Soo SERMONS upon Serm,35. SERMON XXXV. JOHN XVII. xi. That they all may be One, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alfo may be one in us : that the World may believe that thou haft fens me. ivyE have Peen for whom Chrift prayeth. Now let us fee what he prayeth for; their comfortable Eftate in the World, and the Happinefs of their everlafting Eftatean Heaven. With refpel. to their Eftate in the World; Chrift mentioneth no other Blef- fing, but the Myftical Union, which. is amplified throughout t erf. 21, 22, & 23. Here he beginneth, That they may be all one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee. He had before prayed for the Apoftles, that they may be One, as we are One, Verf. a1. and now, let them IL L be One. The Welfare of the Church is concerned, not only in the Unity of the Apoftles, but of private Believers; you had need be One as well as your Paftors. Many Times DiviGons arife from the People; and thofe that have lealt Knowledg, are molt carried afide with blind Zeal, and Principles of Separation; therefore Chrift prayeth for private Belie- vers, That they may be all One, &c. In which words there is, Firfi, The Bleffing prayed for, That they may be all One. Secondly, The Manner of this Unity, illuftrated by the Original Patern and Ex- emplar of it, Al thou Father' art in me, and I in thee; the ineffable Unity of the Perlons in the Divine Effence. Thirdly, The Ground of this Unity, the Myftical Union with Chrift, and by Chrift with God, That they may be One with us. Fourthly, The End and Event of this Union, That the World may believe that thou haft Pent me. Firfi ; From the Bleffing prayed for, I Obferve, That the great 'Meiling Chrifi asl¿eth for his Church, is the Myftical Union of Believers in the fame Body ; Let them be One, One in us, and as thou in me, and I in thee : All thefe Expreffìons !hew that the Myftical Union is here intended. Let them be One, v, that is, $v aid"ptcx, as it is elfewhere ex- plained, that they may grow together in one Body, whereof I am the Head ; or one Tem- ple. It is fometimes let out by One Myftical Body, fometimes by One Spiritual Temple. One Body. Col. 2. 1 g. And not holding the Head, from which all the Body, by Joints and Bands, having Nourifhment minifired and knit together, increafeth with the Increafe of God. 'Rom. 12. 5. We being many, are One Body in Chrifi, and every one Members one of another. Ephef. 1. 22, 23. Ind gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church, which is his Body. And One Temple, Ephef. 2. 20, 21,.22. ../Ind are built upon the Foundation of the Apofiles and Prophets, Jefus Chrifl himfelf being. the .chief Corner- Stone, in whom all the Building fitly framed together, groweth unto-an Holy Temple in the Lord : In whom you alto are budded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit. One, as thou in me, and I in thee : Chrift doth not fay that they may be One in another, that, hí ,Op ealpNmS, doth not agree to them; but in the Myftery of the Trinity, it denotes the Union between the Divine Perlons. One in Us, that is, by the Communication and Inhabitation of that Spirit which proceedeth from us. Our Union is from God, in God, and to God ; from the Spirit, with God, through Chrift. Let
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=