ground We need no more to certifie our propriety in him than the receiving of such a benefit from him Therefore the Reverse of what our Saviour here says is also true The Observation which I propose to insist on is this that It is absolutely necessary Doct. that we should be washt by Christ in order to our being partakers with him The Method which I intend in the handling of this Point is I. To shew what it is to partake with Christ II. How are we washed by him III. Why is there such a necessity of this washing IV. To Apply it First To explain what it is to have a part with Christ Answ In general it may bear the same sense as partaking of him which was an encouragement that the Apostle laid before the converted Hebrews Heb. 3.14 And that way of expression is usual both in the old and new Testament The two tribes and half were afraid lest the children of the other Tribes should say to theirs in the time to come Josh 22.27 ye have no part in the Lord. Peter tells Simon Magus who would have bought the Gift of the Holy Ghost with money Thou hast neither part nor let in this matter Act. 8.21 So 't is threaten'd at the close of the Revelation Rev. 22.19 that if any man should take away from the words of the book of that prophesy God would take away his part out of the book of life and the holy City c. All these passages though upon different occasions help to illustrate the phrase here 'T is very plain that it must not be taken in so grosse a sense as if our Lord Jesus were divided and shar'd among believers as his Garments were taken and parted among the Souldiers It is an whole and entire Saviour which is given to Every one He and all that belongs to him Is made ours if any thing of his be ours All the members derive asmuch from this Head as if there were but one member for this Head to communicate to If we have Righteousness from him we have Holiness also if we have Grace we shall have Glory if we are buried with him we shall be quicken'd with him if we are planted into his death we shall reap the fruits of his Resurrection to To partake of Christ therefore is tob e possessed of or entitled too all that Christ is or hath which is communicable 'T is no small thing in it self it ought not to be a small thing with us To have the Blessed Jesus and his purchase for our portion is more than to be Lords of the world or to have Empires and Kingdoms at command A Title to Christ gives a right to every thing else that 's worth enjoying a right to the favour of God to all the Promises of God a right to Sacraments the best right to Creature Comforts and an undoubted right to heaven it self But more particularly To have part with Christ comprehends these five things First Vnion to his person They that have no part with Christ are not part of him 1 Cor. 6.17 Whereas to be joyned to the Lord himself is the great priviledge of a Christian as the Apostle said to that Cori-thian Church now ye are the body of Christ chap. 12.27 and members in particular Being in Christ is primarily supposed before there can be a participation of him i.e. Being in him not by visible profession within the pale of the Church as Souldiers in an Army but as Branches in a vine by real and vital conjunction That that onely which separates from the person of Christ does strip us of all his benefits If we are not united to him we can claim no share in any thing that 's his They who talk against this union of which they have no Experimental knowledge as a fiction or an absurdity do in effect destroy all the blesseings of the Gospel and fruits of Christ's mediation Without him John 15.5 i.e. without a living Implantation into him we can do or receive nothing The Glorious mistery of Christ's Incarnation lyes in the taking of our nature into union with the divine nature in one person i.e. in himself as God-man the mystery of our Spiritual Incorporation with Christ lyes in uniting the persons of Beleivers with the person of Christ So that the Head and the members make but one Body we are compleat in him who are the members he as an Head Eph. 1.23 is not compleat without us As he fills all in all with himself to the Church is his Fullness Secondly To have a part with Christ implies Communion with him in the honour and priviledge of Sonship Not that the same filial relation to God the Father can be put upon Creatures which is Essentiall to him but something like it is allowed and indulg'd to us We cannot be the Children of God by nature as Christ is but we may be advanc't into such a Relation by Grace Christ was begotten of God from everlasting we may be Adopted in time His Eternal Generation made him Gala. 3.26 a Son by faith in him we become Children also The standing Angels are not the Sons of God upon so good a bottom Gal. 3.26 as we are they are such by Creation we by a special Adoption they have this title as a common Grant from their maker which Adam once had but after his fall it was no longer usefull to him we now have it from the distinguishing bounty of our Redeemer To as many as receive him Joh. 1.12 he gives power to become the sons of God All believers are such favourites though none besides The Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 is given to every one of them We are all raised up to a fellowship with Christ in this matter of Sonship than which nothing can be more honourable or beneficial to us The little ones of the family are as truly the Children of the Highest as those that are of fuller age and a larger growth It was happy news to all the followers of Christ when Mary Magdalen told them what she had heard at the Sepulcher from his own mouth John 20.17 I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God Thirdly it includes an Interest in his perfect performances Christ was to do all that was Commanded as well as to suffer what was threatned now what he did as well as what he suffered we are partakers of if we have any part with Christ himself The Apostle Paul assures us that it was the great end of God's sending his Son into the world Rom. 1.3 4. that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us He had said before that there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus vers 1 they that are become one with him can no more be condemned than he now can but are justified upon the same score Here 't
