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Chrift, unto the glory and praise | nefs and righteousness, glory and of God."-Alfo for the Colof- beauty, joy and happiness. For he fians, that they might be "filled is made unto them wifdom, and with the knowledge of his will, rightcoufnefs, and fanctification, in all wisdom and fpiritual under- and redemption. In the heavenftanding;" and for the Ephe- ly ftate, he will fo fill them, as fians, that they might be " filled to give them unceasingly the moft with all the fulness of God." complete and perfect fatisfaction. For there "the lamb himself fhall feed them, and fhall lead them unto living fountains of waters." There they fhall walk in the light of the holy city, which the glory of God doth lighten, and of which the Lamb is the light: and there they will continually drink, to the full, of the pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb.

The way is now prepared, to confider and illuftrate the other general propofition, viz.

Thefe and fuchlike paffages help to fhow, in fome meafure, what those things are, with which the members of Christ's body are filled. They comprise all their light and knowledge and holinefs all the wifdom and fpiritual underftanding, and gracious exercifes of their hearts, and all the fruits of righteousness in their converfation and practice, and all their peace and comfort, joy and happiness. He gives them and caules them to drink of that water, which in them is a well of water fpringing up into everlasting life. He gives them his Holy Spirit, whofe fruits, with which they are filled in a measure now, and will be completely in due time, are love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, faith, meeknefs, temperance," and every thing truly amiable and excellent, beautiful and comely, beneficial and cheering, joyous and happifying. He gives them, and will finally fill them, to the full, with the know-effential glory and happiness. His ledge of God and jefus Chrift, which is eternal life.

Thus Chrift, as the head of his body, the church, fills the whole body and all the parts and members of which it is compofed, in all things, and in all refpects, in which they may be faid to be filled, completed, and perfected. In him they are complete. In him they have all things neceffary to render them complete, to the extent of their capacities, in knowledge and wifdom, in holi

II. The church of Chrift, which is his body, the whole and all the members of which he fills in all things, is his fulness-" the fulnefs of him who filleth all in all."

How is this to be understood, or what doth it import and fignify? This propofition is not intended to fuggeft, that Chrift derives any fupplies, any fupport or affiftance from the church, to complete, to augment or increase his

effential glory and happiness, as God, are the fame from everlafting to everlafting, without increafe or diminution.

But Chrift in his official character, and particularly and efpecially, in his peculiar relation to the church, as its head, would be incomplete without the church. A head fuppofes a body, and has fuch relation to and connection with it, that if the body is wanting, the head, though it be in itfelf whole and entire, is in a very

incomplete, imperfect and defect- | measure of the ftature of the fulnefs of Chrift, that it may want nothing, to render it complete and perfect in holiness and beauty, glory and happiness.

ive ftate. A natural human head, though ever fo entire and complete, doth not of itself conftitute a man. To conftitute a complete man, the head must have a body, a body entire and complete in all its parts, joined to it. And in this view, the body is the fulness of the head-its complement or filling up, without which the head would be in a destitute and incomplete state, incapable of the offices, functions and enjoyments appertaining to it as the head of a body. In a fenfe fomewhat analogous or fimilar to this, the church, confidered as the body of Chrift, is his fulness, confidered as its head. If Chrift, in himfelf confidered, was juft fuch a perfon as is-juft he now is just as great, wife and powerful, holy and righteous, just and good, faithful and true, and his worthi. nefs and merit the fame; yet if he had no church, no body, in the fenfe in which the church is his body, and was never to have any, it is plain, that he could neither perform the offices of a head of fuch a body, nor partake of the enjoyments. In regard to thefe there would be a total deficiency, which could be fupplied or filled up, only by the existence of a body united to him as its head. In this fenfe, the church, which is Chrift's body, is the fulness of him its head, who filleth all in all. United to this body, Chrift is in a fituation and hath opportunity, to perform all the offices of the head, for which he is perfectly fitted and furnished, and hath in himself the most perfect fufficiency. And his fulness flows out and is communicated to his body, the church, and fills it with all things neceffary to bring it to the ftate of a perfect man, unto the

And in the church as his body, and in every part and member of it, made and kept alive, and fitted, furnished and capacitated, for fupplying the place, and performing the offices, and anfwering the ends, for which each is defigned in the body, and rendered holy and happy by union to and conflant communications from him its head, he rejoices, and experi ences peculiar pleafure and delight.

