'546 THE GLORY OF CHRIST AS GOD-MAN. have laboured and suffered, on purpose to encourage us in our labours and sufferings. Now this must be the exaltation of his human natureor the man Jesus, who did both labour and suffer as well as we. I will say no more in this place, because this doctrine will appear more evident all the way as we proceed : Yet if we had nothing further to say for it, I think upon the whole we might venture to conclude, that as the humiliation of Christ theMedia- tor has a more peculiar respect to his human nature, so it is the human nature is more especially exalted by the Father, but still considered in union with the divine, and under the character of Mediator. My second general head of discourse is to give some special instances wherein the exaltation of Christ in his human -na- ture consists ; and this appears eminently in the followingpar- ticulars :- 1. The man Christ Jesus united to the divine nature is ad- mitted to the knowledgeof many of the decrees and the secret counsels of God. He that knew not the day of judgment here on earth, has now the scene of all futurities spread open before him ; and he communicated them in visions and figures to John the apostle, that he might publish them to the churches. The book of the Revelation begins with this assertion, that God gave to Jesus Christ the knowledge of things that must shortly come . to pass ; And in Rev. v.5. The Lion of the tribe of Judah bath Prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. Verse 6. The Lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, came and took the book out of the right-hand of him that sat on the throne, and opened the seals thereof. Here is the human nature of Christ, the Lamb, representedwith unknown powers, viz. ," seven horns and seven eyes, which are the sevenSpirits of God :" The seven horns might signify perfect might, and the seven eyes per- feet knowledge ; and by virtue of his union to the divine nature this may include his power to send the Spirit of God, or to give forth his gifts or graces. He opens the book of divine counsels, by which the church and the nations are to be governed to the . end of the world. Now the divine nature of Christ knew all that was written in this book while it was sealed ; but after the sufferings of Christ on earth, his human nature was admitted to this privilege ;. and having power given him to rule the world, it was necessary he should know those counsels and decrees of theFather by which the world is to be ruled. Observe also that he is made and declared worthy to take this book and to open the seals of it, because he was slain and hds redeemed his saints to God by his blood, verse O. Surely it was
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=