Chapter 4 - Of God’s Glory and Blessedness

Out of the former attributes, by which the true Jehovah is distinguished from a fained god, and from idols, arise the glory of God and His blessedness.

God’s glory or majesty, is the infinite excellency of His most simple and most holy divine Nature.  Heb. 1:3, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”  Neh. 9:5, “Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.”

By this we see, that God only can know Himself perfectly.  John 6:45, “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”  1 Tim. 6:16, “Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”  Ex. 33:20, “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” 

Notwithstanding there is a certain manifestation of God’s glory: partly more obscure, partly more apparent.

The more obscure manifestation, is the vision of God’s majesty in this life, by the eyes of the mind, through the help of things perceived by the outward senses.  Isa. 6:1, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.”  Ex. 33:22, “And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by.”  1 Cor. 13:12, “Now we see through a glass darkly.”

The more apparent manifestation of God, is the contemplation of Him in heaven face to face.  1 Cor. 12:12, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”  Dan. 7:9-10, “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” 

God’s blessedness, is that by which God is in Himself, and of Himself all sufficient.  Gen. 17:1, “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.”  Col. 2:9, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”  1 Tim. 6:15, “Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.”

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William Perkins