this Believers are united to him who is God-man In some of them there is union without vital influence in this there is union with it in others of them there is an influence but it is only of a natural life and that only while a local conjunction between the things united is maintained But in this there is an influence of a spiritual and Divine life and this notwithstanding that the local distance between Christ and Believers be as vast as it is between Heaven and Earth In them there is nothing but plain Law or Love or Art or Nature but in this there is a secret a mystery of grace an admirable conjunction of Believers to Christ and by him to the Father I conclude with the excellent words of Zanchy De tribus Elok lib. 4. fol. 180. Hoc est mirabile hujusce unitatis mysterium quae constat Deo Patre Christo Mediatore Ecclesiâ vinculo Spiritûs Sancti cum Christo cum Patre conjuncta This is the admirable mystery of this Union which is made up of God the Father Christ the Mediator and the Church by the bond of the holy Spirit with Christ and with the Father conjoined These two things being laid down which are to be observed in all the after discourse touching these resemblances I proceed to consider the resemblances in particular in which much profitable matter will offer it self to us First The Union between Christ and Believers is set forth by that which is between a King and his Subject In government the humane instinct is gratified in society and a multitude is reduced to unity a King and his Subjects become politically one he protects them they are under his shadow he governs them they are in subjection to him protection as the Lawyers speak draws subjection and subjection draws protection His royal care over them is returned in their reverence towards him and their reverence towards him falls down upon themselves in the benefits of government Ar. Eth. lib. 5. c. 6. he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeper of right for them and they render him the honour due to his greatness Thus they are knit together for that common good which is the great center of Government In like manner Christ is King and Believers are his Subjects His Kingdom as it imports power is over all creatures but as it imports union it is only over Believers Tyrants saith the Philosopher rule over men against their wills but Kings rule over the willing The Emperor Justinus plainly told the great oppressors Spondan Ann. Anno. 568. Ego contumacibus imperare nolo I will not rule over the disobedient Our Lord Christ doth not own rebellious sinners while such as Subjects but look upon them as enemies Believers only are his Subjects he is their great Protector they are under the wings of his grace and power he rules and governs them they are obedient to him his care is over them their obedience is towards him he maintains their right they render him the honour of his government Thus they are knit together to promote the glory of Christ and the salvation of Believers It 's true in this resemblance the meer Analogy proves no more than a political Union but the excellency of that union which is between the spiritual King and Believers shews forth a mystery For the explaining of this I shall lay down several particulars 1st The more worthy and near in blood the persons united in government are the more excellent is the union David was an excellent one worth Ten thousand others those over whom he reigned were Gods own peculiar people the nearness was such that the people told him Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh 2 Sam. 5.1 In these circumstances the union between David and his people could not but be a very excellent one much more excellent is that between Christ and his Subjects what an one is He how admirably accomplished for government he is higher than the Kings of the earth it was not a little material oyl but the Holy Ghost which anointed him to his office His wisdom is incomparable no secret is hid from his eyes Solomon's large heart was but a little thing to the vast treasures of wisdom and knowledg in him His Wisdom is as much above a meer mans as the Fathers bosom from whence he came is above mans heart His power is exceeding great he can do every thing earthly Princes set upon their thrones here below he sits above at the right hand of Power Ahasuerus had power over an Hundred and seven and twenty Provinces but he hath all the power in Heaven and Earth None is so able to save to the uttermost as he his goodness and mercy are beyond parallel His Divine bowels were up very early in a design of grace towards fallen man his humane compassions far transcend all those in the creature Nay further he himself would suffer being tempted that he might have an experimental fitness to succour the tempted His clemency is such that he is very tender over those infirm ones who are as the bruised reed and have grace in desire only His justice is very illustrious he reigns in righteousness he doth nothing but what is right truth may as soon lie and rectitude it self decline as there can be any blot or jeofail in his goverment Such a King is Christ And what are his Subjects They are no common people but excellent ones their pure heart hath a kind of Oracle in it the secret of the Lord is with them they are wise in the greatest concernments strong in the hardest duties their hearts are melted in acts of love towards God and man their hands are ever doing that which is just and right and the reason of all is because some of the holy unction which anointed their Lord falls down upon them and puts a glory on them Such are the Subjects And what is the nearness between the King and them On the one hand he though the Son of God came down from Heaven and became partaker of flesh and blood with them on the the other they though naturally but the sons of fallen Adam became through grace the seed of Christ himself his blood runs in their consciences his Divine Spirit breathes in them his holy image appears in their hearts and lives the Subjects are all Sons and resemble their Governor Here is not a single relation but one relation upon another this is the nearness The result is this he being so incomparable a King they being such excellent Subjects the nearness between them being so great the union must needs be a very choice one Who would now live under the power of sin and not much rather join himself to the blessed kingdom A better Ruler or Society then there cannot be found 2dly The more right the Laws and Administrations of a Kingdom are the better is the Union There are two sorts of Laws there are Laws of