By the important truths, which have now been stated, and, it is hoped, in fome measure illuftrated, the following remarks are plainly fuggefted.

1. That by the conftitution, or formation and exiftence of the myftical fpiritual body, of which Chrift is the head, there is a great increase of real good and true happinefs in the moral system.

The members of this body are an innumerable multitude, out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. The perfect, everlafting holinefs and happinefs of all thefe will comprife an immenfe quantity of real good.All this good is the fruit and confequence of the execution and accomplishment of the divine plan, whereby the myriads of individuals compofing this innumerable multitude, are conftituted and formed into one spiritual body in union with Chrift its head. By this divine head, that filleth all in all, this infinite happiness is produced. From him it is communicated and derived. And by un ion to him and communion with him, and conftant communica tions from him, it is fupported and

the glory thereby redounding to God forever, and in all the inftruction and joy thence refulting to the principalities and powers in heavenly places, the man Chrift Jefus experiences, and will eternally experience, the most heartfelt" fatisfaction and ineffable joy and felicity. Yea, in all this

preferved, as really as the life and health and vigor of the natural body and all its members, are maintained and preferved by union to and communion with the head, and communications derived from it into every member and part. What a vaft, what an immenfe degree of real good, of holinefs and happiness in the moral fyftem, is hereby effected By this means alfo, the man Chrift Jefus attains and experiences ineffable joy and happiness. He fees of the travail of his foul, and is fatisfied. As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride; fo doth he rejoice over his church. He poffeffes her as his fpiritual bride and body-as the fruit and reward ofjects, in which he hath real pleafhis labors and fufferings.

good, God the Father, and Chrift confidered as God, antecedent to his actual affumption of the hu man nature, rejoice with entire fatisfaction and inconceivable delight; though the joy of God, or of Chrift confidered merely as God, had no beginning, and admits of no increafe. For before the actual exiftence of thefe ob

ure and delight, they, being comprifed in his eternal purpofe, were as certain, as real and prefent in his view, and he had the fame joy and delight in them, as after their actual exiftence. But the created or human nature of Christ had a beginning, and admits of an increase in knowledge and happiness. Jefus, when a child, increafed, not only in ftature, but alfo, in wifdom, and in favor with God and man. The joy and happinefs of his cre

With the most entire fatisfaction and ineffable joy and delight, Chrift beholds in his church, viewed in her complete and perfect ftate, a body compofed of an innumerable multitude of living members, all living and filled with light and love, comfort and joy, holinefs and happinefs, and covered with glory and beauty, derived from him by union to him and communion with him; all, with the most fervent love and gratiated or human foul had a begin tude, thanksgiving and praife, uni- ning, and admits of great increase. tedly afcribing all their falvation, And all the ineffable joy and deall their light and holinefs, glory light, which his human foul hath, and happiness to him, and to God, in the glorious effects and fruits who gave, appointed and fent of his obedience and fufferings, him, and accepts them in him.- and administration as the head of In their perfect moral beauty and his church, is fo much increafe of complete happiness thus effected real good and happiness in the fyf and eternally fecured-in their tem. On the whole, then, how love, and worship, and joyful fongs immenfe is the increafe of real of gratitude and praife-in the good and true happiness in the clear and ftriking expreffions of intellectual fyftem, by the plan divine wildom, power and love, and exccution of that divine conholinefs and grace, mercy and ftitution, which makes Chrill the truth, exhibited and appearing in head, and his church the mem the contrivance and accomplish-bers, of one myftical or spiritual ment of their falvation-in all body? Hence,

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3. There is no clashing or contradiction between thofe paffages of scripture, which reprefent God as having a fupreme and ultimate regard to his own glory, and require the fame of us; and thofe, which reprefent him as acting with an ultimate view to the good of his people, and propofe the happiness to be enjoyed by them, as a motive to excite us to feek and ferve him-to believe in Chrift, and obey the gofpel.

