A Glorious Confession Of Faith
“God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.”—2 Corinthians 4:6
This is a glorious confession of faith, worthy to be written in letters of gold, and set with the most precious jewels, and ever to be worn as the believer’s ornament and glory. For here is the rich display of sovereign grace, and the glory of almighty power, in producing light in the hearts of sinners, who are by nature not only in the dark, but even darkness itself. The knowledge of Jesus is commanded by the same omnipotent Agent, who called forth light in the beginning, upon this dark terraqueous globe. Light gladdens the whole creation of nature: and this spiritual light causeth joy in the soul; for it gives the knowledge of God’s glory. In what respect? that God is glorious in majesty? This strikes us with horror. Glorious in power? That fills us with terror. Glorious in holiness? This causes despair. So every attribute and perfection of Jehovah would sink sinners into dread, astonishment, and death.
But here is our relief, It is the knowledge of the glory of God, in the person of the anointed Saviour. In Him, God’s glorious favour, eternal love, everlasting counsel of peace, covenant of grace, promises of mercy, scheme of salvation, shine with the most resplendent lustre. Hence pardon, love, peace, joy, holiness, hope, security, heaven in possession, glory in reversion; all, all centre in the person of Jesus. Thus we behold the glory of God. God in Him. This is the only comfortable knowledge, the only reviving experience of the Christian heart. And here we see how inseparably connected are God’s glory and his people’s comfort. Each leads to the other, and both tend to lay sinners low in humility, and sink them to nothing before the sovereign gracious Lord. Could a dark chaos contribute any thing to the production of light? Canst thou, oh worm of the earth, exert any power to cause that glorious luminary, the sun, to send forth its reviving beams of light? No; the first is by the command of the sovereign agent; the latter acts by the laws of its wise Creator. So as to spiritual light, saving knowledge, it is given to those who sought it not; it is made manifest to them who asked not after it. What then becomes of terms and conditions of salvation? Oh thou once spiritually blind and dead, if God hath commanded the light and knowledge of Jesus in thine heart, all boasting is excluded, all glorying in self is at an end. Surely thou wilt say, Thine is the power; to thee, to thee alone, Jehovah, be all the glory!
Now be the God of Israel blessed,
Who makes his truth appear;
His mighty hand fulfills his word,
And all the oaths he sware.
He makes his great salvation known,
By Christ he pardons sins;
While sovereign grace and heavenly love
In its own glory shines.
William Mason (1719-1791) was a High-Calvinist author. For many years he served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1783 was appointed a Magistrate. He served as editor of the Gospel Magazine before and after the editorship of Augustus Toplady. He is best known for a morning and evening devotional entitled, “A Spiritual Treasury For The Children Of God.”
