CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

4. There is the sanctification of our nature by grace, and as Christ was sanctified so also doth he sanctify us; Hence you heard he sanctified himself for us; Now the humane nature of Christ received the Spirit of God without measure, and therefore he was called the [Greek or Hebrew] the holy One, Luk. 1. but was this holiness for himself only? no, it was for his members also, Joh. 1.10. Of his fullness we have received grace for grace; Some understand it by way of similitude and imitation, as we say of a child, he receiveth of his Father limb for limb, he answereth his Father in every point, so we are to resemble Christ, that as Christ is the Image of the Father, so we are to be the Image of Christ, and therefore are laid to bear the Image of the heavenly, and thus we are made one with Christ as the seal and the wax are made one, the Seal leaving a stamp upon the wax like it self; Now whereas the glory of Miracles others might have that were not united to Christ, this none can have but who are members of that head, and therefore do the people of God want grace, do they mourn under their imperfections, let them quicken up prayer upon this consideration, The glory Christ had he will give to believers, Why had he such fullness but for thy emptiness? Why had he such glory but to make thee glorious? Shall our vile bodies be made glorious like his glorious body, and shall not our vile and corrupted souls be also made glorious like his soul? This is excellently illustrated, 2 Co. 3.18. where we are said, to be transformed from glory to glory, that is from grace, grace is glory, so much godliness so much glory thou hast, and because it is not perfect, therefore we proceed from glory to glory, and how is this done? by the Gospel, for we beholding the glory of God in Christ, are thereby changed; Thus 2 Cor. 4.6. the glory of God is said to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ, the meaning is, that whereas God is in his own nature invisible, and we are not able to conceive of him aright in Jesus Christ; We see the infinite wisdom and grace of God, so that we become ⟨p. 607⟩glorious in grace, by faith looking on God in Christ; this makes heavenly, this changeth and altereth the heart;