p6 SERMONS upon Serm.38. and Drunkennefs, (hall it be like Chrift's Glorious Body ? Thofe Affe&ions that [hall be ravi(hed with the Enjoyment of God, (hall they be proffituted to the World ? And that Mind which is made for the fight of God, ferve only to make provifion for the Fle(h ? (hall it be filled with Chaff and Vanity ? 3. Obferve. That Glory is the Fruit of Ünian, as well as Grace. The Spiritual Uni- on is begun here, but it is accomplifhed in the next Life. Here we are crucified, quickned, afcend, and fit down with Chrift in Heavenly Places, Ephef. 2. 5, 6.'Eveei When we were dead in Sins, bath he quickned together with Chrifi, and hash railed us up tá gether, and made us fit together in Heavenly Placer in Chrifi Jefès. Col. r. 27. Chrifi isa you the Hope of Glory. Chrift in us, will not leave till he bringeth us to Heaven. la this Life we cannot come to him ; the State of Mortality is a State of Abfence, there, fore Chrift will come to us, but with an intent to bring us to himfelf, that we may be. where he is. VerC 24. Father, I will that they alfa whom thou haft given me, be with we. where 1 am, that they may behold my Glory. He cometh to us where we are, that at length we may be where he is. It is the Lord's Method, to bring us from Death to Life, from Mifery to Happinefs, by degrees ; thoufands of Years cannot make up that, which was loft in an Hour, till the (lefurre&ion all is not perfe&ed, we do not fully difcern the Fruits of our Union with Chrift. Üfe r. To help us to conceive of the Myftery of Union. Some Men fancy, that. as foon as we are united to Chrift, we are a&ually glorified in this Life. It is true,Chrift is equally united to them upon Earth, as to them in Heaven : He that reigneth with the Church Triumphant, fighteth with the Church Militant ; but there is a difference in the degree of Influence and Difpenfation : In the Blefftngs that he conferreth upon them, he refpe&s their different Condition, and poureth out of his own Fulnef as they, are able to bear. The B.eafon of this different Influence is, becaufe they are conveyed to us voluntarily, not by neceffrty. Ph1. z. 13. It ir.God which worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleafure. He gives more or lets Comfort, Grace, Joy, as he pleafeth ; his Grace floweth into his Members, not by a neceffrty of Nature, but ac- cording to his own Pleafure. Give him leave to handle his Myftical Body, as he handled his Natural Body : His Natural.Body grew by degrees, , and the capacity of his / Hut4aane Soul was inlarged by degrees, elfe how could he increafe in . Wifdom, as well .s/ Stature ? Luke 2.40. There was a perfe& Union between the Divine and Humane , .Nature at firft 5 yet the Divine Nature manifefted it felf by degrees, not in fuch a la=. titude in Childhood, as in grown Age. So tho there is a perfe& Union between Chrift and the Soul at firft Converfion, yet the influence of Grace and Comfort is given out according to the meafure of our Capacity. All Believers upon Earth are united toChrift, yet all have not a like degree of Manifeftation and Influence. As all the Members of the Body are united to the fame Head, and animated by the fame Soul ; yet all the Members grow according to the meafure of a part ; we cannot expefk a Finger fhould be as big as an Arm : So all that are united to Chrift, receive influences. according to their Capacities; thofe that are glorified, Glorious Influences; thofe that are Militant; influences proper to their State. Vfe 2. it ferveth to quicken thofe that are united to Chrift, to look for greater Things than they do yet enjoy. John i. 5o. Thou (halt fee greater Things than theft; another manner of Union and Communion with God through Chrift. There is a mighty difference between our Communion with God here and there. The Saints in Heaven have Union with God by Sight, as the Saints on Earth by Faith : 2 Cor..5.7. For we walk by Faith, not by Sight ; and Faith cannot go fo high as Feeling and Frui- tion. Now we are unfit for converfe with God, becaufe of our Blindnefs and Dark - nefs, as Mén of weak Parts are not fit company for the ftrong. But then our Facu1- ties are more enlarged : Grace regulates the Faculty, but it doth not alter and change the Faculty. God's Communications are more full and free, and we are more recep- tive. Here we have dark Souls, and weak Bodies; the old Bottles would break, if filled with the new Wine of Glory. At Chriti's Transfiguration,the Ditiples were afo- enJbed, and fell on their Faces, Mat, 17. 6. But in Heaven, the fight of Chrift's Glo- ry will be ravifhing, no terror. Here we are amazed at the fight of an Angel. But there is a perfe& fuitablenefi between us and God, and therefore a more perfe& Union, and Communion, God more delighteth in the Saints, as having more of his Image; and
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