The works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. in nine volumes (volume 1 of 9)Watts, Isaac
Religion
The works of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D. D. in nine volumes (volume 1 of 9)
Watts, Isaac
Dissenters, Religious -- England; Sermons, English -- 18th century; Theology -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- History -- 18th century
All his worship of the Father consists of nobler acts, and nearer
approaches, than it is possible for any other creature to perform or
partake of. Jesus, the man, worshipped here on earth, and he worships
above in glory: He loves the godhead, as infinitely more amiable than
himself; he trusts in it as more powerful; acknowledges God is above him
in every glory, in every beauty infinitely superior to him; and this is
divine worship; for a creature is still beneath God, and the
acknowledgment of it is the worship due from him. Now Christ pays this
acknowledgment with greater humility than the meanest worm of the race
of Adam; for the nearer he is to God, the better he knows the true
distance of a creature; and because he does it with greater humility,
therefore with sweeter delight; for the lower a creature lies before
God, the nearer doth God approach it. _The High and Holy One, who
inhabiteth eternity, and dwelleth in the high and holy place, dwelleth
also with the humble soul_; Is. lvii. 15. But this leads me to a farther
degree of the blessedness of the man Christ Jesus; and that is,
4. He hath a fuller, a richer, and a more transporting sense of the love
of God, since God makes nearer approaches to him, and discovers more of
his infinite goodness, and communicates more of his love. We may venture
to say, that God loves the human nature of Christ better than he does
any other creature; and this human nature has a stronger, and more
intimate consciousness of the divine love, and a sweeter sensation of
it, than saints or angels can have, because of the personal union
between the son of man and the eternal God: which union, though we know
not precisely what it is, yet, we know to be sufficient to give him the
name Emmanuel, God with us; which distinguishes it most gloriously from
all our unions to God, and raises his dignity, his character, and his
advantages, even as a man, to so sublime a degree above that of all
other creatures.
By his exaltation, and his dwelling so near to God, his powers are
inconceivably enlarged, and made capable of taking in higher degrees of
felicity. Sights of God stretch the faculties of the soul, and enlarge
it to receive more of God; this eternal sight has our Redeemer. We see
the glory of God chiefly in the face of Christ Jesus his Son, but he
sees the glory of God in his own face and brightness, Christ himself is
_the brightness of his Father’s glory_; Heb. i. 2, 3.
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