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
May we not therefore suppose the blessedness of the sacred Three to
consist also in mutual love? May I call it a perpetual delightful
tendency, and active propensity toward each other? An eternal approach
to each other with infinite complacency? An eternal embrace of each
other with arms of inimitable love and with sensations of unmeasurable
joy? Thus saith the Son of God under the character of divine wisdom;
Prov. viii. 23, 30. _I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,
or ever the earth was. Then was I by him as one brought up with him, and
I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him._ As the Father
loveth the Son, so the Son loveth the Father. As the Father delights
infinitely in his perfect image, so may we not venture to say, the Son
takes infinite delight in the glorious archetype, and thus imitates the
Father? Will not the expressions of the apostle Paul; Heb. i. 3. and the
words of Christ himself; John v. 19, 20. encourage and support this
manner of speaking? He _is the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the
express image of his person: The Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him
all things that himself doeth: and what things soever he seeth the
Father do, these also doth the Son likewise_. And this seems to be the
first foundation of those glorious offices of raising the dead, and
judging the world, which in the following verses are committed to the
Son, _that all men may honour the Son, as they honour the Father_; ver.
23.
As the blessed Three have an unknown communion in the Godhead, or divine
nature, so they must have an unspeakable nearness to one another’s
persons, an inconceivable in-being and in-dwelling in each other. John
xiv. 10. I in the Father, and the Father in me. Each is near to the two
other divine subsistences, and this mutual nearness must be attended
with delight and felicity unknown to all but the blessed Three who enjoy
it. O glorious and divine communion! The Father for ever near to his own
image the Son, and herein blessed! The Son never divided from the
embraces of the Father, and therefore happy! The Spirit everlastingly
near them both, and therefore he is the ever-blessed Spirit! And all
these united in one Godhead, and therefore infinitely and for ever
blessed!
The Father is so intimately near the Son and Spirit, that no finite or
created natures or unions can give a just resemblance of it. We talk of
the union of the sun and his beams, of a tree and its branches: But
these are but poor images, and faint shadows of this mystery, though
they are some of the best that I know. The union of the soul and body,
is, in my esteem, still farther from the point, because their natures
are so widely different. In vain we search through all the creation to
find a complete similitude of the Creator.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account