“Should the Lord Jesus appear now to any of us in His majesty and glory, it would not be unto our edification nor consolation. For we are not meet nor able, by the power of any light or grace that we have received, or can receive, to bear the immediate appearance and representation of them. His beloved apostle John had leaned on His bosom probably many a time in his life, in the intimate familiarities of love; but when He afterward appeared unto him in his glory, ‘he fell at His feet as one dead.’ And when He appeared unto Paul, all the account he could give thereof was, ‘that he saw a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun’; whereon he, and all that were with him, ‘fell to the ground.’
“And this was one reason why, in the days of His ministry here on earth, His glory was veiled in the infirmities of the flesh, and all sorts of sufferings, as we have before related. The church in his life is no way meet, by the grace which it can be made partaker of, to converse with Him in the immediate manifestations of His glory. And therefore those who dream of His personal reign on the earth before the day of judgment, unless they suppose that all the saints shall be perfectly glorified also (which is only to bring down heaven to the earth for a while, to no purpose), provide not at all for the edification or consolation of the church. For no present grace, advanced unto the highest degree whereof in this world it is capable, can make us meet for an immediate converse with Christ in His unveiled glory.” (Owen’s Glory of Christ)
“He (The Holy Ghost is promised to abide with the disciples for ever, in opposition to the abode of Christ. Christ in the flesh, had been with them for a little while, and now was leaving them, and going to His Father. He had been the Comforter immediately Himself for a season, but is now upon His departing; wherefore, promising them another Comforter, they might fear that He would even but visit them for a little season also, and then their condition would be worse than ever. Nay, but saith our Saviour, “Fear it not: this is the last dispensation; there is to be no alteration. When I am gone, the Comforter is to do all the remaining work: there is not another to be looked for, and I promise you Him; nor shall He depart from you, but always abide with you.” (Owen’s Of Communion with the Holy Ghost)
Copies may be obtained from:—MR. A. T. TASKER, 12 Sundial Avenue, London, S.E.25.