baptized into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be Bond or Free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Finally, because the fame Spirit that is in our Lord; as in the Head and Fountain, and in the Church in general, as in the Body, which is quickened and moved, is alfo in every particular Member: The Holy Apoftle is not fatisfied to call this fpiritual Body of Chrift and his Church, Chrift; but he tells us moreover, that whofoever is united unto him, is made but one Spirit with him.

Thefe, and fuch like Reprefentations, let them be never fo lively and noble, are but dark Shadows and imperfect Images of our Union with Jefus Chrift by his Holy Spirit. For the richest and most magnificent Garment can never keep off from the Body Diseases, nor hinder the Approaches of Corruption that creeps upon it. There is no Foundation ever fo firm and well fettled, that can free the House built upon it from the Ruins and Breaches of Time and Weather. Although the Sap mounts up from the Root of the Vine, and runs into the Twigs and Branches, they wither at laft, and are caft into the Fire. The rareft Meats, and the moft delicious Drinks, can never make our Bodies become immortal; Death fnatcheth away the Brother from the Brother, the Father from the Child, and the Wife from her Husband. The Stroke of the Sword can feparate a Body from the healthiest and strongest Head; nay, without any fuch Violence, the Head dies as well as the Body, and the Spirits that run in our Veins are far from hindering the Corruption of our Bodies; for they corrupt of themfelves and vanifh away. In short, the ftricteft Unions of Nature and Art are diffolved by Time, fo that all Things under the Sun are fubject to Vanity and Inconftancy. But the Spirit of our Lord Jefus is the Principle of an eternal Life, and the Seed of an incorruptible Glory. Whofoever is united to him by this Spirit, nothing can feparate him from Chrift, neither Life nor Death, nor Hell, nor the World, nor

"

Things prefent, nor Things to come. Therefore our bleffed Saviour could find nothing here upon Earth, nor amongst all the Creatures, worthy and able to reprefent this perfect and infeparable Union: He feeks an Image of it beyond all natural Beings in the Holy Trinity; in that unchangeable Union which was, which is, and which fhall ever be, between him and God the Father. As we may fee in his excellent Prayer, John 17. Father, I pray for them all which shall believe in me, that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, that they may be one even as we are one. Banifh therefore, from your Minds all Fear, believing Souls for all the Three Perfons of the moft holy, moft glorious, and moft wonderful Trinity, are engaged for your Salvation, to bring you to your eternal Happinefs. The Father by his infinite Wifdom hath found out a Means to reconcile us to himfelf, to fatisfy his offended Juftice, and to declare the Riches of his unparallel'd Mercies. The Son hath purchafed for us this great Salvation, by fuffering the fhameful Death of the Crofs, and by pilling his moft precious Blood for the Forgiveness of our Sins; and the Holy Spirit, by incorporating us into Jefus Chrift, makes us Partakers of the infinite Mercies of his Sufferings, Rev. 3. That is the true Hyffop that fprinkles the Divine Blood of the Lamb without Spot or Blemish, to cleanfe our Souls. Tis he that gives us the white Stone, where the new Name of Elect and Believer is written, Heb. 12. Which none knows but he that hath it; he gives to eat of the hidden Manna, and of the Food of Angels, Joh. 4. which the World knoweth not. Tis inftead of a precious Ring or Jewel, by which our fpiritual Bridegroom promifeth and confirms to us his conjugal Faith Tis the Seal of the Living God, that feals us to the Covenant of Grace, and the Promifes of Glory and Happinefs made to us in the Gospel, as the Apostle himself tells us, Ephef. 1. that now hav

ng believed the Gospel of our Salvation, we have been fealed by the Spirit of Promife. Therefore, he exhorts us, Ephef. 4. Not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom we have been fealed for the Day of Redemption. Finally, this is the Spirit that witnefleth with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God; If we be Children, we are Heirs, Heirs of God, and Joint-heirs with the Lord "Jefus Chrift, Rom. 8.

