us to help us to save us for as a Mediatour he is married to us he is nearly linkt unto us assuming our very nature into the unity of his Person Heb. 2. 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High Pâ—iest to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people 3. Then in your daily failings for which you are humbled you have a Mediatour to go unto 1 Joh. 2. 1. 4. Then for the Assecution of any good you need go with confidence to God for you have a Mediatour Heb. 4. 15 16. SECT IV. 4. I Now proceed to the fourth particular viz. according to which Nature in Accoâ—dâ—ng to which Nature in Christ he is a Mediator Christ he is a Mediatour whether according to his Divine Nature only or according to his Humane Nature only or according to both For the resolving of this question I desire to lay down a few conclusions 1. That there are in Christ our Mediatour two distinct Natures viz. The There aâ—e in Christ two distinct Natures Humane Nature in respect of which he is Man and the Divine Nature in respect of which he is God And I the rather deliver this because some have endeavoured to bereave Christ of his Humane and others of his Divine Nature and both of them expresly contrary to the Scriptures Joh. 3. 13. No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man who is in heaven Certainly he who spake this who said that he was the Son of Man and was seen to be so was indeed so and at that time was not in heaven but on earth and yet at that time he saith that he is in heaven Why then of necessity he must have another Nature besides his humane Nature even a Divine Nature by which he is in heaven as well as an humane Nature by which he was then on earth Joh. 10. 30. I and my Father are one and Joh. 5. 18. He made himself equal with God but Joh. 14. 28. My Father is greater than I Now it cannot possibly be that Christ should be one and equal with the Father and yet be lesser than the Father according to one and the same Nature Joh. 20. 27 28. Thomas when he had seen Christ and probably touched Christ he said my Lord and my God He whom he saw and touched was Man and the same whom he confessed was also God and therefore that Christ whom he saw and confessed was both God and Man Rom. 1. 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh verse 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead 2. That those two Natures united in the Person of Christ do still retain their distinct essence and proprieties and opperations so that there is no transmutation of The two Natures united in the Person of Christ do stâ—ll retain their distâ—nct Essence Properties and Operations the one into the other nor mixture or confusion of them but as the Divine Nature notwithstanding the personal union still remains God and is Eternal Omnipotent Invisible Infinite Immortal Impassible so the Humane Nature assumed into the unity of the Person of Christ doth still remaine a Creature finite visible mortal and capable of suffering and obnoxious unto death And although the Person of Christ in whom the Divine and Humane Nature are united is capable of the affirmation of either Nature as you may truely say that Christ is God and Christ is Man and Christ is eternal and Christ is in time that Christ is immortal and infinite and Christ is mortal and finite for what may be affirmed of either Nature all that may be affirmed of Christ in concreto yet this cannot be affirmed of the Natures in Christ reciprocally you cannot say that the Divine Nature of Christ did dye or suffer but this is affirmable only of the Humane Nature of Christ And you cannot say of the Humane Nature of Christ that it is Eternal and infinite and everywhere yet this you may safely affirm of his Divine Nature by reason of that union which they call Hypostatical The Person of Christ hath two distinct Natures and the properties of both And yet the Natures themselves retain their properties incommunicable one unto the other 3. By vertue of the Personal union that is of the Divine and Humane Nature By verue of the Personal union the Humane Nature is advanced by the Divine in Christ the second Person in Trinity although it be impossible for the Humane Nature thereby to become the Divine Nature Nevertheless hereby the Humane nature is exceedingly exalted and enriched by the Divine nature so that no other Creature did or could attain unto that perfection of holiness and righteousness and dignity which the humane Nature of Christ did enjoy by vertue of union with the Divine nature in the person of Christ 4. Those two Natares thus united in the Person of Christ were if I may so express The two Natures united in the Person of Christ were the Principles of all the actions and works of Mediatorship my self the Principles of all the Actions and Passions or Works of Mediatorship and Redemption For unto them did both the Natures of Christ concur by way of communion yet still reserving their own properties and proper way of working the Divine Nature doing what was proper unto it and the Humane Nature what was proper unto it Some of the works of Christ our Mediatour were the works of his Humane Nature in respect of the thing done but they had their efficacy dignity and value from his Divine Nature in that they were the works of him who had the God-head dwelling bodily in him And some of the works were the work of the Divine Nature but yet they were done by the instrumental concurring of his Humane Nature Wherefore as the Divine and Humane Nature did concurre to make one Christ so the acts of those Natures distinct in their operation and vertue did concur and contribute to make up the same work of Mediator 5. As the Divine and humane Nature are united into the Person of Christ and Christ according to both these Natures is Mediator had their concurrences in his works of Mediation so Jesus Christ according to both these Natures is our Mediatour The Papists do hold the contary Though they do say that Christ who is Mediatour is both God and Man yet they do deny that he is a Mediatour as God and Man and that he is a Mediatour only according to his humane Nature as man Object 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediatatour between God and Man the Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. Christ Jesus Answered Sol. But this place will not prove what they do desire indeed it doth prove that
