to the EPHESIAN S•. But the fecond Obfervation that I make is this; 217 ~ Serm.XVlv ~ That our Salvation is in God's Gift; and in Chrifl:'s perfonating ofus and appre- Obferv. 2 , bending ofus, it is perfetl: and compleat; though in our Perfons, as in us, it is wrought by degrees. This you lee is dear, for he tells us, that the Grace and Love and Mercy of God is fuch, as he bath quickned us with Chrifl:, but for the refl: it is done in Chrifl:. Our Salvation (my Brethren) hath been perfected, between God and Chrifl:, over and over and over. It was perfected in God's Eternal Decrees, he then did befl:ow all Grace and Benefits upon us before the World began, and he hath ble!Ted us with all fpiritual Bleffings in heavenly things, be· fore the World was. When JefusChri!l: was here upon Earth, the Text tells us, in Heb. IO. I 4· That by one Ojfiring he bath perftt1ed for ever them that arefanClijied. When he rofe, he perfected our R.efurrection for ever. When he fat down in Heaven, he perfected our fitting down there for ever. When we are convened, 'when he comprehendeth us anew, then he doth own us, as thofe for whom he did all this, and profe!Teth to reprefent us, and profe!Teth to fend his Spirit down into our Hearts, to work all that in us, for which hebath comprehended us. And upon that 'Paul's Heart and Defires are in a Flame, after the refurrellion of the Dead, no leCs could ferve him: for faith he, Jefus Chrifl: bath comprehended me for that end, when he firfl: turned me to him. .All this, my Brethren, bath been wrought over, and over, and over; our whole Salvation bath been perfected between God and Chrifl:, by I know not how many acts,and each do make the whole fure, fure over and over. Here now is all the difference, when it comes to be wrought in our Perfons, there indeed he goes by Degrees, as it i• applied unto us. The Truth is this, that God the Father in befl:owing Bleffings upon us at once, in Election, he found }efusChrifl: work to purpofe: Chrifl: he came, and by Degrees he did purchafe it, fulfilled the Law, died, rofe again, afcended, fitteth in Heaven : By thefe Acts once done, doth Jefus Chrifl: find the Holy-Ghoft work for ever,and the Holy Ghofl: he is a perfecting for ever ofwhat God the Father intended and gave at once, ofwhat Jefus Chrifl: did as a common Perfon both purchafe for us, and did for us by way ofreprefentation. And as Man was a making fix days, fo weare by degrees a perfecting for Heaven, and what God will do for us there we know not. And take this for thy comfort, bath Chrifl: begun to quicken thy Heart with Spiritual Life? Do as 'Pdlfldid, fet upon attaining the refurrection of the dead, ifby any means thou mayfl: attain that HolineCs thou fha!t have there; for Jefus Chrifl: hath comprehended thee for it, and he fitteth in Heaven now, prefents himfelftohis Father as he that rofe for thee, to the end the refurrectionof the dead may be compleated in thee: he prefents himCelfas fitting in Heaven in thy llead, thy Name is entred into the Lamb's Book, and therefore fay with thy felf as Pa11l doth, though I have not yet attained unto the refurrection of the dead, yet tliis'ismy llate in Chrifl:, this is that for which I am comprehended ofhim. My Brethren, the Truth is this, that all the Grace and Happinefs we fhall have, it is ·noth\rig hut Life; for what is Chri!l? He is !l:ill called Life, SoJoh. I . 4· and I Joh. I. 2. And thefe three things here, are but three feveral Degrees ofLife: Fir!l, your Souls are quickned ; then your Bodies and Souls fhalllive another Life, the Body fhall be raifed up a Spiritual Body: this is done in Chrifl:. And then yo~ fhall be taken up into Glory, and live with God: Your Hearts jhallliv~ for evermore. It is all but the Life ofJefus Chrifl:, which doth fpring and by degrees rife up in us, and he :is.oilr Life doth fit in Heaven for us, as the Apofl:Ie tells us, in Col. 3· . A third Obfervation I would make is this. That God, as he bath perfected our Salvation (as you fee he bath done over and Obfc 1 v. li over) So he would have us for our Comfort take a viewof that whole that God · will do'for us, and byF~ith he W()uld have us to take it that_ he hath done it, and he bath ~?•de fure work for it in our Redeemer . Jefus ~hrtfl:. We .fhould not therefore only look to what is behind, but look to what ts before. My Brethren, Jefu!iC~rill he waits in Heaven, till all he'did for us. a_s_a common Perfoo, be per• ~ Ee fected
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