PART u. SERMON XII. 183 is this, that communion with God, which has been impiously ridiculed by the profanewits of the last and the present age, is no such visionary and fantastic notion as they imagine ; but asit is founded in the words of scripture, so it may be explained with great ease and evidence to the satisfaction of human reason. That it is founded in scripture, appears sufficiently in several verses of the xvii. chapter of St. John's gospel, where the divine union and blessedness of the Father and the Son, are made a pattern of our union to God, e,nd our blessedness ; Johnxvii. 21, 22, 23-26. That theyall maybe one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in. thee; that they may be one in us: And in this sense, but in a lower degree, even here on earth, our communion, orfellowship, is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ; 1 John i. 3. Though our communion with Christ includes also some particular varieties in it, which is not my present business to explain. That this doctrine is exactly agreeable to reason, may be thus demonstrated : Weuse the word communion, when two or more persons partake of the same thing. So friends have communion in one table when they dine together : Christians have communion in one sermon, in one prayer, or one sacrament, when they join together in those parts of worship ; and the saints have com- munion with God in blessedness, when they rejoice in the same object of contemplation and love. God surveys himself, he is pleased with his own glories, delights in himself as the highest and the noblest object ; he trusts in his ownright-hand of power, he leans upon his own understanding, he rests in his own coun- sels and purposes, he feels and he acknowledges all his own infinite perfections, and thus he enjoys them all. Thus also is our blessedness frequently set forth in scripture. It is our hap- piness to know God, to contemplate his glories, so far as they are revealed ; to love him and his goodness, to trust in his wisdom, and lean securely on his strength ? to feel the workings of divine powers and graces in and upon us, and to make ac- knowledgment of them all to God. Thus the image of God is restored to us in holiness and in happiness : Thus we are said to be holy as God is holy ; and thus also we are blessed as God is blessed. But though we are admitted to this amazing privilege, and holdcommunion with God, in the same object of contemplation and love, yet we must still remember, with humble adoration, that his holiness and his happiness, does infinitely exceed ours. The pleasures which arise from his knowledge, and his love of himself, are as far above our taste, or all our ideas of blessed- ness, as heavenis higher than the earth, or as God is above the creature.
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