of the three Persons in one Nature 2. The union of the two Natures in one Person 3. The union of the Church with Christ or of every Believing person with the person of Christ But with Gods assistance I shall endeavour to say something towards it The union which is made with us and Christ by faith hath these seven properties or qualities 1. It is real and not imaginary There is a work which is only in the imagination It is real and not imaginary and apprehension of the minde wherein though the species and formes and Idea's of objects are in our mindes yet the objects themselves are not with us but are far enough from us such union as this faith doth not work But the union which Faith makes is a real union even such a union wherein we are indeed rooted or joyned unto Christ Therefore the Apostle speaking of this union twixt us and Christ he expesseth it by that union which is between a man and his wife saying They two shall be one flesh Ephes 5. 31. The man shall be joyned to his Wife and they two shall be one flesh And Christ himself expresseth this union twixt himself and us by the union of the Branches with the Vine Joh. 15. 5. I am the Vine and ye are the Branches The Branches are really united to the Vine and so are we to Christ our union with Christ is so real that our bodies are called the Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 15. and we are said to be one Spirit with him verse 17. 2. It is substantial and not vertual only it doth not consist only in the reception Substantial and not vertual only or participation of the graces and gifts of Christ as if all our union with Christ were like our participation with fire only in the heat of it and not in the substance of it No! But our union with Christ is substantial our substance is united to the substance of Christ Ephes 5. 30. We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bone And Joh. 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Upon which words Cyril saith that Christ by the communication of his flesh dwells in us and we are his members even by a natural participation which expression must be understood de re quae participatur for we are united to the very flesh and substance of Christ but not de modo participandi for that is only by faith and not per contactum we are united to Christ not as wax to wax by a corporal contact but by saith His substance and our substance yet by faith 3. It is total and not partial Not the soule only of a Believer is united to the soul Total and not partial of Christ nor the flesh only of a Believer is united to the flesh of Christ but the whole believing person is united by faith with the whole person of Christ as in the conjugal union twixt Adam and Evah that union was twixt person and person so is the spiritual union twixt Christ and us of which that was a Type and Mystery Jesus Christ is in Scripture stiled our Head and our Saviour not of one part of us only but of the whole he is the Saviour not of our bodies only or of our soules only but of soule and body of our whole man but then of salvation by him we partake not without union and therefore our whole man partakes of salvation by him then of necessity our whole man must have union with him Moreover as our whole man is united to Christ so our whole man is united to whole Christ considered as Head and Saviour of his Church not to his Divine Nature only nor to his humane Natture only but unto the person of Christ consisting both of the Divine and of the Humane Nature and the reason of this is because we are united to Christ as our Head and as our Saviour which Jesus Christ is not according to his humane Nature only as man nor according to his Divine Nature only as God but according to both as God and man Hence is it that Christ and we are called one flesh â—ph 5. 31. so are we called also one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. One flesh in respect of union with his humane Nature and one Spirit in respect of union with his Divine Nature And as he is said to be partaker of our flesh and blood Hebr. 2. 14. so are we said to be paâ—takers of his Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. And truely such a union as this with the Person of Christ in respect of his Humane and of his Divine Nature must necessarily be acknowledged unlesse we will deny a union with Christ as our Mediatour and Saviour But now here are three Questions which may be moved Whether this total union be not the same with the Hypostatical union 1. Quest One is whether this total union of our persons with the person of Christ be not the same with the Hypostatical union of the two Natures in Christ Answered Answ I answer it is not For it is one thing for the Divine and humane Nature to be united to the person of Christ and it is another thing for us to be united unto those natures in Christ Again the Hypostatical union is in the union of those Natures in the second person of the Trinity who is the Son of God by eternal generation But our union is not so we are not such sons of God by eternal generation as Christ was but by grace which he was not Moreover our union with those natures is by faith on our part but the Hypostatical union of those two Natures in Christ is not an union by faith but by assumption of the humane Nature into an unity with the Divine Nature in his Person Whether upon this union we do not become so many Mediators 2. Quest Whether if we be united thus to the person of Christ in both his Natures we do not hereupon become so many Mediatours and Saviours and Heads of the Church because in respect of the union of both these Natures Jesus Christ is Head and Mediatour Answered Sol. I answer this will by no means follow For 1. As the personal union of the Wife with the person of her Husband doth not at all make herto be an husband so our personal union with Christ doth not at all make us to be Christ or to be Saviours or Heads of the Church we are indeed united unto his Person but not placed into his Office And not so as to be that Person 2. There is a great difference twixt union of reception and participation and a union of denomination We are united to Christ so that thereby we have interest in and benefit by Christ as a Mediatour and Head but not so as to be denominated Mediatours only the union of the Divine and humane Natures in Christ denominates him to
