Vet:2 t. the i7th Chaptet of St. J O H N. 35 Chrift abfolutely as GOd, and he is a Perron moft perfeft and glorious. Before the Af- fumption of the Humane Nature, before any Creature in the World was made, there was enough in Chrift to fatisfy his Fathers Heart. Nay, take him relatively as Media- tor, what doth Chrift want? Doth the Body give ought of Perfe&ion to the Head ? No, the Fulnef of the Godhead dwells in him bodily, and he fr'lleth all Things. But taken in his Myftical Perfm, Chrift Myllical ; as Head and Members are called Chrift, t Car. 12. 12. As the Body is ore, and bath many Members, and all the Members of that one Body; being many, are one Body ; fo alfo ii Chrif. So he is not perfeft without his Body; as an Head without Members is not perfeft. Now what an Honouris this, that he account - eth himfdfimperfe&without us ? Andtill all his Members be gathered in, we are not grown up to the State wherein Chrift is full. Eph. 4. 13. Till we all come to the .Unity of the Faith, and of the Knowledg of the Son of God, unto a perfefta Man, into the Meafure of the Stature of the Frilnefs ofChrif. Chrift's Myflical Body hath not its compleat Sta- ture, till all the Saints be gathered. This Honour is not put upon the Angels, they are Servants, but not Members; He did not take their Seed to be an Head to them{ nor dy for them, nor took them for his Members, as he loth us. Prov. 8. 3t. Rejoicing in the habitable Parts of the Earth, and my Delights were with the SonsofMen. He left the Company of Angels to dwell with us; his Heart was fet upon our Good.; that next to' the Title of Son of God, he valueth this, of being Head of the Church. He purchafed it with his Blood; He loveth his Myftical Body above his Natural, for he gave his natural Body to redeem the Church, which is his Myftical Body; as Husbands love their WiveS as their own Body. Oh Chriftians ! is not this a mighty Priviledg ? We are not only His, but Him, and Chrift knoweth us, and loveth us as Parts of his own Body, and will glorify us, not only as his Clients and Servants, but Members : all the Injuriesand Wrongs done to the Church, Chrift taketh it as done to himfelf. Wicked Men they are his Foot -ffool : Chrift is over them, but not as a Myftical Head. As the Head of a King is lifted up above all his Subje &s, and governeth them, and weareth the Garland of Honour ; but in a peculiar manner it governeth and guideth his own natural Body i So Chrift is Head over all Thing's to the Church, Eph. t. 22. Certainly this is a great Ho- nour put upon poor Worms. What are the Fruits of it ? We are intereffed in all Chrifrs communicable Priviledges : we need not ffretch it too far, it is ample enough of it felt Some Things are incommunicably proper to Chrift, neither given to Man nor Angel). as the Name above all Names, to be adored, to be fet at the Right Hand of God, to be Head of the Church, the Lord our Righteoufnels. But other Things are communicated to us, firft to Chrift, and then to us. Chrift is one with the Father, and a poor Chri- than, though never fo mean, is -one with Chrift. Chrift is called God's Fellow, Zech. 13. 7. and every Saint is Chrift's Fellow, Pfal. 45. 7. Thou' haft anointed him with the Oil ofGladnefs above his Fellows. The Father loveth him, becaufe he is the exprel Image of his Perfon ; and delights in the Saints, becaufe they are the Image of Chrift. God is his God, and our God ; his Father, and our Father : where Chrift is, they are, be- caufe they are a Part of his Body. Alas ! we fhould count it Blafphemy to fpeak fo, if the Word did not (peak it before us. 2. The Happinefs ; In him the fulnefs of the Godhead dwelleth bodily. There is a fuf- ficiency in Chrift for all his Members. We have all things in him, which is as good as if we had it in our Hands, and better; for he is a better Steward and Beeper of the Treafuries of Wifdom, Grace, and Comfort, than we are. If he hath it, it is for our ufe; for Chrift is full as an Officer to impart Life, Senfe, and Motion; to all the Body. It is the Office of the Liver, to impart the. Blood to the Veins, it were mon- ftrous and unnatural to keep it. As a Treafurer, it is his Office to pay Mony out up- on all jult Demands. Pfal. 16. ?, 3. My Goodnefi extendeth not to thee; bin to the Saints that are sn'the Earth, and to the Excellent, in whom is all my delight. Thou lhalt not be forgotten, for the care of Chrift extendeth to every Member; to neglett. a Member, is io negle& our felves. If a Man could forget a Child, yet certainly he could not for- get his Members. This is your Relation to Chrift; if he hath bid the Members to take care one of another, t Cor. 12. 2 5. What will the Head do ? The fe Grounds of Cora fort and Faith you have. 7Jfe s. How (hall we know that we have a (hare in this Myftical Union? I Anfwee, By the Spirit of Chrift. t John 4. 13. Herphy know we that we dwell in him, and be rn-us, becaufe he bath given its of bis Spirit. There is a Communication of the Spirit; fo, Rosa. 8. 9. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his ; his Qq q q Crea-
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