ON THE GLO ICY OP CHRIST. 49 spiritual life, light, grace, and power, unto the glory of God. They are not called accidentally according unto the external occasions and causes of their conver- sion unto God: but in every age, at his own time and season, the Holy Spirit communicates these things unto them, in the order declared unto the glory of God. 8.- And in the same manner is the whole new crea- tion preserved every day; every moment there is vital power and strength, mercy and grace communicated in this divine order to all believers in the world. There is a continual influence from the fountain, from the head into all the members, whereby they all consist in him, are acted by him, who worketh in us both to will' and to do. ofhiaown good.pleasure. And the apostle de- clares, that the whole constitution of church order is suited as an external instrument to promote these divine communications, unto all the members of the church it- self. Eph. iv. 15, 16.. This in general is the order of divine communica- tions, which is, for the substance of it, continued in hea- sen, and shall be so unto eternity, for God is, and even will be all and in all.. But at present, it is invisible' unto the eyes of flesh, yea the reason of men, Hence - it is by the most despised; they see no glory in it; but let us consider the prayer of the apostle, that it may be otherwise with us.. Eph. i.. 16-25. as I, cease not to "give thanks for you, making mention of you in my " prayers;.. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the " Father of glory, may give unto you the Spiritof wis- " dom and revelation, in the knowledge of him: the " eyes of your understanding being- enlightened; that " ye may know what is the hype of his calling, and- " what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the " saints, and what is the exceeding' greatness of his o power-to us ward whobelieve, accordingto the work- "-ing of his mighty power; which he wrought in Christ when be raised him from the dead, and set him at his "-own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all " principality, and power, and might, and dominion,. " and every name that is named, not only in-this world, " but also in that which is to come:. and bath put all o things under his feet, and gav? sim to be the head. " over all things to the church, which ishis body, the " fulness of him that fllleth all in all." For the revela- tion made of the glory of God in the old creation, is- exceeding inferior to that s vAtifh he makes of himselfint the new.. 11 Ghost, and the glorious fabric of the church erect- ed out of it. What was said, it may be, of the natural body, by the psalmist, is true of the mystical body of Christ, which is principally intended, Psalm cxxxix. 15, 16. My substance was not hid from thee, when o I was made in secret; and curiously wrought in the a lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my o substance yet being unperfect, and in thy book all " my members were written, which in continuance were " fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." The substance of the church whereof it was to be form- ed, was under the eye of God, as proposed in the de- cree of election; yet was it as such imperfect. It was not formed or shaped into members of the mystical bo- dy. But they were all written in the book of life. And in pursuance of the purpose of God, there they are by the Holy Spirit, in the whole course and continuance of time in their several generations, fashioned into the shape designed for them. 6. This therefore is herein the glorious order of di- vine communications. From the infinite eternal spring ofwisdom, grace, goodness, and love in the Father, all . the effects whereof unto this end were treasured up in the person and mediation of the Son, the Holy Spirit, unto whom the actual applicationof them iscommitted, communicates life, light, power, grace, and mercy un- to all that are designed parts of the new creation. Hereon loth God glorify both the essential properties of his nature, his infinite wisdom, power, goodness, and grace, as the only eternalspring of all these things; and also his ineffable glorious existence in-three per= sons, by the order of the communication of these things unto the church, which are originally from his nature.. And herein is the glorious truth of the blessed Trinity, which by some is opposed, by some neglected, by most looked on as that which isso much above them, as that it doth not belong unto them, made precious unto them that believe, and becomes the foundation of their faith and hope. In a view of the glorious order of those divine communications, we are in a steady con- templation of the ineffable glory of the existence of the nature ofGod, in the three distinct persons. of Father,. Son, and Holy Ghost. 7. According unto this divine order, the elect in all . ages, are by the Holy Spirit moving and acting on that mass of the new creation, formed and animated with N
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