be Head and Mediatour For to make Christ to be a Mediatour it was not only necessary that there should be such a union but also that the person in whom that union is to be found should be God he that is a Mediatour betwixt God and Man as he must be man so also he must be God but though we be united to the Divine Nature in Christ as well as to his Humane Nature yet we are not God Whether we are united to the Divine or Humane Nature first 3. Quest Whether by faith we be first united unto and joyned with the Divine Nature or humane Nature of Christ with himself first considered as man or with him first considered as God Answered Sol. This Question although I finde it argued in the writings of very godly and learned men yet truely unto me it doth seem to savour of too much curiosity and for mine own part so far as I do yet apprehend I do think it but a Scholastical nicity for although you do finde Jesus Christ revealed and manifested in the Gospel sometimes as man and many acts ascribed unto his Humane Nature in reference to our redemption and somemes as God and severall acts of his Divine Nature yet with submission to better Judgements I do conceive that our union doth not begin first with one nature and after that with the other nature of Christ but our union is with the Person of Christ as consisting of both Natures at once And my reason is this because our union is with Christ as Mediatour with whole Christ at once I beseech you consider When the Gospel offers Christ to a poor and distressed sinner it doth not offer Christ in one Nature first and in his other Nature next but the Gospel offers whole Christ at once it offers at once Christ the Saviour and Christ the Head Christ the Redeemer that is the Person of Christ consisting of both Natures And when the Spirit of Christ comes into the heart to joyne Christ to us and when faith is formed in the heart to joyn us to Christ why the Spirit at once applies the whole Christ unto you and faith at once looks on Christ as Head and Mediatour and as so unites you unto Christ Faith looks on Christ not in one Nature only or in the other Nature only but as a Mediatour as a Head as a Saviour and under that notion unites you to Christ It is true that the great works of Redemption and satisfaction and reconciliation appeared in the humane Nature of Christ and are frequently ascribed to his blood and it is as true that the Divine Nature of Christ enabled the humane Nature of Christ unto those works and gave as it were life and vigour and efficacy unto them without which they could never have been done nor have beene such effectual workes And it is as true that not any of those workes were done in respect of any of the Natures alone which did redeem and satisfie c. But it was the person of Christ consisting of them both who did redeem and satisfie and reconcile and save and under this notion Christ offers himself and we by faith do receive him A neere union 4. The union between us and Christ by faith is a neer union And if I may so expresse my self an immediate union It is in Scripture set forth by the neerest of all unions here below There are three unions here below which are most remakable for their nearnesse 1. One is Artificial as is that of a Building with the foundation Our union with Christ is expressed by this in 1 Pet. 2. where Christ is called a lively stone verse 4. and a chief corner-stone verse 6. and our foundation 1 Cor. 3. 11. and we are called a spiritual house built upon him verse 5. 2. A second is Political as is that of the Wife with the Husband by marriage And our union with Christ is often expressed by this also In the Canticles and in Hosea 2. 19. and in Ephes 5. 31 32. 3. A third is Physical or Natural as is that of the Head with the Body and of the Vine with the Branches under these expressions also is our union with Christ expressed Ephes 5. 23. Christ is the Head of the Church Joh. 15. 5. I am the Vine ye are the Branches The union is so near 'twixt the Church and Christ that Christ compares it with the union of himself with the Father Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one with us verse 22. That they may be one even as we are one Not that there is absolutely and in all respects that very self same union of us with Christ as of Christ with the Father but that there is such a union according to proportion and to note also the marvellous neernesse of our union with Christ Which in this differs even from the natural union where every part of the body hath not an immediate contiguity with the Head And yet there is not the meanest member of Christ nor yet the choysest but they do all of them stand in the same equal nearnesse of union with Christ Now that which I aime at in the nearness of our union with Christ by faith is this That where faith makes the union the heart of a person doth so immediately an entirely close with Christ that there is nothing whatsoever which stands between it and Christ no love of sin no love of the world c. 5. The union 'twixt us and Christ which is made by faith it is a full and compleat A full and a compleat union union The whole man is joyned to Christ and so joyned to Christ that it is joyned to no other but Christ Faith doth so unite us to Christ that henceforth we are no more our own but his all that Christ hath is ours and all that we have is his our souls are his and our bodies are his Faith brings in our whole man to Christ when it unites us to Christ It doth not keep back any part of us from Christ It doth not bestow one part of us upon Christ and another part of us upon the world and another part of us upon sin no Christ hath all when faith unites us to Christ he hath all our mindes and all our affections he is our desire and our love and he is our delight and he is our hope 6. The union 'twixt us and Christ which is made by faith it is a satisfying A satisfying union union When a poor soule comes by faith to be one with Christ so that it can say Christ is mine and I am Christs now it is satisfied it hath enough it is replenished As this union in the kind of it is most excellent so in the sense of it it is most sweet Faith uniting us to Christ findes all suitabe good in Christ and all happinesse life love