no impression made upon the will no vital influence upon the heart no savouring or spiritual sensation of heavenly things it is but a form of knowledg a figure or appearance only without any life in it he knows holy truths only to know them he doth not love chuse embrace practise them he hath them only in notion not in a practical way the holy Precepts as full of rectitude as they are move him not to obedience the precious Promises which flow with admirable grace attract him not into faith and love the dreadful threatnings in which Gods wrath appears like devouring fire drive him not out of his iniquity all his knowledg is by a practical error blasted and turned away from its true end in effect it withers and nomes to nothing But in a man in Christ the knowledg is not a meer form or appearance but the substance or spiritual subsistence of holy things in the heart the notions do not lie dead but rise up in life and power in the soul holy truths do not meerly float in the brain or stay in the intellect but fall down upon the will to make it free in the ways of God and upon the affections to inflame them towards him the things of Heaven do now appear in such glory and excellency that they cast the ballance in heart and life the right way Christ with whom they are united makes every truth effectual The third is this The marks of this union are supernatural No meer moral virrues such as are under a common blessing extracted out of principles of reason can amount to a mark In moral virtues Reason is the great Moderator in acts of Justice it weighs out to every man his own in acts of temperance it proportions out how far a man may drink of sensitive delights in acts of fortitude it sets down the just measures how far fear may be heard in all Reason is the chief Umpire and Empress regulating and commanding every thing In these moral virtues a man is in union with his Reason as the supream faculty in him this is indeed highly commendable but if we might rest here Christ would not be necessary to us However necessary he might be for expiation yet he would not be necessary for fanctification he need not be a vital head to us we might be an head to our selves he need not pour out his Holy Spirit upon us our own spirit might serve the turn we need not be in union with him it is enough for us to be in union with our own Reason All which being very absurd it is to be noted that union with Christ is a thing of a much higher nature than union with Reason The meer Moralist moves in an orb much lower than the true Christian the Moralist in a kind of self-sufficiency stays at home and drinks out of the cistern which is in his own Reason but the Christian in a way of self emptiness goes out of himself and partakes of influences of Grace from Christ The Moralist is prudentially regulated in his passions that they are subject to his mind but the Christian is divinely renewed throughout that the whole man becomes subject unto God The Moralist does his virtuous actions in compliance with his Reason as being the highest faculty in him but the Christian does his gracious acts in compliance with the divine will as being the supream rule to him The Moralist acting out of natural principles aims at nothing higher than himself but the Christian acting out of supernatural principles directs all to the glory of God as the chief end These things make it appear that moral virtues though good in their kind are so far short of spiritual graces that they cannot in themselves be marks of our union with Christ Having laid down these three things I shall now proceed to the particular marks of this union The first mark of this union is poverty of spirit Every man naturally is poor in spirituals his humane nature lies in the ruines of the fall there is a Tohu and Bohu a voidness and Spiritual emptiness in it his mind is empty of spiritual light and hath only some few reliques left to make him a man his will is void of divine freedom and hath only such fragments of liberty as may declare him a free agent his affections have lost their wings and creep only upon the things here below corruption is very strong and there is a meer Vacuum of grace it is with him as if the Divine Image or likeness had never been stamp'd upon him a vast debt of original and actual guilt lies upon him and he hath nothing to pay or if Divine Justice seize him he hath nothing to say against it he is shut up under wrath and cannot but deserve it Thus every man is very poor in spirituals yet alas he is not naturally poor in spirit no on the contrary he presumes all is well he is as he dreams happy in his ruines full in his emptiness seeing in his darkness free in his chains and rich in his debts and wants a man poor in spirit is one who is poor in sense and reflection upon his poverty he considers his lost and undone condition he feels and groans under his spiritual wants the deep sense of them makes his heart cry out Oh! I am lost I am in the ruines of the fall there I must lie unless Christ lift me up and bring forth a new Creation out of the Chaos my mind is dark my will fettered with corruption so it must be unless Christ shine into my heart and make me free indeed my poor affections lie in the dust and vanity of this lower world and there is no help unless Christ come and raise them up to the things above I find nothing but an emptiness and voidness of grace neither is there any hope unless the Spirit of Christ communicate a furniture of graces and comforts my debts are great and never to be discharged unless the blood of Christ which paid for the sin of a world do it for me After some such manner as this he lies at the feet of Christ he is poor empty forlorn destitute in himself the very frame of his heart prays for a Saviour such an one is in a right posture for him His poverty cries for an Alms out of the infinite treasures in Christ his weariness pants after the true rest which is in a Mediator the broken heart begs for a compassionate hand to bind it up the wounds in conscience open for the atoning blood to be poured into them the sin sick soul calls for the great Physician Lord heal my soul for I have sinned against thee the lamented ruines invite the Divine Builder to set up his own Temple there the spiritual nothingness importunes for a new Creation to be brought forth Create in me a clean heart O God Every want being felt to the quick hath a voice in it and cries out for a supply
