Keach - Houston-Packer Collection BS537 .K4 1779

Part I. AN ANTHROPOPATHY. A Body, by Reafon of his incorporeal Effence, is no where attributed to God, but it is afcnbed to our Savior Chrijl in a twofold RefpeCt. r. As oppofed to the Shadows, Figures and Types in the Old Teftament, the Truth, Complement or Fulfilling of the Things prefigured by thefe Shadows, being held forth in him, Col. ii. 17. Which are a Shadow of Things to come, but the Body is of Chrijl, that is, the Truth and Complement is in Chrift And Col. ii. 9· it is faid, That in him dwe!!eth a!l the Fu!nefs of the Godhead, ~wf'"?"w,, bodif;•, that is, moft really, perfectly, and folialy; not in a typical or Jhadowy Manner, as God manifefied himfelf in the Old Tefiament. 2. The Church is called the Body of Chrift, Eph. i. 22, 23. And God gave him to be the Head over a!l Thi11gs to the Church, which ·is his Body, the Fu!nefs of him that ji!leth all in a!!. It is called his Body, becaufe he rules it, giving Smft, Life and fpiritual Motion to it, as a Man's Head does to his Body. It is called his Fulnefs, becaufe (though Chrift is abfolutely perfeCt in himfelf, and has no Need of us) his Love is fo great eo his Church, that he will not be without it, any more than a Head would be willing to want his Members. Father, I will that they alfo whom thou haft given me, be with me where I am, &c. John xvii. 24. Epb. iv. 12, 15, t6. So much for Chrift's myftical Body. As for the human Body of our Lord, it being really, and not metapho" rically fuch, it concerns not this Place. God is called the Head of Chrijl, I Cor. xi. 3· (1.) With Rdpdl: to his human Nature, for in that Senfe Chrift fays, the Father is greater than he, John xiv. 28. (2.) With RefpeCl: eo his Office as Mediator and Redeemer, for all the Actions of Chrill: were done by the Will, Order, and Commiillon of the Deity. The Apofl:le by the Figure Climax, or a certain Gradation in the fame Text, calls Chrijlthe Head of the Man, becaufe he chafe that Sex when he took human Nature upon him, fo becoming the Firjl-born among many Brethren, Rom. viii. 29. He alfo calls A1an the Head of the Woman, becaufe of the Prehemineuce of Sex, and being ordered her Lord and Superior. In thefe Places the Word is metaphorical, in Refpec'l: of Eminency, becaufe the Head in the natural Body is feated highe.ft, excelling the whole Body in Dignity of Senfe and Reafon. (3.) In RefpeCt of Rule and Government, the natural Body being ruled by it, &c;· More generally Cbrijl is called the Head of the Church, Eph. i. 22. and iv. 15. Col. i. 18, &c. in which Senfe Man has no Prerogative over the Woman as to the Partict– pation of the Benefits of Chrijl, and myftical Union with him, Gal. iii. 2~. Neither Male nor Female, for ye are all one in Chrijl Jefits. Hence it is faid, Eph. i. 10. That he mightgather together in one Head* all.Things in Chrijl, both which are in Heaven, and which are on Earth; which Chryfoftom well interprets, viz. It is done by the .Mjftery of Redemption, that cele.ftial and terre.ftrial Things, that is, Angels and Men, jhould have one Head, that is, Chrijl, whereas before by Reafon of Man's Sin, heavenly Things are ftpa– rated from earthly. A FACE is attributed to God, by which the Manifejlation of himfelf to Angels and Men, and the various Workings of his Providence are to be underftood ; for fo God is known to us, as one Man is known by his Face to another: The Face of God fignifies Manifell:ation. , 1. In the bie!fed State of Eternity, Pfabn xvi. 11. With tby Face is Fubtejs of Joys; fo the Hebrew, and Pfalm xvii. 1 5· I will behold thy Face in Righteoufnefs: I jhall be fatisfied whm I awake in thy Likenefs. Matth. xviii. 1 o. Their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven. In this Senfe, no man can fee God's Face and live, Exod. xxxiii. 20, 23. For now we fte through a Glafs darkly, but then Face to Face. 1 Cor. xiii. 12, &c. 2. In the State of iWortality, when God in any Meafure reveals himfdf. As, j t. l By the Face of God, his Prefence and propitious AfpeCl: is noted, as Exod. X Ill. 2 I. 'The Lord "".ent before them by Day in a Pillar of a Cloud, and by Night in a Pillar of Frre, Exod. XXXIII· 1 4· 1fify Face, fo the Hebrew, jhall go with thee, and I will give thee Re.ft, and Verfe '5· Mofts faid, If thy Face go not (with us) cauft us not to go ug hence, &c. that is, if you be not prefent as heretofore in the Pillar of a Cloud and Fire. M Hence

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