the end for which all other things are desired and it is the full possession of all that we have longed and waited for Now God is the most desirable good He is so in himself for he is goodnesse God is the most desirable good it self and he is desirable for himself alone and so is no other good And he is so in the hearts of his people Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73. 25. And God is the most delightful good there cannot be any object whatsoever which can so please and so take and so affect and glad and rejoyce the heart as God doth His manifestations are a very Paradise and a very heaven in the hearts of his people they make them to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 2. What that is in and from God which makes up our blessedness or a blessedness What that is in and from God which is a blessedness unto us Propriety unto us There are four things which do it 1. Propriety Though God be an infinite blessedness in and to himself whether we have any interest and propriety in him or not yet he is not our blessedness without propriety he must be our God if he be our blessedness Propriety in blessedness is our blessedness He is rich who hath riches and he is great who hath greatness the seeing of lands makes no estate unto us but the possession of them and propriety in them this doth it 2. Conformity as our unhappinesse consists in dissimilitude the more unlike Conformity any man is to God the more unhappy is that man where nothing of God appears there nothing of happinesse appears for there can be nothing but darknesse where there is nothing of light So on the contrary our happinesse depends upon similitude with God The more like we are to him the more blessed are we The Apostle delivers this as our very blessednesse that when he appears we shall be like him 1 Joh. 3. 2. Hence it is that holy persons are stiled blessed persons Blessed are the pure in heart Matth. 5. 8. and holinesse is happinesse Imperfect holinesse is imperfect happinesse and perfect holinesse is perfect happinesse The more holy you are the more like to God you are and the more like you are to him the more blessed you are The more you partake of the Divine Nature which is the only blessed Nature the more do you partake of blessednesse for God is now the more yours 3. Vnion As dissimilitude with God hinders God from being our blessedness Union so likewise doth distance from God this must necessarily be so for if God be blessedness then a distance from God is likewise a distance from blessedness of necessity there must be a nearness yea such a nearness as makes a union which must make up a blessednesse unto us and indeed here lies our blessedness that God unites himself unto us and we are united to him He unites God unites himself to us By way of donation himself unto us 1. By way of donation in that he gives himself unto us even as an husband gives himself unto the wife Hos 2. 19. 2. By way of inhabitation in that he dwells in us by his Spirit 1 John 3. 24. By way of Inhabitation We know that he dwells in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 3. By way of affection for as we are united to Christ by Faith so God is By way of affection united to us by love when he loves us he joynes himself to us union being an immediate effect of love and where he unites himself there he is a blessedness 4. Communion This Communion of God with us is our great happiness on earth and shall be our everlasting happiness in heaven and it doth consist Communion in Gods gracious opening and manifesting of himself unto the soul not simply in his loving of us but especially in the manifesting that love unto us not simply in his delight but especially in manifesting that delight of his in us towards us and in the imparting of his goodness to us and verily in this communion doth our blessedness consist namely that God doth manifest himself in love and grace and glory to us 3. That every one who hath God for his God in Covenant doth enjoy every Everyone who hath God for his God doth enjoy all these things He hath an interest in God one of these things which makes up blessedness This so clear that I shall not need to insist upon it 1. He hath an interest in God yea such an interest that includes propriety he can say This God is my God and this God is my portion Psal 118. 28. Thou art my God and I will praise thee Thou art my God and I will exalt thee Psal 119. 57. Thou art my portion O Lord. Psal 73. 26. God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Bernard saith Lord whatsoever we give thee unlesse we give our selves unto thee it doth not satisfie thee So we must say Lord whatsoever thou givest to us it cannot satisfie us It is somewhat to say This house is mine and these lands are mine and these parents and friends are mine but it is infinitely more to say This God is mine this God is my portion The greater that God is above all others the greater is the comfort and the blessedness that he is mine 2. He hath a conformity unto God for he now is made partaker of the He hath a conformity unto God Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and is changed into the same image 2 Cor. 3. 18. He carries the very marks and characters of the holy merciful good patient wise loving God in his soul 3. He hath union with God and God with him therefore he is said to be He hath union with God married to the Lord. Thy Maker is thy husband Isa 54. 5. And to be joyned to the Lord 1 Cor. 6. 17. God is in him and dwells in him His heart is the Temple of the Holy Ghost And the Father loves him John 14. 23. If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 4. He hath communion with God Our fellowship is with the Father and He hath communion with God with his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. The Communion of the holy Ghost be with you 2 Cor. 13. 14. Oh what happiness is this If all that God the Father will impart or if all that God the Sonne will impart or if all that God the holy Ghost will imparâ— can make you blessed you have it all God hath communion with you and you have communion with him he loves you I will marry you
