The Parable of the Ten Virgins Opened, Parable · Verse 13 · Question 1
Queſt. 1. Why doth Chriſt call himſelf the Son of Man, with reference unto his Coming in theſe Latter-dayes?
Anſw. 1. To declare his being ſtill a Man, though now Aſcended; and that his Coming (at the Laſt) will be in the Humane Nature alſo. Some would ſain have him turn'd into a Spirit; though he that is now Aſcended, is alſo He who firſt Deſcended into the Grave, Eph. 4. 10. which is not Applicable to the Spirit of Man, Eccl. 3. 21. Others will grant him (as a Man) to be Aſcended, but not that he will (ſo) Return; and yet 'tis ſaid, He ſhall ſo Come, and in like Manner, as he was ſeen to goe, Act. 1. 11. And though his Coming (in this Parable) will mainly be in a Myſtical ſence; yet will it be the coming of the Son of Man, though not his coming As a Man (or in his Perſon, till Afterwards (ſave as ſome Man (or Men) may Repreſent him Now, as Hezekiah did of Old, Iſa. 32. 1, 2.
2. To ſhew the Nature of his Kingly Diſpenſation (at ſuch a time) in point of Viſibility and Temporality; which is moſt Aptly ſhaddowed out by his (then) coming As the Son of Man. His Eccleſiaſtical and Spiritual Kingdom was ſet up at firſt: beſides both which he had Another Kingdom Then, though it was not Immediately to Appear, Luke 19. 11; which therefore muſt be Temporal. Now that which is meerly Spiritual, is fitlyeſt reſembled by the Soul; as Chriſt (with reference unto his ſpiritual Kingdom) is called the Shepherd of his Peoples Souls, 1 Pet. 2. 25. but that which is Temporal, by the Man. Thus David's Temporal Rule was over Men, 2 Sam. 23. 3. and as Chriſt (at his Perſonal coming) is called a Man, Act. 17. 31. ſo with reſpect unto the Aſſyrians coming before that time, this Man ('tis ſaid) ſhall be the Peace, Mic. 5. 5.
3. To ſhew the Greatneſs of his Humility. He was God's Equal upon Earth, Phil. 2. 6; and he (as Man) is far above the Angels Now, Heb. 1. 13; yet doth he ſtyle himſelf the Son of Man. He will Then have that Name [the King of Kings] upon his Thigh, Rev. 19. 16; but in his Mouth, the Son of Man, which is a Worm, Job 25. 6. Thus was Ezekiel oft-times called, to make him Humble; and thus Chriſt did as often call himſelf, to ſhew, that he is ſo. When Iſrael was come into the Land of Canaan, they kept no more the Feaſt of Tabernacles, (or the Memorial of their former Low Condition,) till Nehemiah's time, but Then it was revived, Neh. 8. 17. which Diſpenſation was a Type of this: And when that ſelf-abaſing Feaſt ſhall Myſtically be Obſerved in theſe latter dayes, then ſhall men thereby know, that Verily the Son of Man is come.
4. To hint (perhaps) the Meanneſs of his Firſt appearing in theſe Latter dayes; according to the Conſtant Purport of that Phraſe, [the Son of Man,] yea with reſpect to Chriſt himſelf, Heb. 2. 6. That as Himſelf, who Truely was the Son of Man, is onelyonly ſaid to have been Like him Afterwards, Rev. 1. 13. (he is ſo Altered (Now) from what he (ſometime) was:) ſo will it be, with reference to his Diſpenſation. He will (at Laſt) come, as the Son of Man, Mat. 24. 30; becauſe the Whole of his Own Perſonal Reign will be but Mean, compared with the Father's Kingdom Afterwards, 1 Cor. 15. 28. And ſo may his Precurſory coming here, be fitly called, that of the Son of Man, becauſe it will be Mean, compared with his Perſonal, when he ſhall Gloriouſly appear as God, Tit. 2. 13. or in the Glory of his Father, Mat. 16. 27.
5. To ſignifie (perhaps) the great Humanity, or Familiarity of his Converſing with the Sons of Men (excepting ſome) at his Appearing. His Enemies indeed will be then Burnt up round about, Pſal. 97. 3. but yet his Anger will ceaſe in their Deſtruction, Iſa. 10. 25. and he will then Reſt in his Love, Zeph. 3. 17. He did Approve himſelf (on Earth) to be the Son of Man, by ſuffering his Diſciples to Ask him any thing, Joh. 15. 15. to ſit with him at Meat, Joh. 13. 18; Yea, by his Riſing to Wait on them, v. 4, 5. and ſo will it be Now. Therefore Chriſt bids his people Ask of him, at ſuch a time, Iſa. 45. 11: and they ſhall then ſit with him, Rev. 3. 21. yea, he will then Riſe and Serve them, Luke 12. 37. This King of Glory will not be ſtately; but as Himſelf at Laſt, ſo he Now in his People, will Affably appear to All, or as the Son of Man.