that there is any cleansing force or power in the meer Letter of the Scriptures or in the sound of Preaching but as it is a proper means to deal with reasonable Creatures by therefore chosen by Christ's Infinite Wisdom and as it is accompanied with the mighty workings of the Eternal Spirit 2. Our washing is perform'd Instrumentally by his Providences especially by Afflictive ones For indeed Prosperity does oftner sully and pollute than help to make us clean It is the Mercy and Goodness of Christ to order our troubles so that they shall not overwhelm and yet that they shall purge us Psal 32.6 Surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto us but so much as will nappily tend to wash away our filth shall not be kept back from us Dan. 11.35 Some of them of understanding says the Prophet shall fall v. 33. viz. by the sword and flame and captivity and spoil as we may gather from what goes before to try them and to purge and to make them white Sufferings will have no such success upon Reprobates indeed the wicked will do wickedly still c. 12.10 and not understand they will continue sinning and perhaps sin more 2 Chro. 28.22 like Ahaz in the time of their distress Swine if plung'd never so oft into the water will retain their filthy Nature and return again after all to wallow in the mire But Afflictions to all the Elect of God are sanctified means for the removal of Sin and increase of Grace though they are not the chastisements of our peace yet they have a tendency to make us partakers of Gods Holiness They do not purchase our Reconciliation but they promote our Sanctification The Third thing is to prove the Necessity of this washing in order to our being Partakers with Christ Now though that washing by Christ which referrs to Justification be absolutely necessary to our Participation with him for every one to whom the satisfaction of Christ is not applied must needs be in an unpardoned state and every one in such a state must needs be separated from Christ both here and for ever He glorifies none Rom. 8.30 but whom he justifies before-hand Yet 't is the washing of Sanctification which I shall chiefly speak to because the Lusts of men too frequently tempt them to believe that they may be in an unholy polluted state and notwithstanding have fellowship with Christ The Scripture sayes as much one would think as can be said for the rooting out of this pernicious mistake if men would but cease hearkening to Satan more than unto God Our Lord deals very Plainly and positively with Nicodemus in this case Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God The New birth here is opposed to the Natural as we are born into the World of Earthly Parents Ezek. 16.6 we are in our blood when we are born again through the power of the Spirit we are born of Water to signifie our cleansing from our former filth and this must be or else the Kingdom of God where Christ is will be shut against us So the Apostle Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his By the same price that Christ purchas'd Heaven for us hereafter he purchas'd the Spirit for us here that by being made like to him now we might be fitted to enjoy him at last As Christ is our way to the Father so the work of the Spirit must warrant and Evidence our Title to Christ we have manifestly no Interest in him till the Spirit hath wrought Holiness in us Once more the same Apostle says Cor. 5.17 If a man be in Christ he is a new Creature We must be the workmanship to God in Christ or 't is impossible that we should have any Right or Relation to him If the Old man be still alive in us whereby Heart and Life are both corrupted we have nothing to do with the second Adam Union to the person of the Redeemer does necessarily suppose the work of a New Creation We can never have any inheritance with Christ as brethren unless our Fathers Image be restor'd upon us Many other Testimonies might be produced to the same purpose But the particular Reasons of the Indispensible necessity of such washing by Christ in order to partaking with him are these which follow First As Jesus Christ is a spotless Head he cannot be link't with any other than Holy Members That Body of which he is the Head must be conformable to him An Head of such fine Gold will not be joyn'd as the Head in Nebuchadnezzar's Image was to miry feet of Clay 1 Cor. 6.15 The Members of an Harlot cannot be the Members of Christ Dead and fruitless Branches which are in Christ by visible profession are taken away Joh. 15.2 because Christ is a living and fruitful Vine To say that we have fellowship with him 1 Joh. 1.6 7. when we walk in darkness must needs be a lye because he is in the light Our blessed Lord will never consent to be matcht with any that are unsuitable to himself though he must with those that are inferiour or else with none If the ' Bridegroom be fairer than the children of men the Spouse is to be beautified through his comliness also Incongruous mixtures and un-natural conjunctions were forbidden under the Law Deut. 22.9 10 11. Thou shalt not sow thy Vineyard with divers seeds c. Nor plow with an Oxe and an Ass together Nor wear a garment of divers sorts c. The things forbidden here were not evil in themselves and therefore the meaning and design of God in giving such Laws to the People of the Jews was to shew how hateful the mingling of those things in Religion would be which had no similitude or agreement in their nature Believers also in the New Testament are charg'd though it be not so carefully attended to as it ought that they should not unequally yoke themselves with unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 Do we think then that Christ will be yoked with Belial v. 15. If the sons of God should not unite themselves with the Daughters of Men can we suppose that Jesus Christ the Righteous will incorporate with those which are unsanctified Secondly As Christ is an holy Lord and Lawgiver he must maintain and keep up the honour of an holy Government He must not lose the Glory of being a Prince Act. 5.31 while we enjoy the benefit of his being a Saviour He is appointed to rule every one whom he redeems and to exercise his Governing power at the same time with his saving mercy He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it perfectly himself and to see it sincerely fulfill'd by us He must disinherit the rejecters of hsi commands from receiving of the Promises and if he invests us with
