of the PERSON of CHRIST. 169 darknefs of our minds, if through the earthlinefs and fenfuality of our affections, if through a fulnefs of the world, and the occafions of it, if by the love of life, and our prefent enjoyments, we are ftrangers unto thefe things, we are not converfant aboutthem, we long not after them; we are not in the way towards their enjoyment. The prefent fatisfa&ion we re- ceive in them by faith, is the belt evidence we have of an indefeafible intereft in them. How foolith is it to lofe the firft fruits of thefethings inour own fouls, thofe entrances into bleffednefs, which the contemplation of them through faith would open untous; and hazard our everlafting enjoy- ment of them, by an eager purfuit of an intereft in perifhing things here below. This, this is that which ruinesthe fouls ofmolt, andkeeps thefaith of many at fo low anebb, that it ishard ro difcover any genuine working ofit. (a.) The glory of the humane nature of Clarift differs from that of the faints after the refurre&ion, inthings which concern the degrees of ir. For, r.) The glory of his body is the example and pattern of what they (hall be conformed unto, Phil. au. at. Who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fajhioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himfelf. Our bodies were made vile by the entrance of fin. Thence they became brothers to the worms, and fitters unto corruption. To death and the grave with rotten- nefe and corruption therein, they are defigned. At the refurredion they Ilaall be . new framed, fafisioned and moulded. Not only all the detriment and difadvantage they received by the entrance of fin limit be reinoved, but many additions ofglorious qualifications which they had not in their primitiveandnatural conftitution fhall beadded unto them. And this (hall be done by the almighty power ofChri/1; that working or exer- cifs of ir, whereby he is able-to fubdue all things unto himfelf. But of this fiate whereinto we fhall be changed by the power of Chrift, his own body is a pattern and example. A fimilitude of it is all that we (hall at- tain unto. And that which is the idea and exemplar in any bate, is the rule and ftandard unto all others. Such is the gloryof Chrift ; ours con- fins in conformity thereunto which gives him the preheminence. a.) As the bate of his body is inure glorious than ours (hall be, fo, will that of his foul in it felf be made appear to be more excellent than what we are capable of. For that fulnefs of the fpirit without meafure, and ofall grace which his nature was capacitated for by virtue of the hypoftatical union, loth fhine forth in all excellency and glory. The grace that was in Chrift in this world, is the fame with that which is in him now in heaven. The nature of it was not changed, when he ceaf- ed to bevictor, but . is only brought into a more glorious exercife now he is comprehenfor. And all his graces are now made manifefi, the vail being taken from them, and light communicated to difcern them. As in this world, he had unto the molt neither form nor comelinefs for which he fhould be defired, partly from the vail which was caft on his inward beauty from his outward condition, but principally from the darknefs which was on their minds, whereby hey were difenabled to difcern the glory of fpiritual things; notwitt4pndingwhich, fume then in the light of faith faro hisglory, as theglory of the only begotten ofthe Father, full of grace and truth : So now the vail is removed, and the darknefs wholly taken away from the minds of the faints; he is in the glory of his graces altogether lovely and defirable. And although the grace which is in believers, beof the faine nature with that which is in Chrift Jefus, and (hall be changed into glory, after the likenefs of his, yet is t, and always fliall be incoinprehenfibly (hurt of what dwells in him'. 15 u And
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