into eternity theirchope takes its leave of this world and enters in within the Vail their Love is inflamed and ascends up to him who is Goodness it self their Souls empty out themselves in holy Pantings and Anhelations after him their hearts follow hard after him and can find no Sabbath of rest but in him every part of the new-creature looks up and breathes after its original Heaven from whence their graces descend becomes an attractive Center to them Christ who is at the right hand of Majesty gives such holy touches upon their hearts as lifts them up to himself the main stream of their desires and affections runs out towards the things above They first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness that other things may be cast in to them This is the temper of those that are in Christ An eminent instance of this we have in the Primitive Christians who talked so much of the Kingdom the Kingdom that the Heathen Emperors were jealous as if the Christians had aimed at a Kingdom here below Indeed it is for Heathens to seek after this world but Christians look for a better their treasures and their hearts too are above it is but meer vanity for a man who sets his heart upon earthly things to say that he is in Christ to espouse him and the world too to be joyned to the Head in Heaven and to Earth here below is a thing utterly impossible all that are in him seek after the things above as his Death morrifies them to Earth so his Resurrection quickens them to Heaven Also there is a Conformity to his Resurrection in newness of life Thus the Apostle Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life Rom 6.4 Those that are in him walk in newness of life they do not walk as they did in the way of sin but as becomes them in a way of Holiness In this new life two things may be noted the Matter of it and the Manner As for the Matter of it those that are in him apply themselves to do that which God commands they do not walk after the flesh but after the spirit they do not walk after their own wills but after Gods like David they are for all the wills of God like Zachary and Elizabeth they walk in all his Commandments they are for both Tables not only for Piety towards God but for Charity and Justice towards men their Piety is not hypocrisie for it hath Justice and Charity joyned with it their Justice and Charity are not meer Morality for they have Piety joyned with them as God hath coupled his Commands together in the Law so they couple them together in Obedience it is a never-failing rule Quicquid propter Deum fit aequalitèr fit True obedience as it disputeth not the command but obeys immediately so neither doth it divide the command but obeys equally those that are in Christ have an universal respect to the holy Precepts the same Holy Spirit which led Christ to a sinless obedience leads them to a sincere one This is the matter of a new life it stands in doing that which God commands As for the Manner of it two things may be observed The one is a pure intention towards the glory of God As God is Alpha so he must be Omega as he is the first Good so he must be the ultimate End in all reason a creature should be referred to its Creator and a finite good should terminate in an infinite one to center in a creature is Idolatry to make God a Medium is Practical blasphemy as if there were something better than he to be enjoyed for it self St. Austin observes it as an essential defect in the Moral Virtues of the Pagans that in them they did not look at the glory of God but at themselves Hence he observes Contr. Jul. lib. 4. c. 3. that the whole body of their virtuous Works for want of a single eye at the great End was full of darkness he pronounces their Virtues to be no true Virtues he cannot be just who is without the Faith of Christ there cannot be true Purity in a Soul fornicating from God nor true Virtue in which God is not served he asserts De Civ Dei lib. 19. c. 25. that Virtutes cum ad seipsas referuntur inflatae superbae sunt they are no longer Virtues but pieces of pride and presumption Neither need we wonder at this the Pagans not being in union with Christ nor having any touches from his Resurrection had but a meer humane Spirit in them which elevates a man no higher than himself Our Saviour charges them with hypocrisie who fast pray and give alms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be seen of men Matth. 6. They do but set themselves upon the Stage to act a part not to God but to men accordingly they have their reward not from him but from them who seeing only the outside commend them neither need we admire at this these hypocrites believe not they are not in union with him who elevates humane nature above it self therefore all that they do terminates in themselves but those that are in Christ have an higher Spirit than their own his Spirit doth direct them in all their good works to aim at the glory of God there is a pure intention to consecrate all to him their Holiness is to shine as a little beam or spark from the holy One the drops of Mercy in them are to point out the infinite Ocean of Goodness in him their Obedience is to tell the world that he is the Supreme Lord of all their Sincerity is to testifie his Omniscience all that good they do is to serve his interest and shew forth his praise still there is oculus in metam a pure intention at his Glory The Church tells us that all her fruits were laid up for Christ Cant. 7.13 Propter te Domine propter te is the Christians Motto in all his good Works Now if we look into our hearts and see the spring of actions there we may clearly see whether we are in Christ or not Whose Will do we look at Gods or our own What is our Rule and Center Do we aim at the great End Do we indeed desire that God in all things may be glorified If we do so it is a sure sign that we are united to Christ we know the power of his Resurrection and by his Spirit are lifted up above our selves to the great End of all things The other is an humble dependance upon the influences of Christ the Head as in Christ personal the humane nature depends upon the divine so in Christ mystical the members depend upon the head as Christs humane nature acted in union with the divine so Christians do all in union with Christ there is a Spirit flowing from Christ which touches and moves all his members Hence they are said
