The last post I wrote on Altogether Lovely (Jonathan, Edwards. Altogether Lovely Jonathan Edwards on the glory and excellency of Jesus Christ. Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1997) considered Edwards' sermon entitled God The Best Portion Of The Christian. The sermon's first point was this;
- A godly man prefers God before anything else in heaven.
- It is the temper of a godly man to prefer God before all other things on the earth.
- First, the saint prefers that enjoyment of God, for which he hopes hereafter, to anything in this world. "It is but a little of God that the saint enjoys in this world. He hath but a little acquaintance with God, and enjoys but a little of the manifestations of the divine glory and love. But God hath promised to give him Himself hereafter in a full enjoyment. And these promises are more precious to the saint, than the most precious earthly jewels. The gospel contains greater treasures, in his esteem, than the cabinets of princes, or the mines of the Indies."(5)
- Second, the saints prefer what of God may be obtained in this life before all things in the world. "There is a great difference in the present spiritual attainments of the saints. Some attain to much greater acquaintance and communion with God, and conformity to him, than others. But the highest attainments are very small in comparison with what is future. The saints are capable of making progress in spiritual attainments, and they earnestly desire such further attainments. Not contented with those degrees to which they have already attained, they hunger and thirst after righteousness, and, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby. It is their desire, to know more of God, to have more of his image, and to be enabled more to imitate God and Christ in their walk and conversation." (5-6)
- Third, the saint prefers what he hath already of God before anything in this world. "That which was infused into his heart at his conversion, it more precious to him than anything which the world can afford. The views which are sometimes given him of the beauty and excellency of God, are more precious to him than all the treasures of the wicked. The relation of a child in which he stands to God, the union which there is between his soul and Jesus Christ, he values more than the greatest earthly dignity. That image of God which is enstamped on his soul, he values more than any earthly ornaments. It is, in his esteem, better to be adorned with the graces of God’s Holy Spirit, than to be made to shine in jewels of gold, and the most costly pearls, or to be admired for the greatest external beauty. He values the robe of Christ’s righteousness, which he hath on his soul, more than the robes of princes." (7)
Brother, A-MEN. This post is helping me understand more perfectly what I am trying to establish over at the Woodshop. I have been going through Owen on the counsel of God concerning the fall and the redemption of men in Christ. Even before the fall, we did not enjoy the communion we will enjoy after we are redeemed out of this corrupted, fallen world and I think that the first point establishes this:
ReplyDeleteIt is but a little of God that the saint enjoys in this world. He hath but a little acquaintance with God, and enjoys but a little of the manifestations of the divine glory and love. But God hath promised to give him Himself hereafter in a full enjoyment.
We were confined to the earth before the fall, with limited access to God, but once we are with Him, we will know Him better than we ever could.
Brilliant, excellent post, praise God, keep'em coming, and Thank you!