On the whole, How admirable, how wonderful and furprifing, and far furpaffing our utmost conceptions, are the divine wisdom, and power, and love, and grace, expreffed and appearing in the gracious and infinitely beneficial conflitution, to which we have been attending! What love and gratitude, adoration and praife, doth it demand from us, and

pe

a vital

great to be endured, that we may win Chrift, and be found in him! ASTHENES.

MESS'RS EDITORS,

THE perufal of the Evangelical Magazine, which, I conceive well anfwers its propofed defign, has afforded me not a little

entertainment. The doctrine of election, in my view, is an imporfeveral pertinent pieces on the fubtant gofpel doctrine-and though ject have been published, yet in

as much as it is a doctrine fo contrary to the depraved heart and oppofed in this day of infidelity; and probably, many will read this, who have not feen the preceding volumes; poffibly, a few thoughts on the fubject may not be useless. If the following do not meet your approbation, you are at liberty to fupprefs them.

THE

THE leading thought that I would propofe is, that there is a particular number of our lapfed race chofen in Chrift from infinite knowledge and perfection eternity, to falvation. From the fect view of all that he defigned of Deity, he must have had a per

ever to effect. He faw what was

infinitely fit and beft to be done,

and determined that it fhould be done thus he conducted like a wife mafter-builder-accordingly infpiration teaches, that known unto God are all his works from

the beginning; that is, he had a perfect view of all that was poffible, all that would and should come to pass; and that which was beft he determined on as the plan his other purposes, this was one, of his operation. And among he determined to be gracious to a felect number of the children of men; whom he chofe to be vef

culiarly from thofe, who are favored with the honor and happinefs of a place, as members, in that glorious body, which hath Chrift for its head, and union with him as fuch! And how ardently and unceasingly fhould we defire and feek this privilege, counting nothing too dear or valuable to be given up for it, nor any labors or fufferings too fels of mercy, and that, before the

ing any of his purpofes-we therefore read, "the Lord knoweth them that are his." They are mixed among the mafs of mankind, but known to God. The Father hath given them to his Son to fave. John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth me Shel come to me: and him that cometh to me I will in no wife call out. Here is an engagement that these shall all come to Chrift by the power of divine grace; and when they come, he will in no wife reject them. And Christ says, other fheep have I, which are not of this fold, them alfo muft I bring, and they fhall hear my voice; and there fhall be one sheep-fold and one fhepherd. Now this choice being abfolute, without referve, all the operations of divine grace are in profecution of this eternal purpofe-and further, it will be effectual. God will find out ways, to bring about his own purposesof grace; though hand join in hand, the Lord will work, and none fhall let, or hinder him~ hence our Saviour fays, all that the Father hath given me, fhall come to me. God is fovereign of his own grace, which is allfufficient; no heart too hard for him to foften-no will too stubborn for him to bow-he takes away the heart of ftone. St. Paul was a chofen vefful, even when he fo furioufly perfecuted the church of Christ. The outward call of the gospel upon fuch will, fooner or later, be effectual.

foundation of the world-agreeably to Ephefians i. 4, 5. According as he hath chofen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predeftinated us unto the adoption of children by Jefus Chrift to himfelf, according to the good pleafure of his will.-iii. 10. II. To the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wifdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which be purpofed in Chrift Jefus our Lord. The chofen of God are not to fuppofe that they have done fomething acceptable to him, by which he was moved to choose them into the number of his children; but he makes them holy for the purposes of his own glory and the general happiness. See this matter clearly stated in Jer. xxxi. 3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, faying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. That this choice refpects particular perfons, who were given to Chrift in the covenant of redemption, as a reward of his humiliation, appears from John xvii. 24. Father I will that they alfo whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they behold my glory, which thou hast given me for thou lovedft me before the foundation of the world. Chrift, in a peculiar manner, makes chofen veffels fubjects of his prayers. See above cited chap. ver. 9.--The good Spirit fometimes I would remark,

ftrives with finners by his word 2. This eternal choice is ab- and providences, but to no faving folute and effectual; that which effect: but when it comes to acGod will never vacate or alter, complish the purpofe of divine nor fhall its accomplishment be grace upon the heart of a chofen prevented. There are no new veffel, he rides forth conquering apprehenfions with Deity. He and to conquer. Zech. iv. 6, 7. fees no juftifiable reafon for alter-Then he anfvered and spoke unto

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