The Malefactor under Sentence of Death, by the Goodness of this great Friend, has not only obtained a Pardon, but, befides all this, is, through his Mediation, restored to the Favour of his Prince, and raised to the highest Honours :--For behold now we are the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. Yet none are, by Virtue of this faving Att of Chrift, and its Merits, the Sons of God; but fuch as fincerely conform to the Law of Chrift (as mentioned before).

*

SHALL not Gratitude then exact from us fuch Obedience as he required, though he had never annexed any Punishment? Or fhall we fculk about for imaginary Retreats to evade his Commands and fcreen from his Punishments? Like our frail Parent, who, conscious of his Crime ftrove to bilk his God among Eden Bushes!

BUT, in taking a more extensive View of thefe great Bleffings, we fhall find that the Merits of the Death and Paffion of Chrift, did not only clear us a Way to Glory, but alfo to a more expanfive Measure of Glory,

than

* He requires we should be fincerely virtuous, in our Love of one another, and truly religious in our Love of God.- -Horace thinks 'tis Virtue alone can give true Satisfaction:" Vis rectè vivere ? quis non? fi virtus hoc una poteft dare; fortis omiffis hoc age diliciis." Would you choose to live happily? Who would not? If Virtue alone can give it, pursue it with Might, and forfake OTHER DELIGHTS.

than we could have if Man had not fallen. Because of the Union between the Godhead and our Nature, (as beforementioned) by which we are adopted the Sons of God; and are, thereby, no Doubt, intitled to a more perfect * Participation of his Glory, than if Man continued in pristine Innocence, and had been tranflated. For as it is a special Characteristic of divine Operations, that all his Works are not only accompanied with new Causes of Wonder, but also with additional EFFICACY: In like Manner were the Blefings of Redemption, greater than the Curse of the Fall. Redemption did not only heal the Disease, but its confequent and attendant Bleffings were also fuch a Re

O 2

*The Moravians preach up Perfection in this Life, when a Believer has got the GIFT. But, indeed, if we look for Perfection by the MERITS of Chrift, we fhould look for it after a general Confummation, when we may, on good Foundation, expect the most perfect Happiness of all created Beings. I know that most Authors confider the Bleffings by Chrift to be no more than a Reftoration of what we loft in Adam. But this, I think, is not doing Fufice to that great Work. It is not extending its Efficacy fo far as it ought: And yet not fuffer the Thought to admit of extraneous or wild Suppofitions:-But be founded on clear Revelation, found Reason, and the Nature of Things. Nor is there, perhaps, a Point that demands fo much the Exercife and full Stretch of our Faculties: Provided always that their bolder Efforts be bounded by Modefty," and fupported by Scripture and true Reasoning. For it is the Axis on which the great Round of Chriftianity

turns.

a Reftorative as gave the Patient a happier Tone, and better Conftitution, than if he was never diftempered. Therefore how can it be doubted, but that our Enjoyments and Participations of Glory after a general Confummation, must be more perfect than if we never fell, in Proportion as the Blessings of Redemption furpaffed the Curse of our Fall.

In order to fhew as clear as the Mind can conceive it, (at least as clear as in my Power) that we must have a more perfect Enjoyment of the Glory of God, by Virtue of the Union in Chrift after Judgment, than if Man had not fallen (which is Part of thofe Bleffings that have accrued to us from the Merits of the Death and Paffion of Chrift) we need not have Recourfe to clearer Argument than what will appear from the following Thoughts.

EVERY happy Soul, after Separation from the Body, is prefumed to be in a Place of Reft, where it enjoys the Presence of God, and confequently his Glory, in as ample Measure as it is capable of receiving: ---For the Soul can enjoy no larger a Proportion of Glory, than it is capable of receiving. In Regard that we must understand the Glory of God (with Respect to refulgent Emmanation, which is here the fpecial Point in View) to be conveyed to the Soul by Way of Transfufion from the divine Prefence. And it is received into

the

the Soul by a kind of Illapfe, or gentle Penetration, as Heat conveys itself through all the Parts of a maffy Body of Iron. Ör Or in the fame Manner that the Glory of God was conveyed through every Part of the burning Bulb, which appeared to Mofes as a Flame of Fire.

THE Reason that it fo appeared is undoubtedly because that all the Vacuities and Receptivities of the Bufh, were fo equally and fully irradiated with the bright Beams of his Glory, that the Bush loft its natural Form and Likenefs, and became as one Body of Light. And in like Manner do we apprehend that the Glory of God, by an inconceivable Subtlety and Smoothness penetrates into the Soul, and brings it to a nearer Degree of Likeness unto the Divine Prefence, in Proportion as it hath a Capacity of taking in a greater Measure of that Glory: Like unto the Iron mentioned, or other Body, capable of bearing and taking in Heat ; the greater Quantity thereof it receives, the more it inflames and grows in glowing Colour and Likeness to the Fire itself that produced it. [I mean culinary Fire; or, Fire operating on other Body, and kindled by Swiftnefs of Motion into a Glow:---For we cannot find any fuch Property as Shine or Brightness in Fire purely Elementary; until it inflames, by Friction or other fwift Agi tation, the Body it operates in:]

BUT as the heated Iron or other like Bo dy, is brought to a nearer Degree of Likenefs unto Fire, by the Means aforefaid; fo changes the Soul into a nearer Degree of Likenefs unto the divine Prefence, in Proportion as it is capable of receiving, and does take in, a greater Measure of the Glories emitted. And in Proportion as it thus takes in fuch greater Measure, is it more perfectly happy, because more perfectly like the glorious Being that produces them. And because that the nearer any Thing is brought to resemble the Thing it is defigned to be like, the more perfect it is.

I PRAY the Reader may not mistake me. For I once more fay that the Likeness I here confine myself to, is with Regard to the bright Glories of thofe blissful Regions. Glories which must be in all Spaces that the divine Prefence in fpecial Manner fills. Because they are necessary Emanations of the divine Nature:---Being active Spirit of the pureft Kind. And I believe all will allow, that there are fuperior Degrees of Spirit, as well as of material Subftances: I mean with ReIpect to Nature, as well as Office. Because it is evident from many Parts of Scripture: ---Efpecially from the different Descriptions given of a Seraph and Cherub. Nay the Argument on this Point must be loft in Demonftration, when we confider that God whom the Scriptures fay is Spirit, must be purer than created Spirit. Therefore we

may