us in you As a Parent who begers the children he looks unto those children and maintains and keeps them All your graces are the births of the Spirit of grace and as they are the effects of his power so also are they the objects of his care and therefore as they receive life from his presence in the Ordinances so shall they receive strength and growth and stability from his continual influence upon them We are sâ—rengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Ephes 3. 16. As we are changed from our shameful condition to glory by the Spirit so by the same Spirit are we changed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. 3. The Spirit is yours in respect of his works or operations And truly this The Spirit is theirs in respect of his works and operatioÌ„s consideration makes out an exceeding happinesse unto the people of God in as much as the participation of all their happiness depends upon the workings of the Spirit of God in whom they are interested by this Covenant of grace There are five choice works which the Spirit doth for all the people of God Five choice works which the Spirit doth for all Gods people He doth unite Christ and them who have God to be their God 1. He doth unite Christ and them Although the benefits by Christ are unexpressibly precious yet the fruition of them is impossible withâ—ut a precedent union with Christ forasmuch as union is a necessary foundation for Communion you must be in Christ and being his himself and all his benefits become yours Now it is the Spirit which makes up this union as love makes the union 'twixt Christian and Christian and as faith makes up the union from us to Christ for we are planted into Christ and are espoused unto Christ and live in Christ by faith so the Spirit makes the union 'twixt Christ and us there being no other way for him to be joyned unto us and to become Relatively ours but by his own Spirit it is the Spirit which doth let out the heart of Christ to us and who doth bring in our hearts unto Christ it is the Spirit by whom Christ applies himself unto us and apprehends us and by whom we also do apprehend and apply Christ by his Spirit he takes hold of us and by the same Spirit it is that we take hold of him In a word it is the Spirit by whom Christ speaks to our hearts and by whose light we see the excellencies of Christ and the great love of Christ and who gives Christ as it were into our hands and mightily allures and prevails upon our hearts to give themselves unto Christ again as Christ had never been effectually revealed unto you but by the Spirit so you had never been effectually brought to Christ but by the Spirit you had been Christlesse for ever without him And now consider the happiness in having this Spirit which hath wrought so effectually as to unite Christ and you and you and Christ that Christ is yours and you are his by him are you perswaded and drawn and brought into the possession of Christ and all the benefits by Jesus Christ 2. He doth conform us unto Christ We all saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 3. 18. beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image He doth conform us unto Christ from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. As by the Spirit we do discern a most glorious nature of holinesse in Christ so by the Spirit we are changed into the same image of holinesse Hence are we said to be born again bâ— the Spirit John 3. 5 6. and to be renewed by the holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. And to be sanctified by him 1 Pet. 1. 2. You read that Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost and he was anointed by the Spirit So is every Christian he becomes a Christian by the Spirit and he is anointed by the Spirit The oyntment indeed is first poured upon our head and then upon us but as it is the same spirit in us which is in Christ so it is the same anointing only it is in Christ as the head and without measure and as in the pattern unto which we are conformed by the Spirit As by the unction of the Spirit we become like Christ in nature so also in Relation God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba-Father Gal. 4. 6. Now judge of the blessednesse of having the Spirit He is the cause of our union and he is the cause of our unction he brings us into Christ and he anoints us with the same grace wherewith Christ himself was anointed so that we are like Christ himself we are anointed with the same Spirit and therefore we must needs be excellent and choice persons and very lovely in the eyes of God 3. He doth reveal unto us the highest and the choicest things of salvation He is called the Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1. 17. because he opens He revealeth to us the choicest things of salvation and reveals those things unto the people of God which are hid from the eyes of others There are five precious things which the Spirit reveales unto you He reveals 1. The mystery of life unto you even Jesus Christ who cannot be known The mystery of life or acknowledged but by the Spirit Flesh and blood cannot reveal him No man can confesse him No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. But we speak the wisdome of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory 1 Cor. 2. 7. 2. The love of God unto you The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts The love of God by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. 5. He makes the greatnesse of the love and your propriety in it known unto you and the exceeding riches of grace c. 3. The presenc of Christ within you Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 3. 24. Christ without nay Christ The presence of Christ within us is not discerned by us without the Spirit 4. The wonderful glory prepared for us Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared The glory prepared for us for them that love him But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. 5. The most precious gifts bostowed on us In this life we have received the The most precious gifts bostowed on us Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. The sight of your own graces is by the assistance of the Spirit O what