Templum utique nos ipsos non haberet saith St. Austin Cont. Maxim lib. 1. If the Holy Spirit were not God he should not have us for his Temple it being as he there urges no less than Sacriledg and an Anathema to make a Temple to a creature Not then the holy temper which is a creature but the Holy Spirit who is God hath a Temple in us Thus the order and dependance of things plainly teach us the meaning of the one Spirit to be that the same Holy Spirit is in Christ and Believers Nay omitting the dependance the words themselves shew the same thing One Spirit is here immediately opposed to one flesh when a man and woman become one flesh there is more than a likeness of temper there are many alike in carnal propensions who yet were never so joined as to be one flesh and if one flesh speak more than alike temper much more doth one spirit do so I take it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one spirit is as high a phrase as can be to express an intimate union I conclude therefore That the Apostle doth not meerly intend a likeness of temper but that the same Holy Spirit is in Christ and Believers which indeed is a very high and glorious mystery Further Marriage is a state of Love and Love hath an unitive virtue in it a true friend is alter ipse another self in respect of love between two friends there is as it were but one soul in both Confess Lib. 4. c. 6. St. Austin saith That his friend being dead he did but dimidius vivere live but like half a man If there be such love between friends how much more is it so between man and wife Between them there are the strictest bonds and highest degrees of friendship A man shall leave father and mother and shall be joined to his wife saith the Apostle Eph. 5.31 In the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be glued to his wife Conjugal love is the glue which takes hold on both sides and joins them together as if they were but one piece and therefore the Apostle there adds they two shall be one flesh And a little before he tells them He that loveth his wife loveth himself vers 28. She is an alter Ego a piece of himself and not to love her is as unnatural as to hate his own flesh the near relation which is between man and wife calls for a mutual and more than ordinary love The Parallel is the intimate love which is between Christ and Believers he loves them as parts and pieces of himself they love him as their dearest head and husband he loves not their graces only but their persons they love not his gifts only but himself Ordinances are his Banqueting-house Graces are his Love-tokens but himself is the great center of their love He is ravished nay excordiated with their single eye of faith and chain of obedience Cant. 4.9 they are ravished in him who is totus desideria all or wholly desires his person natures offices life death resurrection intercession every thing in him is amiable in their eyes his love to them is such that he eats his honey-comb with his honey wax and all accepting their services notwithstanding the infirmities cleaving to them their love to him is such that though sometimes they sleep and nod in humane frailty yet their heart waketh the inward bent and motion of it is to him the least call or knock will make them rise and seek after him There is an intimate love between him and them but how far this exceeds that which is between man and wife the tongue of men and Angels cannot fully utter I shall only touch on one or two things On the one hand Christ took an humane nature that he might espouse us to himself to him as meer God sinful creatures could not be joined his pure Majesty could not admit them to approach to him but that he might have a Spouse among men he left his Fathers bosome and came down into an humane nature Majesty was put under a vail of flesh and through that we have access to him It would be a very strange thing for a glorious Angel to come down into the rank of worms and espouse matter much more admirable is it that the very Son of God one infinitely more above an humane nature than an Angel is above matter did come down into our frail flesh upon design to espouse us to himself never did love so stoop and condescend as here On the other hand Believers are content as much as may be to put off their corrupt nature that they may be joined to him he put on a pure humane nature for them they put off a corrupt one for him at his call they leave their own people and their Fathers House I mean the corruption they were born or bred in nothing is dearer or nearer to faln man than his corrupt flesh and those lusts which are the members of it yet they part with it and them for Christ Their Motto is Christus meus est omnia my Christ is my All. Again On the one hand Christ died in our nature that he might espouse us Jacob served for a Wife David fought for one but none but our dear Lord died upon a Cross for us our match with him could not be dispatched without atoning blood A type of this we have in that first Marriage between Adam and Eve Eve was taken out of the side of fleeping Adam the Church is taken out of the side of a dying Christ The Jews say that the woman was taken out of the side of man to signifie the marriage of the supreme blessed man While Adam was sleeping a rib was taken out of him and made into a woman when Christ died on the Cross there came out of his pierced side blood and water in these we have the original of the Church which rises up out of expiation and regeneration to be a Spouse to him On the other hand Believers in the power and after the pattern of a crucified Christ dye to themselves and the world his pure flesh suffered in a way of expiation their corrupt flesh suffers in a way of mortification by his Cross the world is crucified to them and they to the world his body was nailed to the Cross and there they hang up their lusts to dye and expire Thus there is a transcendent love between him and them Moreover In Marriage two things more may be noted The one is this There is a communication of good things from the Husband to the Wife It is an old saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things are common among friends much more is it so among married persons a communion of bodies draws a communion of other things with it the near relation between man and wife calls for it his necessaries serve to supply her his honour puts a lustre upon her his riches are seen in her
