And indeed so it is matter of comfort to see a communion of many in one ; for what is the mystical body of Christ Jesus but many members joined in one body, under one gracious and glorious head ? And therefore it is a deformed sight to see fraction and disunion. It is that the devil rules in. Divide and rule. It is fit for the devil. God and Christ rule in union. The same Spirit of God that knits the members to the head by faith, knits the members one to another in love ; and all grace is derived from the head to the members, as they are united to the body. If there be therefore disunion, there is no grace conveyed so far as there is disunion. There is no grace conveyed from the head ; for the body grows up as com- pact under one head.
Therefore let us labour to cherish union, and as we hate distractionf itself, so hate distraction and division ; for dissipation causeth distraction. f There- fore by all means labour for union, especially now we are to take the com- munion, that is a seal of our communion with Christ by faith, and one with another. By love let us labour to bring our hearts to a holy communion,
* There seems to be a mis-recollection here. Perhaps the thought is, ' Come boldly with [our] Benjamin — [come with] our elder brother,' &c. — G.
t Qu. ' destruction ' ? — Ed.
256 EXCELLENCY OF TUE GOSPEL
None gains by disunion but the devil himself. Alway his policy is to make the breach grcatei' where any is. Therefore let us labour by all means to be united. The more join together in the blessed mysteries of the gospel, the more comfort and the more glory. When all live and join together in holy things of God, and in sweet love one to another, it is the glory of that place and society and state. So much for that * wg all.'
' And are changed.'
I shewed before how man's happiness stands partly in communion with God, and partly in his conformity and likeness to God. And surely where- soever there is communion there will be conformity. This conformity is here set down springing from communion. ' We all behold the glory of God.' Now, reconciled in Jesus Christ, what doth that beholding work ? A conformity. We are ' changed into the same image, from glory to glory.' In these words we see.
First, A necessity of a change ; changed we must be.
Then in this change there must be a pattern of conformity. We are changed into the image of Christ, who is the prototype, the first type and idea of all perfection. We are changed into the same image.
And then, how this change is wrought to the image of Christ. It is by beholding the glory of Christ in the gospel. There is a transfoi-ming power in beholding the glory of God's mercy in Christ. It is not a delighting object only, to see the mercy of God in Christ, btit it is a powerful object that hath an influence upon the soul.
And then the state of man after this change, it is a glorious condition, ' We are changed from glory.'
And then it is a growing condition, ' We are changed from glory to glory.' Still, till we come to that pitch, where there can be no growth ; when the soul shall be filled ' with the fulness of God,' as the apostle speaks, Eph. iii. 19 ; when the soul shall have all the powers that it hath to receive and retain, and comprehend, all the corners of it filled. So we grow from glory to glory till then. These things follow one another. To begin with the first.
There is a necessity of a change.
In the state we are we must be changed, as Christ tells Nicodemus, John iii. 1, seq. There must be a change ; and such a change as is a new birth. It must be all new, as a bell ; if there be but a crack in it, it must be new moulded and cast again. It is good for nothing else. So the soul of man, if there be but a flaw, but a crack, all is naught. It must be cast and moulded again anew. We must be set in tune again. All is out of tune. Before the soul can make any sweet harmony in the ears of God, there must be a change. There is no coming to heaven without a change. What need I press this, it is so easy a point in religion. ' Except we be born anew we cannot enter into heaven,' John iii. 3. But to clear from evidence of reason the necessity of a change in the whole man.
First, Because we are in a contrary state to grace and to God. We are dead. There must be life in us before we come to heaven. We are enemies, and if* enemies we must be made friends. How shall we be fit for communion else with God, wherein our happiness stands, without con- formity ? Communion is between friends. Before those that are in an opposite condition can be friends, there must be an alteration ; and this alteration it must be on God's part, or on our part. Now who must change ?