mercy grace joy peace salvation in him 7. This union 'twixt us and Christ by faith it is a firme and inseparable union A firm and inseparable union An union that can never be bâ—oken asunder and herein it goes beyond all other unions which are used to illustrate this union every one of them is soluble it may be broken off the Head and the body may be severed the Foundation and the House may be separated The Branches may be cut off â—rom the Vine The Husband may be taken away from the Wife and the Wife from the Husband Yea the soule and body may be disunited by death But the union 'twixt us and Christ remaines for ever There is not only a continuation of it all our life but also in death itself your very bodies sleeping in the the dust are even then in union with Christ I grant that the sense and apprehension of this union may in this life be much interrupted and many times be wholly darkned but the substance of the union still remaines and I grant that the substance or nature of this union may be exceedingly assaulted by Satan yet neverthelesse it continues and abides for ever For Christ will never part with the believer and the believer will never part with Christ And moreover as no power in the world is sufficient to over-power the Spirit of Christ which on Christs part makes union so no power whatsoever shall be able to conquer faith which on our part also makes the union This faith of union as it is produced by no lesse power than that of God so it is preserved and upheld by the same power to the end Neither God nor Christ nor the Holy Ghost nor the heart of a believer will break this union and neither Satan nor the world nor sin can do it 5. If your faith be indeed the faith of union this will appear by these influences The influences and effects which do attend this union and effects which do alwayes attend that union which faith works between us and Christ When we are by faith united to Christ then upon this union there follows a communion betwixt Christ and us in which Christ communicates or imparts somethings of his unto us And we likewise do communicate and impart some thing in us unto him Upon this union there follows such a communion twixt Christ and us as that we do partake of and have fellowship in the most excellent things of We have fellowship with Christ Christ We have fellowship with him 1. In the same Spirit Rom. 8. 9 11. and 1 Cor. 6. 17. And by the same Spirit are we reconciled and sanctified though not in the fulnesse and measure as In the same Spirit Christ himself was and changed by him into the same image of Christ 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2. In the same life As he that hath the Son hath life 1 Joh. 5. 10. so he that In the same Liâ—e hath the Son hath the same life which the Son hath I live yet not â— but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. The Head and the body the Tree and the branches partake of the same life 3. In the same Righteousness His Righteousnesse is our righteousnesse He is the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. and we are made the righteousnesse of God In the same Righteousness in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. 4. In the same Relation So that as he was the Son of God by eternal Generation In the same Relation in like manner are we the sons of God by adoption so that he is not ashamed to call us brethren Heb. 2. 11 12. 5 In his victories In all these things we are more than conquerors through In his victories Christ that loved us Rom. 8. 37. 6. In his glory The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they In his glory may be one even as we are one All these things are most certainly imparted unto every believer upon his union with Christ Jesus Christ communicates unto him his own Spirit his own Holinesse his own Righteousnesse c. And hence it is apparent that they never were united by faith unto Christ in whom nothing of communion with Christ can be found Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature c. 2. Upon this union with Christ there is yet another part of communion in respect of us and there are two things especially which we do impart to Christ one We impart to Christ is love the other is subjection for by â—aith we are united to Christ as the Wife to the Husband which is an union of love and also to Christ as members of the body to the head which takes in an union of subjection 1. If saith hath united us to Christ then do we love Christ every Believer Love loves Christ Saw ye him whom my soule lâ—veth so the Church Cant. 3. 1. 2 3. Lord Thou knowest all things Thou knowest that I love thee So Peter Joh. 21. 17. Whom having not seen ye love so the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 8. And how doth the true believer who is united to Christ love Christ How the believer loves Christ 1. He loves his Christ with the Love of friendship he loves Christ for Christ himself 2. He loves his Christ with a love of complacency O how sweet and lovely is this Christ 3. He loves his Christ with a love of satisfaction Christ is enough he is my center in whom I rest 4. He loves his Christ with a love of sincerity Christ and nothing that is contrary to Christ 5. He loves his Christ with a love of excellency nothing so much nothing so well as Christ 6. He loves Christ with a love of extremity he is sick of love for Christ he so loves Christ that he thinks he never loves Christ as Christ deserves to be loved 7. He loves Christ with a love of fidelity so as nothing can quench that love nor break off that love 8. He loves his Christ with a love of benevolence O how much prosperity doth he wish to Christ 9. He loves his Christ with a love of beneficency what would not he do for Christ what would he not suffer for Christ 10. He loves his Christ with a love of sympathy what Christ doth love he doth love and what doth please Christ that doth please him and what doth grieve and trouble Christ that doth grieve and trouble him O Sirs uniting faith sees so much in Christ and findes so much from Christ it makes us partakers of such a Christ and of such a love from Christ that it is impossible but that soule must love Christ which by Faith is united to Christ 2. If your faith be the faith of union with Christ then it will certainly cause in Sujection unto Christ you a subjection unto Christ