together increaseth with the increase of God Col. 2.19 Here Christ is the head and Believers the body here the body is fitly joined together and compacted there is in all the members a congruity and a close conjunction unto the Head and unto one another here are joints and bands the primary ligature is the Holy Spirit which makes Christ and Believers to be as it were continuous and to touch one another Under the Spirit are the bonds of Faith and Love Faith unites and incorporates Believers into Christ Love glues and cements them one to another here 's an effectual working in the measure of every part the holy Spirit stirs up the principles of Grace in Believers the principles of Grace stir up the Soul the Soul in the virtue of those principles stirs up it self all is set into motion from Christ the Head Lastly Here 's an edifying of the body an increasing with the increase of God Believers grow up into Christ in all things their Faith is more radicated their Love is more inflamed their union with Christ becomes closer their likeness to him grows more lively than before in every part of the new creature there is a Divine increase and all is because they are united to the Head Between Christ and Believers there is an apt and intimate union made by excellent joints and bands through these bands there comes to be an effectual working in Believers by this working there issues forth an increase of all holy graces O what an Head is Christ how happy are Believers who are in conjunction with him the excellency of this union is much beyond what can be said or thought of it it is not for us to dive into the bottom of it or to see it in the full compass Nevertheless that we may know somewhat of it it is worth while to compare the headship of Christ in these two excellent Texts with his Headship in other Scriptures he is Head over all things Ephes 1.22 He is Head of all principality and power that is of Angels Col. 2.10 He is Head of every man 1 Cor. 11.3 He is Head of the Heathen reigning as a King over them Psal 18.43 He is Head of the Church as the Husband is head of the Wife Ephes 5.23 But his Headship in those two famous places imports much more than the other headships Christ is head over all things to the Church Ephes 1.22 That is the Churches Head hath a power over all things God hath highly exalted him saith the Apostle Phil. 2.9 In the original there is an emphatical Pleonasm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God exalted him above all exaltation lifted him up above all altitude hence Christ hath a name above every name he sits at the right hand of Power and Majesty all creatures in Heaven in Earth under the Earth that is Angels Men Devils all must bow the knee to him every tongue must confess him to be Lord all things are put under him not only the lower world as it was to Adam but all the Creation Angels themselves who are the top of it not excepted he hath all the power in Heaven and Earth thus he is head over all things But we must observe here the Apostle doth not say that he is head unto all things but head over all things which denotes only power not union neither doth he simply say that he is head over all things but that he is head over all things to the Church which imports that though he be Lord over all yet he is a proper peculiar head to the Church he is united to it as to his body not so to all things though all things be reduced to him as an head of power over them yet all things are not his body he is united to the Church by joints and bands not so to all things he communicates his own spirit to the Church not so to all things he is head over all things that he might be a complete allsufficient head to the Church his universal power makes him meet to protect and preserve the Church which is his body and chief care all things are managed in ordine ad spiritualia in a subserviency to the Churches good Christ is head of all principality and power Col. 2.10 That is he is an head of eminency and power over the Holy Angels he is made so much better than the Angels as he hath by inheritance a more excellent name than they Heb. 1.4 Unto which of the Angels said God the Father at any time Thou art my Son or sit thou at my right hand vers 5. and 13 Angels are Sons by creation but Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper Son of the Father not as creatures made out of nullity but a proper Son begotten out of his substance Angels as Courtiers of Heaven stand in the presence of God but he sits at his right hand in state and majesty Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him But to Believers he is an head of union and influence the Church made up of them is his body homogeneal and of one nature with him joined to him by the bands of Faith and a regenerating Spirit and supplied from him with spiritual life and motion thus it is not with Angels It is true some worthy Divines hold That from Christ God-man there is an influence into the holy Angels not only of illumination and accidental joy which may be easily granted but of confirming and establishing grace He is say they a Mediator to them though not of redemption and reconciliation yet of preservation and confirmation in their holy estate The Apostle saith that God doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gather together as into one head in Christ all things in Heaven and Earth Ephes 1.10 And again that he doth by him reconcile all things in Heaven and Earth to himself Col. 1.20 St. Bernard speaking of Christ saith In Cantica ser 22. Qui erexit hominem lapsum dedit stanti Angelo ne laberetur he who lifted up fallen man gave that grace to the standing Angel that he should not fall But here I crave leave to dissent and to offer some things by way of answer 1st The distinction between a Mediator of Redemption and a Mediator of Confirmation only is not I think to be found in Scripture we read of a Mediator between God and men not of a Mediator between God and Angels A Mediator is not a Mediator of one Gal. 3.20 but of more than one and those not in amity as God and Angels are but at variance as God and fallen man are A Mediator as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports is a middle person interposing between parties at variance but God and holy Angels are not at variance at all that any should interpose between them It is congruous that a Mediator should partake of the same nature with those for whom he mediates the one Mediator between God and man is the man