Think not, Chriftian Souls, that I defign to perfwade you, that this Holy Spirit of our Lord Jefus fhall come and whisper in your Ears, or call unto you from within, that you are the Children of God, as the extravagant Quakers amongst us imagine. The Teftimony that he gives to our Spirits, is a real and an effectual Teftimony, if I may fo fpeak, for he regenerates us, and makes us become new Creatures; he gives a more certain Affurance of his Adoption, than if he did declare from Heaven, Thou art my Child, and thy Name is written in the Book of Life. As the Seal imprints its Image in the Wax, thus the Spirit of the Lord Jefus imprints in our Souls the Image of Holiness and Divine Virtues. Now as the Figure that remains upon the Wax, makes us judge, without Difpute, what Manner of Seal made the Impreffion; likewife, when you find God's Image printed in your Hearts, acknowledge the Finger of God, and the Virtue of his Holy Spirit to have been there : For, none can have that bleffed Image but he muft needs be the Child of God, The Holy Spirit that gives it to our Souls, kindles in us the bleffed Flames of holy Love, and produceth in us Tongues of Fire; he makes us fpeak to God with Boldnefs, as to our Father, and lift up our Eyes to Heaven with Joy and Gladnefs, as to the Place of our Inheritance. All the Goods of this prefent Life may be, nay, will be loft at laft, Prov. 23. Riches take Wings and fly away, like an Eagle, Honour vanifheth away, as Smoak carried away with the

Wind; earthly Delights and Pleafures hafte away as a Torrent, or the Waters of a River that flide along the Banks, and they end, at last, in a Sea of Bitterness and Sorrow. If by Chance thefe Vanities continue with the Worldlings, while they remain on Earth, Pfalm 49. they can continue no longer; for they are ftript of them at the Grave. Their Riches and their Honours are not buried with them, and all their unfettled Delights fly away with their Breath. But Death hath no Power upon this Spirit of Life, which is our true Treafure, our Glory and everlasting Delight.

Again, the true and lively Faith, that embraceth Jefus Chrift our Saviour, fhall ceafe; and Hope, that confiders the Advantages to come, fhall one Day be abolished. While we are in this earthly Pilgrimage, we walk by Faith, and not by Sight, and while we are tofs'd up and down upon this dangerous Sea of the

World, Heb. 6. we have Need of the Anchor of our Hope, and to expect with Patience the fulfilling of that we hope for, Rom. 8. But when we fhall come to our Heavenly Country, we fhall have no Need of a Staff to walk with, nor of a Shield to defend us, and to quench the fiery Darts of the Devil. When we shall be fecure in the Haven of Eternity, we fhall have no Occafion to make Use of this Anchor, for our Hope fhall be changed into a perfect Fruition. When we shall be in Paradife, we fhall need no Wings to carry us up to God, but only to fly about his Throne, as the Seraphims. In fhort, we fhall need no Looking-Glafs, to fee the Glory of God, for we fhall behold him Face to Face. All that we believe, at present, without feeing, we shall then fee, and believe no more. But the Spirit of the Lord Jefus, whom the World knoweth not, and cannot receive, is not given us for a Time, but to dwell in us for ever. As the Humanity, which our Lord took from us was never caft off, nor ever fhall be; thus the Spi

rit which he hath given us fhall never be taken from us. The Humanity which our Saviour united in the Person of the Divine Word, hath been glorified by this Eternal Union, but the Spirit which he hath united to our Spirits, by this gracious Union, is the Foundation of Glory, and of our Eternal Hap piness.

The Spirit of Life is not only the Seal of the Promifes of God, but alfo the Earneft of our incorruptible Inheritance, refery'd for us in Heaven. This is St. Paul's Doctrine, Ephef. 1. for when he had faid, You have been fealed by the Holy Spirit of Promife, he adds, which is the Earnest of our Inheritance, until the Redemption of the purchased Poffeffion, unto the Praife of his Glory. Because this Divine Spirit is the Seal of the Living God, he is the Earneft of his Inheritance. For this heavenly Image that it imprints in our Souls, fhall be Part of that Glory with which he will crown us in his holy Paradife. Therefore, the Wisdom that is veracious in every Refpect, doth not call this Spirit, a Pledge or Gage, but an Earneft. For though both be given as a Confirmation of Promifes, and an Affurance of their Accomplishment, there is this Difference, that Men commonly take back again the Thing engag'd when that which is promifed is done; but the Earneft remains always, and is Part of the Sum to be paid. As therefore, the Earneft which is given, is never taken away, but Men commonly add to it the remainining Sum promifed; likewife our Saviour ne ver takes away from his Elect the Spirit of Adoption, which hath been once beftowed upon them, but he increaseth its Graces and Advantages, until he hath raifed them to the highest Glory, and most Divine Happiness which he hath promifed.

'Tis in this Cafe, as with the Sun, which as foon as it appears upon our Horizon, increaseth the Light more and more, until it afcends up to our Meridian :

Or,