OfEleCfion. CHAP. V. The Infinity o[Gr,1ce and Condefcention in God, The High and Lofty One, to ordainf~tch an Vnion and Communi– on with himfelf, of Vs his Creatures, who are at fucb aDiftance from birr't as we Creaturn; and more then doubly Infinite Grace, in that we are alfo Sinners. V SE. Y 0 U have then great R.eafon to adore our Holy; arid Great, and Bleiied God, for this his Original and Foundation Grace of Or· daining 1his H1gh and Jltper,Crer<tion Union of, and Communi– corion with himfelf, and of yourfelves thereunto. My Exhor– tation is, That under the Contemplation of God's I-Ieight and Greatnefs, you would efpecially adore his Grace, according tQ the Tenor of the Angels Song, Glory_be to God on h1gb, good wi/J to Me1z,_ &c. _Luke 2. I4· My· intent is nor upon th1s occafion, t<> magmfiethu Bnu{it 11 felt, and fhew how great rhis Vmo1110 1t felt IS: But to magotfie the Grace of God's h<art himfelf, in orda101ng lt and us t,I!Creunro. . Only touching the Umontt fell, I fhall fay but two thmgs at the prefent , that fhew the grcatoefs of this our Union. Firll, That bate but rwo things, which you t hat are meer Creatures are e– ternally uncapable of. 1. Nevd think tobecom~ God himfelf: I will pot a– gain fay not only Bate, but abhor that thought. F!Cil, you mull fo be united to him, as God and you may !hll remam dtlhnd llemgs tor evor: And mdeed; rhis were not Union, but Sammefl and Identity; but yet fo near will this Onenefs be, as God will be All,;, AIJ to you, and a/J the ful~tt/J of' God jhaiJ fill y•o11, as Epb. 5· '9• and fo fill you, as the fire of an hot Fmnace doth a fmall piece of Iron call into it; (when yet not dilfolving it, or converting it into fire it fe if) that you fee not, or difcern not the Iron, but it appears to be altogether fire; It fo fills, penetrates, and throughout poffeiieth it fo in glo– ry, your felves will not mind or think of your own felves, or of your glory as yours, through your being [wallowed up into the thoughts and enjoymenrs of his Glory fhining in and through you. 2, Bate you alfo, that Union which the Man Jefus hath with God, (God's firll Fellow) which is to be one Perfcn with him that is God, and fo by Inheritance to have the N~me, and be llyled, Son of God, yea God, C!ic. though his Creature Frame remains dillind from God eternally, in Col. 2. 2, The frt!nefl of the God-hrad dwetls /;odi!y,that is, prr[imally, in him; ( as /;od•ly notes, (which I cannot lland to fhew) in our and other Languages) when you would fignifie and denote a Petfoc , you ufe the denomination of a Body: Such a llody did this (you ufe to fay,) and fome Body; yea, and no Body ; that is; no Perfon• . As Body !ignifies Perfon; fo bodily, pcrfonally: Ancj thus the Oodhead dwells bodily in Chri!t by his U– nion wirh the Perfon of the Son of God, But this is his tranfcendent Privi– ledge alone. W::mld you be all Chrills? I pray content your felves ; There <s but one Lord Jdus Chrill, and we by him, 1 Cor. 8. 6. . But, excepting thofe two, call all the Angels and SpiritS of Men made per– fel.l, and let them imagine for you the fublime!l, highell, nearell Union with God elfc, and Communication of God himfelf accordingly, .and you !hall have them, and be perfect in One, as <;:brill fays, Js we art One, John '7• , r. The I 11
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