overcome by them the Spirit which is in them is greater than he that is in the world they do duties as becomes them who live at so high a rate in a very lively vigorous manner the free Spirit stablishes and enlarges their hearts to run in the pure ways of holiness and obedience under crosses they do not murmur at the hand of God but in an holy silence subject to it the Spirit strengthens them unto all patience St. Paul glories in afflictions that the Power of Christ may rest upon him 2 Cor. 12.9 The Noble Potamenia being by the Persecutors threatned to be cast into a Vessel of burning Pitch begged of them That she might not be cast in all at once Spondan Annal. Anno. 310. but piece-meal that they might see how much patience the unknown Christ had given unto her The Reason of such acts of power and strength in Believers is because they live upon the Body and Blood of Christ and from thence have a Divine virtue and power to perform the same 2dly Christ as food is united unto believers there is a very close and intimate union between the food and the body and so there is between Christ and believers He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him saith our Saviour vers 56. Eating here must not be taken properly an oral manducation is capernastical and indeed a very horrible thing to be imagined Hence St. Austin saith That the command of eating his flesh and drinking his blood seems to require an horrible wickedness and then concludes De Doctr. Christ lib. 3. c. 16. Figura ergo est a thing to be done in a spiritual way Hence Averroes the Philosopher said That if Christians devoured their God he would not have his soul to be with them It is a wonder to me that those who are called Christians should hold such an eating Nay that men on earth should orally eat the body of Christ in Heaven or that his glorified body should come into our earthly mouths and stomacks is to me a thing utterly impossible he is and must for ever remain in glory The eating therefore is a spiritual one done by faith though Christ be in Heaven faith flies up and apprehends him In 1 Cor. 10. Hom. 24. St. Chrysostom would have us be as Eagles and so fly to Heaven and then adds Where the carcass is there will the eagles be Christ our aliment is gone to Heaven and faith follows after him to draw life and virtue from him Faith doth spiritually participate of his body and blood and from thence doth derive a Divine power and strength into the soul As faith ascends up so the holy Spirit comes down upon believers which compleats the union between him and them They dwell in him and he in them as our Saviour speaks they dwell in him by faith and he in them by his Spirit There is a mutual indwelling a most near and intimate union between them The learned Grotius takes this mutual indwelling to be only amore mutuo by a mutual love Amans est ubi amat quod hic tribuitur manducationi id alibi tribuitur dilectioni 1 Joh. 4.16 The lover is where his love is What here is attriouted to eating that in another place is attributed to love He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him But I take it there is a difference our union to Christ is first and more immediate and then in and through him we are united unto God It 's true God dwells in the sincere lovers but he dwells in them as in parts of Christ partakers of the atonement were they not such the spots of guilt and imperfection upon them would make the holy one wave dwelling in them Christ is united to us as aliment inlivening and strengthening us but God is not as such united to us though the fountain of life and virtue be in him yet are these derived down unto us in and through Christ of whose body and blood we do by faith participate We are saith Bishop Vsher by a mystical and supernatural union as truly conjoined with Christ as the meat and drink is with us when by the ordinary work of nature it is converted into our own substance 3ly Christ is food by way of eminency Food above all food other bread is comparatively but a shadow or meer figure but he is the true bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living bread which makes men live for ever other bread comes but out of the earth but he is that bread which came down from Heaven The Son very God came down into our flesh and in it was broken upon a Cross that his body and blood might become bread for us He hath saith Bishop Vsher by his death made his flesh broken Incarnat fol. 52. and his blood poured out for us upon the Cross to be fit food for the spiritual nourishment of our souls and the very well-spring from whence by the power of his Godhead all life and grace is derived unto us Thus that excellent man Other food being inferior to the body is changed into our substance but Christ the spiritual food being infinitely more excellent than our souls turns believers who feed upon him into his own likeness Christs blood may be read in their serene consciences his death may be seen in their continual mortifications his Spirit shews it self in their holy graces as they live at an higher rate so they live in a more divine manner than other men Their humility meekness love zeal obedience patience tell us that they live upon him who turns the eater into himself the eater so participates of him as to be assimilated to him Thus much touching the resemblances of the Mystical union I shall now draw out fome Conclusions from them because as is before noted the Analogy between the Mystical union and the earthly patterns serves if genuinely taken not only for illustration but for very good proof 1. The union between Christ and believers is not meerly a Political one such as is between a King and his Subjects It 's true Christ is a King believers are his subjects there are Laws of constitution which make him a King over them and Laws of administration according to which he governs them yet the union between him and them is not meerly Political To make this appear I offer these things The manner of his Kingdom is considerable were his Kingdom such only as earthly ones are there might be some colour to say That the union is only Political But his Kingdom is not of this world Joh. 18.36 It is not mundanae indolis of an earthly but of an heavenly nature Eusebius Hist 13. When the kindred of our Saviour were asked touching his Kingdom they answered Domitian That it was not Earthly but Coelestial It cometh not in outward pomp and glory but in inward efficacy It stands not meerly without in Laws and Ordinances but
