Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

1 1 LA Declaration of the Glorious My STER ï inftances of its fubfitence. It pleafed the Father that in him allNfld., fhoúld dwell, that he fhould be full ofgrace and truth, and in all things have the preheminence. But of thefe gracious endowments of the humane nature of Chrift, I have difcourfed elfewhere, 2. One end of God in filling the humane nature ofChrift withall grace, in implantinghis glorious image upon it, was that he might in him pro- pofe an example of what he would by the fame grace renew us unto, and what we ought in a way of duty to labour after. The fulnefs ofgrace was neceffary unto the humane nature ofChrift, from its hypoftatical union with the Son of God. For whereas therein the fulnefroftbe Godhead dwelt in bim bodily, it became rl ¡yim, an holy thing, Luke. i. g5. It was alfo neceffary unto him, as unto his own obedience in the flefh, wherein he fulfilled all righteoufnefs, did no fin, neither was guile found in bis mouth, t Pet. ii. 22. And it was fo untothe difcharge of theoffice he un. dertook: forPoch an high priefl became us, who was holy, harmlefs, un- defiled, andfeparatefromfinners, Heb. vii. 26. Howbeit the infinite wif- dóm of Godhad this farther defign in it alfo, namely, that he might be . the pattern and example ofthe renovation of the image of God in us, and of the glory that cloth enfue thereon. He is in the eye of God as the idea of what he intends in us, in the communication of grace and glory; and he ought to be fo in ours as untoall that we also at in a way of duty. He bathpredeflinated us to be conformed unto the image of bis Son, that be might be thefirfl-born among mdny brethren, Rom. viii. go. In the col- lation of all grace on Chrift, Goddefigned to make him the firfl-born of many brethren; that is,not only to givehim the power and authority of the firftborn, with the craft ofthe whole inheritance to be communicated unto them, but an as the exampleofwhat he would bring them unto. For both be thatfin Fifietb, and they that arefanblifiedare all ofone, for which caufe be isnot afhamedto call them brethr'en, Heb. ii. t t. It is Chrift who fanaifi- eels believers; yet is it from God, who fire fanctified him, that he and they might be of one, and fo become brethren, as bearing the image of the fame. Father. God defigned and gave unto Chrift grace and glory.; and he did it that he might be the prototype of what he de- figned unto us, and would bellow upon us. . Hence the apottle thews that the effet ofthis predeftinationtoconformity unto the image of the Son, is the communicationof all effeduallaving grace, withthe glory that enfues thereon. ver, go. Moreover whom be did predeflinate, ;hem be alfo cal- led; and whom be called, them he alfo juflified; and whom he jufli- fied, them be alfö glorified. The reat defign of God in his grace is, that as we have born the image of the firfl Adam, in the depravation of our na- tures, fo we should bear the image of the fecond in their renovation. As we have born the imageof the earthly, fo we fhall bear the image of the heavenly, Cor. xv. 49. Andas lie is the pattern of all our graces, fo he is of glory alto. All our glory will confit in our being made likeunto him, which what it is doth not as yet appear, t John iii. 2. For be Jhall change even our vile body, that it may be fafbioned like unto bis glorious body, Phil. iii. 2t. Wherefore the fulnefs of grace was bellowed on the humane nature of Chrift, andthe image of God glorioufly implanted there- on, that it might be the prototype and example of what the chords was throughhint to be made partaker of. That which God intends for us, in the internal communication of his grace, and in the ufe of all the or- dinances of the church, is, that we may comeunto the meafure of tbe /ia- tureofthefulnefs which is in Chrifl, Ephef. iv. 13. There is a fulnefs of all grace in Clint. Hereunto are we to be brought according to the mea- furs

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