not by measure, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge were hid in him; Col. ii. 3. and he was filled with the unsearchable riches of divine grace; Eph. iii. 8—11. And the office of Christ is nothing but the way appointed in the wisdom of God, for the communication of the treasures of grace which were communicated unto his person. This is the end of the whole office of Christ in all the parts of it, as he is a priest, a prophet, and a king. They are, I say, nothing but the ways appointed by infinite wisdom for the communication of the grace laid up in his person unto the church. The transcendent glory hereof, we have in some weak measure inquired into.

5. The decree of election prepared, if I may so say, the mass of the new creation. In the old creation, God first prepared and created the mass or matter of the whole, which afterward, by the power of the Holy Spirit, was formed into all the distinct beings whereof the whole creation was to consist; and animated according to their distinct kinds.

And in order unto the production and perfecting of the work of the new creation, God did from eternity in the holy purpose of his will prepare, and in design set apart unto himself, that portion of mankind, whereof it was to consist. Hereby they were only the peculiar matter that was to be wrought upon by the Holy Ghost, and the glorious fabric of the church erected 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, Psal. cxxxix. 15, 16. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect; 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 formed, was under the eye of God, ás proposed in the decree of election; yet was it as such imperfect. It was not formed or shaped into members of the mystical body; 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

tially glorious, yet was it impossible that his glory sh
be known unto any but himself. Wherefore, on thes
communications doth depend the whole manifestat
glory of God. But this is far more eminent, the
the outward effects of it so visible in the new
we shall see.

1. All goodness, grace, life, light, me
which are the springs and causes of the ne
originally in God, in the divine nature,
and essentially. In them is God et.
glorious, and the whole design of th
manifest his glory in them, by exte
them and from them.

2. The first communication is made unto Christ, as the hea first place, it pleased God t'; ness of these things dwell, tion might consist in him the first egress of divine: the glory of God in th For,

3. This communic tory and treasury c power, and mercy, tion and preserv‹. be laid up in b from him to be designed unto

emanation o of his glo Christ as that wa

wherei

grace

strength,

ON THE GLORY OF

measure, all the treasures of matam ad a id in him; Col. i 3. and he was hurt is wet je

riches

of divine grace,

...

f Christ is nothing but the way 4th 20

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the

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"Te communicated unto his person, 3*
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gole office of Christ in all the paste of 4, në

in all ages

g on that mass of ed with spiritual life,

e glory of God. They are cording unto the external occa.r conversion unto God; but in every and season, the Holy Spirit communiunto them, in the order declared unto the

in the same manner is the whole new creation

in th ed every day; every moment there is vital power , mercy and grace, communicated in this di

rine

Porder 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 of his own good

asure. And the apostle declares that the whole constituof church order, is suited as an external instrument to e these divine communications, unto all the members urch itself; Eph. iv. 13-16.

ON THE GLORY OF CHRIST.

461

by measure, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in him; Col. ii. 3. and he was filled with the un

men.

general is the order of divine communications, the substance of it continued in heaven, and eternity; for God is, and ever will be, all at present, it is invisible unto eyes of flesh, Hence it is by the most despised; it. But let us consider the prayer of be otherwise with us; Eph. i. 16-23. of the glory of God in the old crea'o that which he makes of himself

riches of divine grace; Eph. iii. 8-11. And

rist is nothing but the way appointed in the

the communication of the treasures of

of Christ in all the parts of it, as

gunicated unto

his person.

aking. They are, I was, nor

As own.

gs in general, concerning the I shall proceed to declare whereby the Lord Christ hal all the benefits of ve, as it was before

ein to receive him, and that Now where he is received by us,

given, granted, or communicated unto

e is by some divine acts of the Father, and

ue foundation of the whole is laid in a sovereign act the will, the pleasure, the grace of the Father. And this is the order and method of all divine operations in the way and work of grace. They originally proceed all from him; and having effected their ends, do return, rest, and centre in him again. See Eph. i. 4-6: Wherefore, that Christ is made ours, that he is communicated unto us, is originally from the free act, grant and donation, of the Father; 1 Cor. i. 30. Rom. v. 15-17. And hereunto sundry things do concur. As, 1. His eternal purpose, which he purposed in himself to glorify his grace in all his elect, by this communication of Christ, and the benefits of his mediation unto them, which the apostle declares at large, Eph. i. 2. His granting all the elect unto Christ to be his own, so to do and suffer for them what was antecedaneously necessary unto the actual communication of himself unto them.

several generations fashioned into the shape designed for them.

6. This therefore is herein, the glorious order of divine communications. From the infinite eternal spring of wisdom, 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 application of them is committed, communicates life, light, power, grace, and mercy, unto all that are designed parts of the new creation. Hereon doth God glorify both the essential properties of his nature, his infinite wisdom, power, goodness, and grace, as the only eternal spring of all these things; and also his ineffable glorious existence in three persons, 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 is so 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 contemplation of the ineffa ble glory of the existence of the nature of God 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 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 conversion 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 creation 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 contiHual 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 of his own good

pleasure. And the apostle declares 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 itself; Eph. iv. 13-16.

This in general is the order of divine communications, which is for the substance of it continued in heaven, and shall be so unto eternity; for God is, and ever will be, all and in all. But at present, it is invisible unto 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. 16-23. For the revelation made of the glory of God in the old creation, is exceeding inferior to that which he makes of himself in the new.

Having premised these things in general, concerning the glory of divine communications, I shall proceed to declare in particular, the grounds and way whereby the Lord Christ communicates himself, and therewithal all the benefits of his mediation, unto them that do believe, as it was before proposed.

We on our part are said herein to receive him, and that by faith; John i. 11, 12. Now where he is received by us, he must be tendered, given, granted, or communicated unto us. And this he is by some divine acts of the Father, and some of his own.

The foundation of the whole is laid in a sovereign act of the will, the pleasure, the grace of the Father. And this is the order and method of all divine operations in the way and work of grace. They originally proceed all from him; and having effected their ends, do return, rest, and centre in him again. See Eph. i. 4-6: Wherefore, that Christ is made ours, that he is communicated unto us, is originally from the free act, grant and donation, of the Father; 1 Cor. i. 30. Rom. v. 15-17. And hereunto sundry things do concur. As, 1. His eternal purpose, which he purposed in himself to glorify his grace in all his elect, by this communication of Christ, and the benefits of his mediation unto them, which the apostle declares at large, Eph. i. 2. His granting all the elect unto Christ to be his own, so to do and suffer for them what was antecedaneously necessary unto the actual communication of himself unto them.