blessed in the end The Fourth and last thing proposed was the Application of the whole A double Use may be made of this point by infering such Truths and perswading to such Duties as naturally flow from it The first improvement we may make of this Doctrine VSE 1 is by way of lnformation as to several Truths resulting thence First From hence we may learn wherein the great evil and mischief of sin lyes It hath many bad effects even in this Life and with respect to the concerns of this Life but the worst of all is that it defiles the Soul This is that which fools make a mock at and which common sinners think most slightly of but this is that which is of the most fatal ruining consequence This is that which calls for such a valuable and effectual expiation this is that which calls for the pouring out of the soul of Christ in our stead and the pouring out of the spirit of Christ upon us The necessity of Christs washing every one that hath part with him is an undeniable convincing proof of the loathsome filthiness which is in sin Otherwise we might cry as the Disciples did when the Ointment was pour'd on their Masters head Mat. 26.8 To what purpose is this wast Why might not our Lord Jesus have spared this pains and cost and left us in the same condition wherein he found us Certainly he was at a vast expence and trouble to wash us in vain if fin had not greatly polluted and deprav'd us It would do well therefore if we remember'd this and laid it to heart that in every act of wickedness we make work for the fire of Hell or the bloud of God Consuming by the one or purging by the other must be the issue of it Secondly This plainly shews that the defiling effects of sin have extended to all mankind The Doctrine of Souls being washt by Christ does suppose that we are universally in a corrupt state If any man were born clean that man might have part with Christ though he were never washt We may easily infer from this necessary act of the second Adam what misery was brought upon us by the first The very Heathens were sensible and sometimes complain'd of the Souls being out of frame but they knew not distinctly what this disorder was nor how it must be remedyed If we had not lost the amiable purity which we were once becautified with and if there did not an heap of dirt appear in the place of that dissolved snew why should even the Saints of God who are brought out of a state of sin though afflicted with the remnants of sin cry out so often of their wretchedness And indeed if the same Scripture which gives us an account of our primitive Creation did not also report the means and manner of our fall it would not be credible that mankind could have so degenerated As there are the seeds of all distempers in our Bodies at the time of our birth so the principles of all manner of corruption in our hearts by nature No part is free from the infection but the Leprosie covers our whole skin Levit. 13.12 from the head to the foot wheresoever we look What Jesus Christ hath done for our Healing and Cleansing does lead us to the humble consideration of this General Plague Thirdly This teaches us the Insufficiency of the Legal Sacrifices and the reason of their Cessation He i.e. the Messiah shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease Christ by his Death took them away Dan. 9.27 because they could not take away sin They were weak and unprofitable insignificant and worthless in themselves only as they typified and represented the Blood of the Lamb which was to be actually slain in the fullness of time Heb. 9.13 What could the Blood of Bulls and Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean do more than purifie the flesh How could such carnal Ordinances have any vertue for the removing of Spiritual defilements God therefore impos'd them only for a time and when his Son had fulfilled the end of them he put an end to them Nay even while they were enjoyn'd and us'd the Imperfection of them was plainly intimated by their frequent repetition if they could have purg'd the Conscience from sin c. 10.2 they needed only to have been offered once Christ dyed but once and that once dying was enough he hath thereby perfected for ever them that are sanctified v. 4 And we read of this act of washing his Disciples feet but once once for all to shew that what the yearly and dayly Offerings under the Law could not do his one offering did The reason of their prescription and Observation in the Jewish Church so long was their being sigures of the Sacrifice of Christ the reason of their abrogation at last was their real invalidity and his full performance Fourthly This Discovers to us the falshood of the Doctrine of Penance in the Romish Church This Text is evidence enough that the Refuge of Humane Satisfactions which Sinners in their Communion fly to is indeed a Pefuge of Lyes If I wash thee not c. 't is proper to Christ and not possible to any Creature to wash a Soul from the smallest sin Men may inflict what they please upon themselves and use the utmost severities to their flesh but it will be no advantage to them in this case the greatest of voluntary sufferings avails nothing as to the purging of the least transgression the tormenting of our bodies can never put away the sin of our souls It must be puret blood than ours that makes us clean Poor deluded Creatures commonly increase their guilt by such practises but they cannot lessen it they whip and lance themselves it may be and think by that means to be rid of some of their pollution but this makes them rather greater sinners than they were before It is therefore a piece of folly and madness like his in the Gospel who being possest with an Vnclean spirit Mark 5.5 ran among the Mountains and Tombs crying and cutting himself with stones Fisthly We may gather from hence that the most sincere Evangelical Repentance makes no compensation to God for Sin The best Penitent in the World if his head were Waters and his eyes a fountain of tears would not be able to wash himself How can the largest floods of godly sorrow blot out iniquity from Gods book or remove the stain which is so deep in our own Consciences Suppose that we do bring forth fruits meet for Repentanee in a Life of new Obedience for the time to come what is this as to the expiating of sins that are past Obj. Yes perhaps some may say the Holy Ghost assures us Prov. 16.6 that By Mercy and Truth Iniqity quity is purged To this I anser 1. Ans We may very well understand those words to hold forth the Mercy and Truthof God