was upon him and including the punishments common to the nature of man not the personal arising out of imperfection and defect and distemper The punishments due to us for sin were Corporal and Spiâ—itual and again they were the punishments of losse and of sense and all these did Christ suffer for us Shall I touch at these 1. That he suffered Corporal punishments the Scriptures clearly report unto us Christ suffered corporal punishments you read of the injuries to his Person of the crown of thorns on his Head of the smitâ—ing of his Cheeks of spitting on his Face of the scourgings of his Body of the Cross on his Back of the vinegar in his Mouth of the Nailes in his Hands and Feet of the Speare in his side and of his crucifying and dying on the Crosse 1 Pet. 2. 24 Who himself in his own body on the Tree bare our sins 1 Cor. 15. 2. Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures Rev. 1. 5. and washed us from our sins in his own blood 2. That he suffered likewise in his soule The Scriptures likewise are express He suffered in his soule for it Matth. 26. 38. My soule is exceeding sorâ—owful even unto death Isa 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. Joh. 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this hour But for this cause came I unto this hour The Papists say that Christ did not truely and properly and immediately suffer in his soul but only by way of sympathy and compassion with his Body to the Mystical Body and that his bare bodily sufferings were sufficient for mans redemption But these are unsound Assertions For 1. Christ bare our sorrows Isa 53. 4. what sorrows we should bear but the sorrows due unto us for our sins were not corporal only but Spiritual also and those did Christ bear in his soule 2. What Christ took of ours that he in suffering offered up for us for his assuming of our nature was for this end to suffer for us in our Nature but he took our nature in Body and in Soul Suscepit animam meam suscepit corpus meum saith Ambrose And he delivered our soules as well as our bodies and the sins of our soules did need his sacrifice as well as the sins of our bodies and our soules were crucificed with Christ as well as our bodies Mens mea in Christo Crucifixa est saith Ambrose incipio in Christo vincere unde in Adam vinctus sum l. 4. in loco Si totus homo periit totus beneficio salvatoris indiguit if our whole man was lost then our whole man did need the benefit and help of a whole Saviour and if Christ had assumed only our flesh our body then our souls adjudged to punishment had remained under transgression without hope of pardon 3. Again that punishment which was pronounced against the first Adam our first Surety and in him against us that same did Christ the Second Adam our next and best Surety bear for us or else it must still lie upon us to suffer it But the punishment threatned and denounced against Adam for transgression was not only corporal respecting our bodies but Spiritual also respecting our soules There was a Spiritual malediction due unto our soules as well as a corporal c. 4. That fear which fell on Christ and his agony was a real fear and agony and it was in his soule and did not arise from the meer contemplation of bodily torments only The very Martyrs in the encountring of them have feared little Certainly there was some great matter that lay upon the very soule of Christ which made him so heavy and sorrowfull and so afraid and in such an agony 5. He shall see of the travell of his soule Isa 53. Here the soule is taken properly and the travel of Christs soule is his sufferings for it follows and he shall bear their iniquities 6. Christ gave himself c. But the body only is not himself Christs sufferings in soul were exceedingly high and great 3. That the suffering of Christ in his soule was exceedingly high and great and wonderful both as to the punishment of losse and as to the punishment of sense all which I shall expresse in four particulars 1. Jesus Christ did suffer dereliction for a time 2. Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the wrath of God 3. Jesus Christ did feel and suffer the torments of hell 4. Jesus Christ was verily made a curse for us and did in his soule and body bear that curse of the Law which by reason of transgression was due unto us 1. That Jesus Christ did suffer dereliction of God really He was indeed deserted Christ did suffer dereliction for a time and forsaken of God Matth. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me yet well understand me in this I do not mean that there was any such desertion of Christ by God as did dissolve the union of the Natures in the Person of Christ for Christ in all his sufferings still remained God and Man nor do I mean an absolute desertion in respect of the presence of God for God was still present with Christ in all his sufferings and the God head did support his Humanity in and under his sufferings but that which I mean is this That as to the sensible and comforting manifestations of Gods presence thus he was for a time left and forsaken of God as David who in this particular was a Type of Christ suffering cryed out Psal 22. 1. My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from my help He was indeed really forsaken of God God did indeed leave him in respect of his sense and feeling so was Christ Though God did still continue a God to David yet in Davids apprehension and feeling he was forsaken of God Though God was still a God to Christ yet as to his feeling he was left of God to wrastle with God and to bear the wrath of God due unto us Relinquit Deus dum non parcit saith Tertullian That was truly a dereliction Vbi nulla fuit in tanta necessitate virtutis exhibitio nulla ostensio Majestatis So Bernard Quoniam delicta aliena suscepi etiam delictorum alienorum verbera suscepi c. So Ambrose And as he saith flagellata his ipse est ne nos flagellaremur Christ was scourged that we might not be scourged so Christ was forsaken that we might not be forsaken 2. That Jesus Christ did feele and suffer the wrath of God which was due Christ did feel and suffer the wrath of God due to us unto us for our sins The Prophet Isa 53. 4. saith that he was plagued and smitten of God and verse 5. The chastisement of our peace was upon him To be plagued and smitten of God is to feel and suffer the
