligence to search and attend unto, as did the prophets of old (1 Peter i. 11, 12), if we intend by them to be made " wise unto salvation."