wship with the lowest in his
infirmities, so the lowest have fellowship with the highest in his
privileges. Such is the infinite goodness of God, that which is absolutely
necessary, and most important either to soul or body, is made more
universal, both in nature and grace, as the common light of the sun to
all, and the Sun of righteousness too, in an impartial way, shining on all
them that come to him.

Sermon VI.

1 John i. 3.--"And truly our fellowship is with the Father, and
with his Son," &c.

It was both the great wisdom and infinite goodness of God, that he did not
only frame a creature capable of society with others of his own kind, but
that he fashioned him so as to be capable of so high an elevation,--to have
communion and fellowship with himself. It is less wonder of angels,
because they are pure incorporeal spirits, drawing towards a nearer
likeness to his nature, which similitude is the ground of communion, but
that he would have one of the material and visible creatures below, that
for the one half is made of the dust of the earth, advanced to this
inconceivable height of privilege,--to have fellowship with him,--this is a
greater wonder, and for this end he breathed into man a spirit from
heaven, that he might be capable of conformity and communion with him who
is the Father of spirits. Now, take this in the plainest apprehension of
it, and you cannot but conceive that this is both the honour and happiness
of man. It is honour and dignity, I say, because the nature of that
consists in the applause and estimation of those that are worthy,
testified one way or another, and the highest degrees of it rise according
to the degree or dignity of the persons that esteem us, or give us their
fellowship and favour. Now, truly, according to this rule, the honour is
incomparable, and the credit riseth infinitely above all the airy and
fancied dignities of men. For the footstool to be elevated up to the
throne! For the poor contemptible creature to be lifted up to the society
and friendship of the most high and glorious God, the only Fountain of all
the hierarchies of heaven, or degrees upon earth! So much as the distance
is between God and us, so much proportionally must the dignity rise to be
advanced out of this low estate to fellowship with God. The distance
between creatures is not observable in regard of this, and yet poor
creatures swell if either they be lifted up a little above others or