now lives to perfect the work to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 7.25 not by halves but altogether to give our Salvation its last act and complement he is a Priest for ever his Sacrifice but once offered up is in his Intercession virtually continued to perfect for ever them that are sanctified Here believers have a tree of life bearing as many excellent fruits as Christ paid for in his Death To instance in some of them Here 's a pardon for them He that on earth made satisfaction for sin in Heaven pleads for the pardon of it his Blood crys That the sin which is satisfied for in the head may not be charged upon the members If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2.1 He pleads that righteousness which being put into the opposite ballance outweighs all the sins of his people Here 's the supply of the Holy Spirit given to them he that here below dyed to merit the communication of the Spirit lives and intercedes above to have it done I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14.16 Our Saviour prays in the force of an infinite price therefore the Spirit is given to them he lives for ever and continues praying therefore the Spirit abides with them that which he by Prayer obtains for us by Power he confers upon us therefore as Dr. Reynolds observes in the Psalm he is said to receive gifts for men noting the fruit of his Intercession On the 110 Psalm fol. 438. Psal 68.18 And in the Apostle to give gifts to men noting the power and fulness of his Person Ephes 4.8 Having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and hear Acts 2.33 The Intercession of Christ never fails to communicate the Spirit to his members Here 's an access to God a free ingress for them unto the Mercy-seat whilest he is at Gods right hand none can bar them out from the divine Presence The Apostle tells us That we have a great High Priest passed into the Heavens one no less than the very Son of God and withal one as man touched with the feeling of our infirmities no less willing and compassionate than able to help us And from thence he concludes Let us therefore come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with boldness with a liberty to speak all our mind unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Hebr. 4.14 15 16. Believers need not fear to approach unto the great God his Glory will not swallow them up his Justice will not be a devouring fire to them they may freely open their wants before him their regular prayers shall surely speed in Heaven Christ intercedes there for them and which is the Eccho of that Intercession the Spirit makes intercession in their hearts the success therefore cannot fail though their prayers as they are in their bosoms have much weakness and imperfections yet as soon as they are put into the hand of Christ and perfumed with the sweet incense of his Merits they are glorified prayers and have power with God to procure the thing desired Another priviledg is Adoption All men in a sense are the off-spring of God the immortal Spirit in them had in the very make of it the natural Image of God which was a nobler print of the Deity than that which was upon all the material world besides Adam in Innocency was in an higher way the Son of God the holy Graces in him which made up the Moral Image had more of the divine Beauty shining in them than that which was to be found in the Essence of the Soul but Believers are the Sons of God in a more excellent manner To as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God John 1.12 By conjunction with Christ the natural Son they become adopted ones Adam was a Son only by Creation his Soul had in the Essence of it a natural Image of God and in the holy Graces of it a Moral one but Believers are sons by mystical union with Christ the natural Son neither is this a meer empty title but they are born of God they are of the seed-royal of Heaven the Blood of God runs in their consciences the divine Spirit which formed Christ in the womb doth by a supernatural overshadowing form him in their heart in their adoptive Sonship there is a shadow of the eternal one the splendor of grace in them resembling God in a measure is a little picture of Christ who is the brightness of his Fathers glory This priviledg as it is from God is a piece of admirable love Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 John 3.1 The Apostle stands and wonders at it as an object of glorious and amazing Eminence Also as it is upon Believers it is a piece of incomparable Dignity such as doth far outshine all that lustre which is upon the Potentates of this world all the glory of earthly Princes is but fumus seculi the smoak of this lower Region their titles glitter only in carnal eyes but adoption is radius coeli a ray of heavenly glory making believers though but worms in themselves shine to the eyes of Angels who look upon them as mystical parts of Christ Touching this priviledg I shall only touch on two or three things Believers as Sons have an heavenly freedom in the ways of God They are not drag'd to holy things by the cords of Hell and Death they do not bring forth their duties meerly under the pressure of the Law-letter or in the power of fallen nature in a dead carnal servile manner no they are spirited for holy things the Law is in their hearts the rectitude of the commands attracts them the Love of Christ constrains them the great rewards in Heaven ravish them the Holy Spirit inspires obedience into them Holiness becomes natural to them Duties are brought forth in the easiness of the new creature they can walk run fly on in the pure ways towards eternal happiness this is a very choice priviledg indeed they are no longer in the straits of sin and earth but in a divine amplitude and liberty their hearts rest not in * Liber ab infinito ad infinitum super infinitum movetur finite things but go out to the infinite One their thoughts are upon the first Good their aims at the last End their liberty is joyned to its great fountain their motion is to the true center this is a right noble royal posture of Soul towards God in whom all our happiness is Believers as Sons live under the continual Indulgences of God in temptations he bears them up upon the wings of grace in a world of snares he plucks their
