316 Book IV. LGoking unto j.efas. Cbap.z .Sect.7 .•Joh, 3·%· -------------------------------------- what he will do unto all his Saints for ever; humane nature was never fo advanced before, what? to be glorified above the Angels? to be united in a perfonal union with the fecond perfon of the Godhead? furely hence may be expeCted great matters - here's a fain~ ftep for the bring(ng ofour perfons up to the en: joyment ofGod; if God be come down in the likene{fe ofman why, then he will bring us up into the likenelfe of God ; look what was done to our nature in Chrift, the very fame ( as far as _ we are capable) ihall be done to our perfons in heaven. _ Think of it, 0 my foul, why hath God made fleih fo glorious, but to 1hew that he will by that make thee glorious alfo ? Chrifi: is the great Epitome of all the defi gnes of God, fo that in him thou maiO: fee what thou art defigned unto, and how.high and rich thou 1balt be in the other wor1d. Belowd.,now are we thefimnes ofGod, and it doth not yet t~ppeare what 'fl'e jball 6e, but we !(now when he foal/ appeare, we {hall belik[ Jim; he is now like us, but then (faith the: Apollk) wd];lall be like unto him; he will change our vile 6ody, thllt it m.ry 6e fajbjoned /ik.§ ttnto his glorious bodJ. Ob confider what a frame of .eternal comfort may we rai.fe up from this ground of Chrift incarnate, God in the fleih? 5. God in the fleih is the firft opening of his eternal plot to do us good; the feed of the wrman was the firft word of c.omfort that ever was heard in the world after man was fallen ; the plot was of old, but the execution was not till after the creation and then was a dim di fcovery of it , even in the beginning oftime, though no cleare manifeftation till the fulnelfeof time. Well , take it as we pleafe, whether in the beginning of time, or in the fu !mffc oftimeo; whether in the promife· , or in performance, this d&overiog ofChri£1: incarnate is rhe fir£1: opening of all Gods he<~rt and glory unto the fonnesof men; and from this we may raife a world ofcomfort, for ifGod in the execntion ofhis decrees ~egins fo glorioufly, how will he end? i· God be fo full oflove as to come down in fldh now in this world , Oh what matcer of hope is laid up before us, ofwh11t God will be to us in that world to come? if the glory ofGod bC' let out to our fouls fo fully at fir ft, what glorious openings ofodl the glory of L'od will be let out to nur fouls at I aft? Chriitians! what do YOU think will God do with us, or bring us JJnto, when we ihall be w1th him in hea- . ven?
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