Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ

AND herein is he unspeakably glorious. For this Mystery of the Inhabitation of the same Spirit in him as the Head, and the Church as his Body, animating the whole, is a transcendent Effect of Divine Wisdom. There is nothing of this Nature in the whole Creation besides; no such Union, no such mutual Communication. The strictest Unions and Relations in Nature are but Shadows of it. Ephes. 5. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Herein also is the Lord Christ precious unto them that do believe, but a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence unto the Disobedient. This glorious ineffable Effect of his ⟨p. 125⟩Wisdom and Grace, this rare, peculiar, singular Way of the Communication of himself unto the Church, is by many despised. They know, it may be, some of them, what it is to be joined unto an Harlot so as to become one Flesh, but what it is to be joined unto the Lord so as to become one Spirit, they know not. But this Principle and Spring of the spiritual Life of the Church, and of all vital spiritual Motions towards God, and Things heavenly, wherein, and whereby our Life is hid with Christ in God, is the Glory, the Exaltation, the Honour, the Security of the Church unto the Praise of the Grace of God. The Understanding of it in its Causes, Effects, Operations and Privileges wherewith it is accompanied, is to be preferred above all the Wisdom in, and of the World.

AND herein is he unspeakably glorious. For this Mystery of the Inhabitation of the same Spirit in him as the Head, and the Church as his Body, animating the whole, is a transcendent Effect of Divine Wisdom. There is nothing of this Nature in the whole Creation besides; no such Union, no such mutual Communication. The strictest Unions and Relations in Nature are but Shadows of it. Ephes. 5. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Herein also is the Lord Christ precious unto them that do believe, but a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence unto the Disobedient. This glorious ineffable Effect of his ⟨p. 125⟩Wisdom and Grace, this rare, peculiar, singular Way of the Communication of himself unto the Church, is by many despised. They know, it may be, some of them, what it is to be joyned unto an Harlot so as to become one Flesh, but what it is to be joyned unto the Lord so as to become one Spirit, they know not. But this Principle and Spring of the spiritual Life of the Church, and of all vital spiritual Motions towards God, and Things heavenly, wherein, and whereby our Life is hid with Christ in God, is the Glory, the Exaltation, the Honor, the Security of the Church unto the Praise of the Grace of God. The Understanding of it in its Causes, Effects, Operations and Priviledges wherewith it is accompanied, is to be preferred above all the Wisdom in, and of the World.