Goodness every thing calls upon them to fall down and adore him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fountain and Principle of all things Further They know the right use of blessings they do not take Creature-comforts into their heart which is an holy place for God but bid them stand without and minister to the body they do not rest and center in them but as Pilgrims and Strangers march on to the heavenly Countrey in the fullest affluence of outward things still they cry out Dulcius ex ipso fonte a single God is sweeter than all they look upon them not as fuel to lust but as incentives to holy Love and Obedience they do not as absolute Proprietors ingross all to themselves but as faithful Stewards distribute to others they know they receive outward things not to have and to hold but to communicate Mercies in their hands are as blood in the Veins or water in the Conduit for publick use the goodness of God to them makes them good to others the open hand of the great Donor makes them ashamed to shut their own Also they are happy in times of adversity If a storm of persecution come their happiness is not diminished but increased they never had their Souls in such a posture they never had such appearances of God as at such a time they melt in fresh acts of repentance God draws their pardon afresh and more legible than ever they sigh and cry for the abominations in the Land God sets a mark and a seal of distinction upon them their hearts tremble for the Ark his bowels are moved for them their care is for his interest and great name his care is to make up his Jewels their Faith ascends up and fixes it self upon him his Power Wisdom Goodness Mercy come down and command Salvation for them they cry and wrestle with him in their prayers that that Gospel the glory may not depart away from them he hears them in one measure of grace or other the Gospel it may be shall not depart from the Land at least not from their hearts they are tossed in a Sea of troubles but there is a calm within and an Haven of rest to which every wave gives them a lift near at hand they may look to Heaven and sing as the Martyr Babylas did Return unto thy rest O my soul They are poor weak creatures but the power of Christ rests upon them that divine Power which bore up his humane nature in his Sufferings bears up them in theirs being in the true Immanuel they are sure to have God with them how heavy soever the Cross be his everlasting Arms are under them how bloody soever the Persecutor be his rich Mercies are towards them when great men leave them naked to their Enemies he covers them with his wings when outward comforts depart from them he will never never leave them no more than Christs Divinity did forsake his Humanity the joy of the Holy Ghost is their cordial in the greatest troubles the Love of God shed abroad in their hearts is able to sweeten Prisons and fiery Furnaces to them when they have least of Earth then they have most of Heaven there are some sparkles of glory let down into their hearts they taste some drops of the pure Rivers of pleasure which are above Valeat vita vileart faculltates inquit Julitta Mart. Cent. 4. Magdeb. This makes them able to bid farewel to life and all things here that they may go though through the greatest losses and sufferings to be with Christ Thus much touching the Priviledges of union with Christ It is a notable passage in Antoninus Every thing saith he is designed for some work Beasts and Plants and Sun and Stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what are you for what is your great business It is a shame for a man much more for a Christian not to know the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great work he is to do Our Saviour tells us that it is Faith in himself John 6.29 St. Paul made it his chief business to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 Sit down O Christian and consider where thy interest lies Is it not thy interest to be delivered from the wrath to come and to enjoy the blessed God in Heaven Do not the pangs in conscience and the sense of a Deity tell thee that it is so To be saved for ever must needs be a great thing and how canst thou be saved but by Christ the only Saviour or whom doth he save but those that are in conjunction with him Is it not thy interest to have such an Advocate as Christ to appear in the Presence of God and to plead for all good things for thee Art thou not at a vast distance from God and are not thy Righteousnesses as a filthy rag before him Sure it must be well for thee to have a Mediator to plead and intercede for thee that thou mayest have the returns of his Blood in Pardons and Graces And how can this be unless thou art joyned to him For whom doth he so intercede but for those that come unto God by him Is it not thy interest to be made a Son of God to have the Holy Spirit living and breathing in thee How desirable must Adoption be to a Child of wrath how much doth thy natural spirit want a better one to new-frame and actuate it and how canst thou be adopted unless thou art united to the natural Son or which way canst thou expect to have the Holy Spirit moving and dwelling in thee unless thou become a Member of Christ Is it not thy interest to have communion with the great God how excellent a thing is it to have thy Services answer to Gods call and his divine Communications answer to thy Services This is a little Heaven here below but without union with Christ it cannot be Is it not thy interest to be happy in every condition how admirable is it to have pure Mercies and comfortable Sufferings to have the love and gracious Presence of God in every estate This is a choice benefit but not to be attained but in and through Christ to have him is to have all things to want him is a misery worse than nothing Union with him therefore is the great work of all How earnest should our pursuits of it be how ardent our prayers for it how constant our endeavours after it how should we gad up and down from Ordinance to Ordinance seeking of Christ breathing after union with him running sweating striving with all our might to be joyned to him This is totum hominis the All of man a matter of that consequence that it infinitely out-ballances all things here below it being the only thing that raises up our nature to its utmost perfection Let us by no means suffer a vanity or a lust or indeed a world to stop us in our pursuit after it without it we cannot be happy with it we cannot