out to your God for all the mercy and for all the good and for all the blessings which your soules do need Heb. 4. 16. Come boldly unto the throne of grace that ye may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need God hath put his seal to the Covenant that it is sure and Christ hath put his seal to the Covenant that it is sure Now do you put your seal to the Covenant that it is faithful and sure your believing is your sealing He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his seal that God is true Joh. 3. 33. There are four Arguments which do testifie that we have set our seal to the Covenant that we do indeed believe that it is surely established and surely confirmed by Christ so that it will not faile to be of force and efficacy unto us 1. If we be much in drawing near to God entreating him to remember his word of Covenant It is good for me to draw near to God He hath not said seek ye me in vain 2. If we be much in rejoycing in the word of the Covenant and in the death of Christ confirming it to us If the blood of Christ will hold I shall not fail and yet I have bond and seal sure enough 3. If we still patiently wait on God expecting the performance of his sealed sworn and confirmed Covenant I will wait for the God of my salvation I will look for him my God will hear me 4. If we oppose and strive to silence all unbelieving suggestions against the fidelity of the Covenant Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the help of my countenance and my God Psal 73. â—6 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Tit. 1. 2. God who cannot lie hath promised Vse 3 Hath Jesus Christ our Mediatour confirmed the Covenant by his death Then O Christian keep up thy Faith and draw out thy faith and exceedingly rejoyce Keep up thy faith and draw it out in Christ for thy estate is sure and thy soul is sure and thy salvation is sure all is sure because all is surely confirmed by the death of Christ The death of Christ was a ratification to the whole Testament to the whole Covenant and to every part and title of it and as sure as Christ hath died so sure art thou to enjoy all that God hath Covenanted with thee for there shall not fail one word of all the good he which hath promised Object Not one word not one good thing Sol. N. o not any one why then Mercy shall be thine and Grace shall be thine and Peace shall be thine and Joy shall be thine and Glory and Salvation shall be thine for all these and more than these are promised by God in his Covenant and are sealed by his death Quest It is a poor dispute of Popish and low spirits against the certainty of a Christian How can you possibly attain unto assurance and how can any man be sure of Gods love and of Gods mercy and of his salvation Sol. Indeed upon the grounds that they go upon no man can be sure for 1. They lay a foundation of their own works and of their own righteousness and of their own free will upon which assurance can never be built 2. But as the Apostle spake in another case we have a most sure word of Prophesie so the Christian hath very sure ground for grace mercy and glory He hath the sure Covenant of God he hath the sure Oath of God and he hath the sure blood of Jesus Christ God hath brought him into Covenant and he will surely perform all his Covenant you have the Oath of God for it and you have the blood of Christ for it that all shall be surely and certainly accomplished And therefore O Christian rejoyce in believing for God will surely bless thee will surely keep thee will strengthen thee and will surely save thee SECT VII Quest 7. THere is one Question more which I mentioned in the beginning What Christ still doth for his people as Mediatour viz. What Jesus Christ still doth fâ—r his people in Covenant unto whom he is a Mediatour Sol. For answer unto this be pleased to consider that the works of Christ our Mediatour are distingushed into five sorts 1s Those of his Life on Earth 2. Those of his Death 3. Those of his Resurrection 4. Those of his Ascention 5. Those of his Session at the right hand of God the Father in heaven Of these last I shall only speak at this time The works of Christ as Mediator are considerable under a three-fold notion 1. As to the susception of and engagement for them Heb. 10. 7. 9. Then said he Lo I come to do thy will O God in the volume of the book it is written of me In this respect Christ applied himself to the work of a Mediatour before he came into the world and assumed our Nature by way of condescention and compact 2. As to the performance and execution of them Thus he acted them being on earth in becoming man or God Incarnated and fulfilling all righteousness in respect of his Active and Passive obedience which were both satisfactory and meritorious 3. As to the application of all in time unto us and this is the great work of Christ now in heaven for us as our Mediatour this is a very choice Point and I would speak unto it First in general That Jesus Christ doth act or work for his people as now exalted and sitting at the right hand of God in heaven Secondly in opening the special work that eminent work of Christ in heaven for his people on earth 1. That Jesus Christ doth think on his servants and doth act or work for them Jesus Christ doth act for his people at the right hand of his Father he being now in heaven the Scriptures plainly affirm Heb. 9. 24. Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figure of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us as an Atturney appears for his Client 1 Joh. 2. 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous the Advocate pleads c. verse 2. And Arguments to demonstrate â—t he is the Propitiation for our sins Besides these Scriptures there are several Arguments to demonstrate it 1. His Office drth still continue although he be now in heaven Heb. 4. 14. His Office doth still continue We have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Heb. 7. 16. He is a Priest made not after the Law of a carnal Commandement but after the power of an endlesse life verse 17. For he testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever