was willing to be condemned in you there is very much to deserve condemnation and yet you shall never be condemned here 's the admirable boundless infinite love of Christ VSE 4. Comfort to all in Christ Lastly The main tendency and drift of this Truth is Comfort to Believers and what a full breast of Consolation is here for such as are in Christ No condemnation to them this no condemnation is the ground of all Consolation what a word is here for Faith and Hope O magnae spei verbum as he crys out what a * Ut frustra sibi blanditur homo carnalis si de emendandâ vitâ nihil sollicitus huâ—us gratiae praetextu impunitatem sibi promittat Ita habent trepidae piorum conscientiae invictum propugnaculum quòd dum in Christo manent sciunt se esse extra omne damnationis periculum Calv. in loc mighty support is here for poor doubting and dejected Souls The great thing that such are afraid of is Condemnation but here 's that which secures them from it the assertion is very express and full and 't is grounded too upon a sure foundation there is now no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus O you that are in Christ as your thankfulness should be high so your joy should be high also and what will raise your joy if this will not 'Pray improve it upon all occasions and be chearful Set this against all the present evils you meet with God afflicts you but he will not condemn you why should you be troubled affliction becomes very tolerable upon No-condemnation what though it be sickness pain loss of Relations a low estate so long as the soul is safe and the main state secured there may be * 1 Pet. 4.12 fiery tryals here but there 's no * Mark 9.43 unquenchable fire to burn in hereafter O there 's comfort What are the comforts of this world if we shall be kept out of Heaven and what are the crosses of this world if we shall be kept out of Hell Take the wicked there 's condemnation at the bottom of all their good take the Saints there 's Salvation at the bottom of all their evil Again men condemn you ah but God will not condemn you this is but * 1 Cor. 4.3 mans day where you may have the worst of it but Gods day is coming and then all will go on your side O let it be a very little thing to you to be judged of man so long as God doth and will acquit You have Sin in you too much God knows yet 't is no condemnation and if sin it self it being pardoned and * Rev. 1.5 washed away by the blood of Christ if this I say shall not condemn you what then shall After Pauls sad complaints of sin yet he here says there 's no condemnation Condemn your selves for sin you do and so you should do provided this self-condemnation flow from Repentance not from Vnbelief but the great God by whose judicial Sentence your everlasting state shall be ordered will not condemn you for it 'T will be so far from this that as some * Hinc fidelium peccata non prodibunt in judicium Quum enim in istâc vitâ per sententiam justificationis tecta sunt ablata ultimum illud judicium confirmatio erit manifestatio ejusdem sententiae non esset consentaneum ut in lucem denuo tum temporis proferantur Ames Med. lib. 1. cap. 41. Divines hold the sins of Believers shall not be so much as mentioned at the great day The Law is a condemning thing 't is so indeed in it self but 't is not so to you who are in Christ You must dye and be judged but welcome death welcome judgment so long as there is no condemnation why should you be afraid of these which will only let you see the accomplishment of what is here affirmed This is the happiness of you who are in Christ will you act faith upon it and take the comfort of it I would have you live and dye with this Cordial always by you there is therefore now no condemnation c. And let me add 't is not only your priviledge but your duty to rejoyce because of this 't is not only you may but you ought to be cheerful you cannot be otherwise unless you either distrust or disparage what is here spoken of The Sinner hath no reason to be jocund and merry for he is liable every moment to Condemnation the Saint hath no reason to be dejected and pensive for he is out of all danger of Condemnation The Sinner is secure as though there was no Hell and the Saint is sad and cast down as though there was no Heaven the good Lord convince the one and comfort the other I 'le close all with two words of advice 1. Get assurance in your own Souls that there is to you No Condemnation 'T is a sad thing to live under peradventures about this may be God will save and may be too God will damn to hang in doubtfulness 'twixt Heaven and Hell is a very uncomfortable state Were you but clear in your evidences about this Priviledge you could not but rejoyce Now in order to this do but make sure of your Vnion with Christ and that will assure you of No Condemnation 2. Let this Happiness be a great incentive to Holiness 'T is good to infer Duty from Mercy Are you secured from Condemnation what manner of persons should you be How should you differ from others here who shall so differ from others hereafter Though Sin shall not condemn you yet do you condemn it I 'le end with an allusion to that of our Saviour to the Woman taken in Adultery * Joh. 8.10 11. Woman saith Christ where are those thine accusers hath none condemned thee she said No man Lord. And Jesus said unto her Neither do I condemn thee go and Sin no more ROM 8.1 There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus c. CHAP. II. Of the Saints Vnion with Christ The Subject of the Proposition next opened What it is to be in Christ Jesus The difference betwixt Christs being in Believers and their being in Christ Vnion with Christ a great Mystery A threefold Vnion The Vnion of Three Persons in one Nature the Vnion of two Natures in one Person the Vnion of Persons where Persons and Natures are distinct This is Mystical Legal or Moral Scripture Resemblances by which the Mystical Union is shadowed out Its Properties 'T is a Sublime Real Spiritual Intimous Total Immediate Indissoluble Vnion Use 1. For Tryal whether we be in Christ A double distinction concerning this Vnion with Christ is either Material and Natural or Spiritual and Supernatural Either External and Visible or Internal and Invisible How it may be known whether we be really and savingly in Christ. Some Scriptures insisted upon for the Evidence of this Use 2.
Vnion Joh. 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you that day refers either to the time when the Spirit should be given which is promised v. 16 17 or to the glorisied state spoken of v. 19 upon the effusion of the Spirit men may come to know something of this Union but it will never be fully understood by them till they be in Glory In the opening of it so far as the present state and the height of the mystery will admit of I must look into the Word and keep to that and fetch all from that for 't is Revelation and not Reason which here must give us Light The Word having reveal'd it Reason may be useful as an Handmaid to shadow it out by such and such Resemblances thereby to help us the better to conceive of it but that which must be our first and main Guide about it is Scripture Revelation Now the Scripture speaks of a threefold Vnion 1. There is the Vnion of three Persons in one Nature Of the Vnion of the Three Pexsons of the two Natures in Christ and of the Mystical Vnion 2. There is the Vnion of two Natures in one Person 3. There is the Vnion of Persons where yet Persons and Natures are distinct 1. There is the Vnion of three Persons in one Nature This is in the Trin-Vnity where you have three Persons united in the Godhead the Trinity in Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity One in Three in respect of Nature and Essence and Three in One in respect of Personality This is that ineffable incomprehensible Union which is between the Father Son and Holy Ghost in the same common Nature of the Godhead Of which the Apostle speaks 1 Joh. 5.7 There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Here are Three and yet One Three as to their distinct Personal Subsistences and yet One as to their common Nature This a Mystery to be adored not to be fathomed a * The Union betwixt the Three Persons c. the knowledge of this is not nay cannot be attained unto by the Light of Nature No example can illustrate no Reason Angelical or humane can comprehend the hidden excellency of this glorious Mystery But it is discovered to us by a divine Revelation in the written Word and our Faith must receive and our Piety admire what our Reason cannot comprehend Cheynel of the Divine Trin-Unity ch ◠p. 19 Vide Aquin. p. 1. Qu. 39. Art 1 2. Lombard Lib. 1. Dist 2 3. Mystery much too deep for the Plummet of Reason to reach he that by Reason would go about to grasp it is as foolish as he that would attempt to put the Ocean into a bucket or to grasp the Universe in the hollow of his hand 2. There is the Vnion of two Natures in one Person This is that which we commonly call the Hypostatical Vnion or the Union of the two Natures in Christ his Godhead and his Manhood both making up but one Person You may thus conceive of it 'T is the substantial supernatural conjunction of the two Natures in Christ the Divine assuming the Humane and giving it a subsistence in its self so that both make but one Person and yet so as that the being and properties of both Natures are preserved intire As to this twofold Vnion I am not at present concern'd to speak to them when I shall come to the third Verse I shall have occasion there to speak to the latter 3. There is the Vnion of Persons where yet Persons and Natures are distinct and this is the Mystical Vnion The Mystical Vnion opened that which is betwixt Christ and Believers this I am only now to speak to Concerning which that you may not mistake the Nature of it you must know here is Vnion but no transmutation confusion or commixtion here is the union of persons but not personal union 1. Here is union but no transmutation confusion or commixtion I 'le put them together for brevity sake Believers are united to Christ but yet not so as that they are changed or transformed into the very essence or being of Christ so as to be Christed with Christ as some too boldly speak or that he is changed or transformed into the essence and being of Believers no you must not entertain a thought of any such thing Christ is Christ still and Believers are but Creatures still notwithstanding this Union though they be really and nearly united yet both keep their Natures distinct and are the same after the Union that they were before it As it is in the Persons in the Sacred Trinity (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc de Orthod Fide lib. 1. cap. 11. pag. 42 there is Vnion but no confusion they are Essentially one yet they have their personal Properties and distinct Subsistences And as it is in the two Natures of Christ they are under a near Vnion they make but one Person yet for all this they are (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synod Calced distinct the Godhead is not turned into the Manhood nor the Manhood into the Godhead they are united but not confounded or converted for both of them even after this Union do still retain their * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Dial. cap. 66. essential properties without confusion or conversion So 't is in the Union of Believers with Christ for thus far we may make use of the two former Vnions to open the Mystical Union by they all agree in This though in other things they differ You may take a lower resemblance of it if you please In Man there is a near Vnion between Soul and Body and these two united make up the man * Vide Nemes de Nat. Hom. p. 97. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. yet upon the union the Soul is not turned into the nature of the Body nor the Body into the nature of the Soul they are not confounded though united they yet retain their essence and properties distinct the Soul is the Soul still and the Body is the Body still So it is in the Vnion between Christ and Believers 2. Here is the Vnion of persons but not personal union And here lies the difference between the Mystical Vnion and the Hypostatical Vnion The Hypostatical Vnion is Personal but not of Persons the reason is because in Christ there are two Natures but there is but one Person there is this Nature and that Nature in Christ but not this Person and that Person in Christ as Nestorius held there is in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliud aliud but not alius alius as the Learned express it Christ did not assume the * Vide Lombard Lib. 3. Dist 5. Person of man but the Nature of man into his Person Non assumpsit Hominem Personam sed
Hominem in Personam But now in the Mystical Vnion 't is otherwise there 't is the Vnion of Persons but not Personal Vnion this I 'le endeavour to clear as well as I can In the Mystical Vnion there is the Vnion of Persons the Person of Christ is united to the Person of the Believer and the Person of the Believer is united to the Person of Christ For Faith being the uniting grace and this faith receiving the Person of Christ * Joh. 1.12 Faith is a receiving of Christ himself we cannot receive the benefits that come by him without receiving of himself as in Marriage the Consent is I take thee not I take thine c. Vines on the Sacram. p. 120. To as many as received him c it must also unite to the Person of Christ In the Marriage-Vnion 't is person joyned to person and so 't is in the Mystical Vnion also How is a Believer said to be in Christ it cannot so properly be said that he is in the graces or in the comforts or in the gifts of Christ but the meaning is he is in the Person of Christ so that this is an Union of Persons For further this Vnion doth not lye only in some moral or spiritual acts qualities or gracious indowments as oneness of will or oneness of disposition c. but it lies in the Oneness of Persons And therefore * Nostra ipsius conjunctio non miscet Personas nec confundit substantias sed affectus consociat confaederat voluntates Cypr. Cyprian's explication of this Vnion with Christ is not full enough Our Vnion saith he with Christ does not mingle Persons nor confound Substances so far very true but it unites affections and wills if he meant that this was all then 't is conceived he came short there is more in it than so for there is besides this uniting of the Affections and Will the uniting though not the mingling of Persons The Father Son and Spirit are one not only in respect of Consent as some most falsely tell us but also in respect of Nature and Essence Now far be it from me to say that Christ and the Saints are one in this sense yet withall I say even between them there is an higher Vnion than barely that of oneness of affection and will I say no more than what * Vide Zanch. in Cap. 5. ad Eph. p. 245. Polan Synt. Theol. Lib. 6. cap. 35. p. 454. Hujus Unionis interventu fit ut tum Beneficiorum Christi tum Substantiae ipsius fiamus participes quia beneficia omnia vis illa vivifica quae animas nostras sustentat in vitam aeternam non possunt à Corpore Sanguine Christi cui inhaerent adeoque ab ipso Christo divelli Trelcat Inst Theol. Lib. 2. p. 189. Bucan L. C. 48. p. 818 819. 'T is not an Union of Christ with a Believer in Accidents only as in Opinion Affection in Consent of Mind and Heart or in likeness of Disposition and Conversation but it is an Union of Substances Essences Persons As Mr. Perkins saith the Person of him that believeth is united to the Person of Christ Reyn. Praec p 49. Others who write upon this Argument generally say But that you may not go too high I add this Vnion is not Personal 't is but Mystical not Personal For then Christ and the Believer would properly and physically make but one person and then it would be so many Believers so many Christs and then the Believer would have no subsistence but in Christ as the Humane Nature of Christ hath no subsistence but what it hath in the Godhead and then he would merit in what he did as Christ quà Man did by virtue of the Personal Vnion Therefore we must conclude that though here is an Vnion of Persons the Person of Christ in a mystical way being united to the person of Believers yet here is not any Personal Vnion they both notwithstanding this remaining several and distinct Persons These things may seem as indeed they are abstruse and dark to you I 'le come to that which will be somewhat more plain and easie For the further Explication of this Great Mystery there are Three Things which I 'le speak to 1. I 'le endeavour to open the several Kinds or Branches of that Vnion which is betwixt Christ and Believers 2. I 'le give you those Scriptural Resemblances by which 't is shadowed and set forth 3. I 'le give you the several Properties of it Vnion Mystical Legal Moral 1. First Let me open the several Kinds or Branches of this Vnion 'T is Threefold Mystical Legal and Moral A Believer is united to Christ three ways Mystically Legally Morally Take any of these singly and they will not be enough comprehensive but take them jointly so there 's all in them Of the Mystical Vnion 1. First there 's the Mystical Vnion so we usually call it Which may be thus * Vide Bodium in Ephes 5.28 p. 786. more fully describing of it describ'd 'T is that supernatural spiritual intimous Oneness and Conjunction which is betwixt the Person of Christ and the Persons of Believers through the Bond of the Spirit and Faith upon which there follows mutual and reciprocal Communion each with the other If this Description be taken in pieces it contains in it the most considerable things to be known about the Mystical Vnion For 1. Here is the proper General Nature of it viz. Oneness and Conjunction Christ and Saints are united how why in respect of that Oneness and Conjunction that is betwixt them This the Scripture-Expressions do mainly refer to and clearly hold forth They are said to be in Christ and Christ in them they are said to dwell in Christ and Christ in them to abide in Christ and Christ in them to be one with Christ as he is one with the Father the several Scriptures which speak to these things have been already cited They are further said to be (a) 1 Cor. 6.17 joyned to the Lord and to be one Spirit to be (b) Eph. 5.31 32. one flesh Christ (c) Gal. 2.20 lives in them he is the (d) Eph. 1.22 Head they the Members he the (e) Joh. 15.5 Root they the Branches he the (f) 1 Cor. 3.9 11. Foundation they the Building he the (g) Eph. 5.28 c. Husband they the Wife All these expressions I say point to that Oneness and Conjunction which is betwixt Christ and Believers in which the General Nature of the Mystical Vnion doth consist 2. Here 's the Qualities or Properties of this Vnion 't is a supernatural spiritual intimous Vnion to which I shall speak by and by 3. Here 's the Subjects of this Vnion Christ and Believers And that too is set down with this modification the Oneness and Conjunction is betwixt the Person of Christ and the Persons of Believers of which before 4. Here 's the Media or
Vincula Vnionis the Means or Bonds of this Union the Spirit and Faith 5. Here is also the Effect or Consequent upon this Union namely mutual and reciprocal Communion each with the other This will be opened in what will follow Only at present let me open the fourth Head the Means and Bonds of the Mystical Union In all Unions there is something which binds and knits Thing and Thing Person and Person together what is it then which binds knits conjoyns Christ to Believers and Believers to Christ I answer 't is the Spirit and Faith The Spirit unites Christ to us and Faith unites us to Christ First the Spirit is the bond of this Union on Christs part for by this he takes possession of Believers * Christ lives in us not by local presence but by the special supernatural operation of his Spirit Perkins upon Gal. 2.20 p. 216. dwells in them lays hold of them apprehends them as the word is Phil. 3.12 In * De Trinit de Poenit. Tertullians Dialect Spiritus nos Christo confibulat the Spirit doth joyn and button Believers to Christ And then Faith is the bond or ligament on our part Eph. 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts how by Faith Christ lays hold on us by the Spirit and we lay hold on him by Faith he comes to us by the Spirit and we go to him by Faith The Spirit of God does not only discover and make out the Union of the Soul with Christ Hereby we know that he abides in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Joh. 3.24 but he works promotes and brings it about As 't is in that Vnion which is amongst the Saints themselves * 1 Cor. 12.13 by one Spirit they are all baptized into one body So 't is in the Vnion which is betwixt Christ and them by this One Spirit they are all made one with Christ Therefore saith the Apostle * Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his he means he hath neither interest in him nor union with him And then there is Faith which unites on our part for that is the uniting Grace the Sinew or Ligament which knits and binds the Soul to Christ that by which the Soul clasps and clings about Christ By faith we apply our selves to Christ and Christ to our selves and that application is the ground of union So also by Faith we * Joh. 1.12 receive Christ upon which receiving of him we are united to him and made one with him The spiritual ingrafting too is by this as you may see Rom 11.19 20 and this is our eating Christs flesh and drinking-Christs-blood upon which he dwells in us Joh. 6.56 Thus the Union is brought about both on Christs part and on the Believers part and this is the Mystical Vnion Of the Law-Vnion Secondly There is the Legal or Law-Vnion betwixt Christ and Believers The ground of this Union is Christs * Heb. 7.22 Suretyship he as the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surety struck hands with God as the word imports put himself into their stead took their debt upon himself and bound himself upon their account to make satisfaction to God Now from this act of Christ there results that Law-Vnion which I am upon Saints as 't is said by some are united to Christ three ways Spiritu Carne Vadimonio as they are partakers of his Spirit as he hath assumed their Nature and as he hath engaged for them as there Sponsor or Surety You know in Law the Debtor and the Surety are but one Person the Law looks upon them as One and makes no difference betwixt them and therefore both are equally liable to the debt and if the One pay it 't is in the eye of the Law as much as if the Other had paid it So 't is with Christ and us he is our Surety for he took our debt upon himself engaged to pay whatever we owed as * Philem. 18.19 Paul once did to Philemon for his Onesimus entred into bond though not with us yet for us Upon this Christ and we are but One Person before God and accordingly he deals with us For he makes over our Sins to Christ and also Christs righteousness and satisfaction to us he now in a legal notion looking upon both but as One person And this Consideration is of great use and so accordingly 'tis improved by the Orthodox against Socinians to clear up and confirm those great Truths which concern Christs Sufferings and the Believers benefit thereby For if it be ask'd How could Christ he being a Person perfectly innocent suffer in a penal manner as he did he being altogether guiltless in himself how could the Father with justice fall upon him as though he had been guilty Or grant that he did thus suffer yet how can any good by his suffering redound to others I say if any shall raise such Questions the Answer is ready That Christ and Believers in Law are but one Person he having submitted to be their Surety in a voluntary substitution of himself in their stead and susception of their Guilt whereupon it came to pass that their Guilt was imputed to him upon which the Father might without the least impeachment of his justice severely fall upon him and his righteousness merit satisfaction was imputed to them for that being performed by their Surety 't is theirs to all intents and purposes as if they had perform'd it in their own persons Briefly upon this Law-Vnion resulting from Christs Suretiship our Sins were very well imputable to him and his merits to us This doth so exactly fall in with the common notion and case of Suretyship amongst Men that I need not any further insist upon the illustration of it The Adversaries therefore who deny that Christ either did or could suffer in the Sinners stead or that there is any imputation of his Merit to Believers are so pinched with this his being a Surety that they oppose it to their utmost wholly deny that too and are feign to make good one denial with another But here I digress Two things I shall add upon this Head and then dismiss it 1. That the Oneness of Person 'twixt Christ and the Saints which hath been affirmed of them more than once or twice in the opening of the matter in hand is not to be carried further than that particular Sense and respect in which 't is affirmed I mean this They are not one Person in respect of Nature Essence or any personal Vnion onely they are so in respect of that Mystical and Legal Oneness of Person that is betwixt them And this latter Oneness is very well consistent with the different Natures of the Subjects united though the former is not so 2. That this Law-Vnion is only proper to Christ the Second Person The mystical and the moral Union in some sense doth reach to the other Persons
the vine ye are the branches You read of being planted and ingrafted into Christ 't is a Metaphor which the Spirit of God much delights in in the setting forth of that which I am upon See Rom 6.5 and chap. 11.17 c. Also you read of being rooted in Christ Col. 2.7 There is a blessed Analogy or resemblance between Christ and Believers and the Root and the Branches in point of Vnion in point of Influence The root is united to the branches and thâ—y to it so is Christ to Believers and they to him The root conveys life and nourishment and growth to the branches so does Christ to Believers Another Resemblance is the Foundation and the Building Here is Vnion too for in a Building all the Stones and Timber being joined and fastned together upon the Foundation make but one entire Structure So 't is here Believers are Gods building and Christ is the foundation in that building Ye are Gods building 1 Cor. 3.9 Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 3.11 Therefore they are said to be built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Eph. 2.20 As a man builds upon the foundation and lays the stress of the whole building upon that so take the true Christian he builds upon Christ all his Faith Hope Confidence is built upon this sure foundation as Christ is stiled Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a sure foundation Hence also they are said As lively stones to be built up a spiritual house c. 1 Pet. 2.5 Here 's the Mystical Union under this resemblance also Take but One more that of Meat or Food That which a man feeds upon and digests it is incorporated and united with himself it 's turned into his own substance and made a part of himself The Believing Soul by Faith feeds upon Christ digests him and turns him as it were into his own substance so that Christ becomes one with him and he one with Christ Joh. 6.55 56. My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him All this must be taken not in the literal but in the spiritual notion the eating and drinking is believing so 't is to be understood all along in that Chapter Upon which believing the Vnion follows he dwells in me and I in him Thus I have with great brevity given you those Scripture-Resemblances by which the Mystical Vnion is shadowed out The handling of them in their utmost extent is a Subject that would have admitted of great enlargement but my business was but to speak to that one thing from them which suits with the work in hand In some of the preceding Heads I was in the great deeps but in this I have been in the shallows there the Elephant might swim here the Lamb may wade there things were not so dark but here they are as clear therefore I shall not need to make any further stay upon them Seven Properties of the Mystical Vnion I come to the Third Head the Properties of this Vnion I 'le name these Seven First 'T is a sublime Vnion And that 1. In respect of its Nature as considered in it self Christ and a poor Creature made one and so made One O what an Union is this We have many Vnions in Nature and some very considerable but alas they all come short and are but poor mean low things in comparison of this Next to the Vnion of the Three Persons in the Sacred Trinity and the Hypostatical Vnion of the two Natures in Christ the Mystical Vnion is the highest Except but those which I have named and all other Unions must vail to it 2. 'T is sublime in respect of its rise Original and production The more supernatural a thing is the more sublime it is now this Union is purely supernatural What can Nature be imagin'd to do for the bringing about of such a thing as this O surely 't is all of the meer Grace of God! As 't is not Natural for the Matter of it so neither is it so for the production and application of it 'T is supernatural as to the Thing and also as to the Person to whom it belongs 3. 'T is sublime in respect of the high and glorious Priviledges Effects and Consequents of it 4. In respect of its mysteriousness and difficulty to be known Something I spoke to this at my first entrance upon this Subject The mystical Union is a mysterious Union so mysterious that we had known nothing at all of it if God had not revealed it to us in the Word And even now he hath revealed it yet 't is but very little that we do understand of it That there is this Union that 's as clear as the light of the Sun but what this Union is O that 's a thing hidden and lock'd up from us The Union of the Body and Soul in Man is a great mystery there is even in that Vnion that which puzzles the greatest Philosophers but the Union of Christ and the Believer is a far greater mystery That persons every way so distant so divided should yet be made mystically One here 's a mystery indeed a mystery which no finite Understanding Angelical or Humane can comprehend Secondly 'T is a real Vnion Not a notional phantastick or opinionative thing something that is meerly matter of phancy and imagination or something that dull and melancholly persons please themselves with the thoughts of O 't is not so but 't is a real thing and as great a reality as any whatsoever it be You have very many Scriptures which speak to it under great variety of Expressions all of which with the greatest evidence and clearness do point to it and cannot be otherwise understood and yet will you doubt of it and look upon it as a meer phancy As really as the members â—â—e united to the head and the head to them the Wife to the Husband and the Husband to the Wife the branches to the root and the root to the branches so really are the Saints united to Christ and Christ to them for these several Vnions do confirm as well as represent and open the Mystical Vnion Nothing in Religion is real if this be not take away this Mystical Oneness between Christ and the Soul and take away all Is not the Union 'twixt God the Father and God the Son a real Vnion surely that will not be deny'd if so then this is real also for Joh. 17.22 The glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one Observe it 't is one even as we are one but how not as to any equality but only as to verity not as to the modus or qualitas unionis but only as to the veritas unionis This as is often but a note of likeness
in Christ and how may that be known thus by our being New Creatures The Apostle sets it down indefinitely that he may reach every person if any man be in Christ c. This New Creature is one of the greatest riddles of Christianity to men that have it not 'T is that new creation which the Soul passes under in the work of Conversion or that great and universal change which follows upon Conversion a converted man is a changed man a quite other person than what he was before he may say with Austine I am not I all old things are pass'd away and all things are become new as it follows in the place alledged Upon Conversion understanding judgment thoughts will affections Conscience heart tongue life all is new when the Sinner is turned from Sin to God he hath new Principles from which he acts new Ends for which he acts new Guides and Rules by which he acts is not here a wonderful change Now are you acquainted with this New Creature what do you find of it in your selves it converns you to make sure of it for all is nothing without it * Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus and so in reference to the proof of being in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature O this is all in all this must be the sure and infallible witness of your Union with Christ Therefore examine your selves about it I beseech you look back compare your selves with your selves hath any thorough change been wrought in you are you not the same you ever were just such as you came into the world Can any that hears me say O blessed be God! 't is not with me as it hath been Time was when I was blind as ignorant a Creature as any but I hope now in some measure I am enlightened God hath shined into me and set up such a Light in me that I see what I never saw before and I see it in another manner than I did before Time was when I could swear curse be drunk take Gods name in vain profane Sabbaths c. but I dare not now give way to such impieties Time was when Sin and I agreed very well but now my heart rises at it * Psal 119.104 I hate every false way Time was when I had no love for Duty I liv'd in the total omission of it but now I love Prayer I love the Word and all the Ordinances of Christ are precious to me Time was when I was all for the world my whole heart was taken up in it but now * Phil. 3.8 I count all but loss that I may gain Christ now None but Christ none but Christ Can any of you thus speak here 's a change indeed upon that the New Creature indeed and upon that Being in Christ indeed There 's a double change which evermore accompanies the Mystical Vnion 1. The State of the Person is changed He who before he was in Christ was a Child of wrath is now upon his being in Christ an heir of Grace he that before the Union was in a state of Condemnation is now after the Union in a state of Salvation 2. The Nature is changed there 's a new Nature a new Soul not physically yet morally infus'd into the regenerate person the * 2 Pet. 1.4 divine Nature it self is now communicated to him whereupon he doth not think speak or act as he did before he doth not love or live as before he walks in newness of life as 't is Rom. 6.4 This is the change which we are to make sure of for assuredly the Lord Jesus will put none into his bosome or make them a part of himself but first the New Creature shall pass upon them to prepare and make them fit for so near and so close an Union 'T is not consistent with his honour to take a Sinner just as he finds him and without any more adoe to own him as a member of himself There out any more adoe to own him as a member of himself There cannot be a passage-from one Head to another but there must be some not able alteration Christ will not break off a branch from the first root and ingraft it into himself but he will first alter the very nature and property of it 'T is not in the power of Creatures to change those whom they take into Union with them the Husband may take the Wife into his bosome but he cannot change her Nature temper disposition As Bernard saith of Moses Aethiopissam-duxit sed non potuit Aethiopissae mutare colorem he married an Aethiopian but he could not alter her Aethiopian complexion much less could he alter her inward temper But Christ can and doth thus work upon those whom he takes into near Union and relation if he joyns the black swarthy Soul to himself he puts a new complexion upon it he makes it comely with his own comeliness as God promises Ezek. 16.14 So then by this you may know whether you be truly really savingly in Christ viz if you be new Creatures without the new Creation there 's no Mystical Vnion 2. Another trying Scripture is that Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's who are in him have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts This also is a very close Word and it speaks this No Crucifixion no Vnion The crucified Head will have crucified Members he that is planted in Christs person shall * Rom. 6.4 be planted in the likeness of Christs death O is Sin crucified in you did you ever set that upon the Cross which brought the Son of God to the Cross is there in you that death to sin which carries some analogy to Christs death for sin is the Flesh with all its cursed retinue the affections and lusts thereof mortified in you is the corrupt Nature dead as to its former power and soveraignty in the Soul for that 's the crucifixion here spoken of Assure your Selves Christ will not have a member in him to be under a foreign power the Flesh shall not be the Ruler where He is the Head where he brings about the Vnion he will have the Dominion My Text too speaks of this Flesh and it tells you that they who are in Christ Jesus do not walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Paul here seems to rise and to go on step by step would you know who are exempted from Condemnation he tells you such who are in Christ would you further know who are in Christ he tells you such who walk not c. Here then is the Characteristical Note of all who are in Christ they live not the fleshly carnal sensual Life but the spiritual heavenly holy Life Sirs what is your walking 't is the Conversation that must discover the Vnion do but reflect upon your course of Life and that will plainly tell you to what Head you belong 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself
that being suppos'd to be modest and rectified yet 't is infinitely above it There are several unions in Nature but all come short of this there 's no resemblance in the whole compass of Nature that doth exactly reach it Some I know speak of a * See Mr. Perkins on Galat. p. 273. plant which hath no root of its own only it grows and is sustain'd by a tree of another kind by which they would shadow out the subsistence of the Humane Nature of Christ in the Divine Others tell us the union of the * Yet there is a disparity in the union of these two in Man and of the two Natures in Christ Of which seè Dr. Jackson on the Creed 7th B. p. 333. Soul and Body in Man is of all resemblances the most fully expressive of this Vnion Now 't is granted these or some other such-like resemblances may hold forth something of it but alas 't is but something they go but a little way their discoveries are as imperfect as those which some Travellers make of the World who when they have seen and said all they can do yet leave a vast terra incognita undiscovered Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh c. Christ's incarnation hath the precedency before all the other mysteries which are there mentioned about him if that in it self be such a mystery how must the mystery thereof be heightned the Hypostatical Vnion being taken in and added to it The Mystical Vnion is very mysterious the Hypostatical Vnion much more Well therefore might I in the Proposition thus lay it down that the uniting of the Humane Nature in Christ to the Divine is done in a most mysterious and unconceivable manner Well! upon the due weighing of that which hath been said it concerns me with all tenderness and humility to treat of this Argument and to fetch in all the light and direction that ever I may for I shall need it all from the Word and Spirit The Hypostatical Vnion opened in some Particulars 'T is not a common or ordinary Vnion but special and extraordinary 1. I desire that this in the General may be taken notice of that the Hypostatical Vnion is no common or ordinary Vnion but that which is special and extraordinary O 't is an Union by it self that which is of a very different and peculiar nature from all other Vnions Of which there is great diversity for instance there 's an Union by apposition as in the several parts of a building by mixtion as in the several Elements in a compound body by alteration as when water is turned into wine there is a Natural Vnion as in the Soul and Body in man a Moral Vnion as betwixt Friend and Friend a Relative Vnion as betwixt Husband and Wife a Mystical Vnion as betwixt Christ and Believers an Vnion in respect of special presence or inhabitation of special assistance of special grace and favour which was all that Nestorius would grant in the Vnion of Christ's Divine Nature with his Humane but most falsely * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athan de Inc. Verbi Dei p. 593. for then there would be no more for substance in the Hypostatical Vnion then what there is in that which belongs to all Believers Christ being in these respects united also to them though in a lower degree Now some of these Vnions are not at all applicable to Christ such as are so do yet come short of that high and glorious Vnion that is betwixt his Godhead and his Manhood alas take the highest of them what is it when compar'd with the Hypostatical Vnion You 'l ask me why or what is there in that more than in them let the following head be observed and there will be the Solution of this Question I add therefore The two great things wherei◠it consists 2. The two Natures are so united in Christ as that the Humane doth subsist in the Divine and that both do make up but one Person Herein lies the formal nature of the Hypostatical Vnion that wherein it differs from and transcends all other Vnions whatsoever the explication of this therefore I must a little insist upon Of the Subsistence of the Humane Nature in the Divine 1. First the conjunction of the two Natures in Christ is so near as that the Godhead imparts subsistence to the Manhood for the Manhood as 't is in Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having no subsistence but what it hath in the Personality of the eternal Word so it subsists and no otherwise And here 's one great difference 'twixt the Humane Nature as in us and as in Christ in us it hath its proper personality and subsistence in Christ it hath not so But how comes this about take an answer to that from a * Estwick against B. p. 113 Judicious Divine It 's true saith he the essential parts of a man's Body and Soul being united would have constituted a Person as they do in all other men if they had been left to themselves but it was prevented and stayd from subsisting in it self and was drawn into the Unity of the second Person by Divine and supernatural operation whereby it was highly advanced and subsists in a more eminent sort than it could have done if it had become a rational humane Person * Incarnatio non est qualiscunque unio sed est specialissima proxima immediatissuna unio quâ Persona divina humanam Naturam suâ Personalitate carentem it a terminat ut eam personaliter sustentet ipsique illud complementum attamen longè eminentiori modo communicet quod a suà connaturali Personalitate accepisset Bisterf contra Crell p. 568. Vid. Davenant in Colos p. 244. And this may also prevent that Objection which from hence so readily offers it self viz. that if the Humane Nature in Christ hath not a personal subsistence belonging to it then it wants that perfection which that Nature commonly hath in all Men which seems to make it less perfect and excellent in him than 't is in them This is easily answered the Consequence is not good because the want of this subsistence is compensated with advantage in that subsistence which the Manhood hath in the Godhead in which the Humane Nature subsisting 't is so far from being depress'd that 't is highly advanc'd as the Sensitive Soul in man being joyn'd with a nobler Soul and subsisting in it is thereupon more excellent than the sensitive Soul in a Beast though there it hath a subsistence distinct from and independent upon the reasonable Soul The two Natures make but one Person 2. Secondly Such is the Vnion of the Humane with the Divine Nature in Christ that 't is taken into his * Deus in aeternam personam Deitatis temporalem accepit substantiam Carnis August Duas substantias accipimus in uno Filio Dei unam Deitatis aliam
Humanitatis non duas Personas Idem de Trinit Unit. Dei Vid. Anselm de Incarn Verbi cap. 5. p. 87. Person and both make but one * Person Here 's the difference 'twixt the essential union of the three Persons where there is but one Nature yet three Persons as also 'twixt the mystical Vnion of Believers where there is the Union of Persons yet not so as to make one Person and the Hypostatick Vnion of the two Natures in Christ for against the former here is distinction of Natures yet but oneness of Person and against the latter here is the union of Natures so as to make but one Person And this follows upon the former head for if the Manhood hath not personality in it self but only subsists in the Godhead then it cannot cause any personal multiplication in him In short in Christ there is Nature and Nature but not Person and Person aliud aliud but not * In Deo non aliud aliud quia una Natura in Christo non alius alius quia una Persona alius alius for 't is but one Christ as Soul and Body make but one Man so God and Man make I say but one Christ We call it the Personal Vnion but how not because 't is made up of Persons but because it centers in one Person Christ took the †Aquin. Sum. 3. parte quaest 4. Art 2. Nature of of man but not the Person of man Nature did not assume Naturè nor did Person assume Person but Person assumed Nature He was a Person before incarnation and his personality or a distinct personality did not result from the unition of the two Natures only they are said to make one Person as the latter Nature makes no personal addition to Christ And he was a * Vid. Daven in Colos 242. perfect Person before the Vnion only in ordine ad finem the redeeming of man he was pleased to take the Manhood into communion with the Godhead So much for these two things wherein the nature of the Hypostatical Vnion mainly lies In this Vnion no conversion or confusion of the two Natures 3. Though this Vnion be thus close and intinious yet notwithstanding the Essence Properties Operations of both Natures are preserv'd entire without any conversion or confusion Nestorious multiplies the Person Eutyches eris upon another extream as 't is usual when the staff is crooked and bends too much one way they that would make it strait do often make it to bend as much the other way he confounds the Natures to shun the plurality of Persons he destroyes the distinction of the Natures asserting that after the Union the Humane Nature was wholly smallowed up in the Divine and so leaving but one Nature to Christ both of these Opinions were condemned by the Primitive Church as equally false heretical and dangerous Here 's the admirableness of this Union though the Godhead and the Manhood are brought into so near a conjunction yet both retain that which is essential and proper to each the One is not converted into the Other nor yet both confounded in one The Word was made Fesh but not so as to * O 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Najanz Orat. 35 375. Non potes dicere nisi natusfuisset hominem verè induisset Deus esse desi-'ssit amittens quod erat dum fit quod non erat Periculum enim status sui Deo nullum est c. Terrull de Carn Chr. p. 359. Quasi non valuerit Christus vere hominem indutus Deus perseverare Idem p. 360. Verbum caro factum est c. non in carnem mutatum ut desisteret esse quod erat sed caepit esse quod non erat August de Trin. Unit. tom 4. p. 947. Ep. 174. Non mutando quod erat sed assumendo quod non erat cease to be the Word still when Christ was incarnate he did not part with what he had only he â—ook what he had not there was assumption but no abolition * Nemo credat Dei Filium coaeternum coaequalem conversum esse in hominis Filium sed potius credamus ut non consumptâ Divinâ perfectè assumptâ humanâ substantiâ manentem Dei Filium factum hominis Filium August de Temp. Serm. 23. p. 616. c. Neutra tamen ex duabus Naturis in aliam mutata est substantiam unita quippe est non confusa Verbi Dei hominisque substantia ut in Deum quod ex nobis fusceptum fuerat perveniret O admirabile mysterium O innarrabile commercium Aug. Medit. c. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Orth. Fid. lib. 3. cap. 2. vide etiam ibid. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Najanz Orat. 39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nyssen contra Apollinar l. 2. p. 69. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor Pelus l. 1. Ep. 323. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Joh. 1.14 Vid. Athan. de Inc. Christi p. 624. See Leporius his recantation in Cassian de sucarn Dom. L. 1. Agit utraque for ma cum alterius communione quod proprium est Verbo scil operante quod Verbi est carne exequente quod carnis est Leo in Ep. ad Flav. Ep. Constantinop no conversion no confusion Indeed the two Natures stand at so great a distance that though they may admit of Vnion yet they are not capable of any transmutation or commixtion the Godhead can never be so depress'd as to be turn'd into the Manhood nor the Manhood ever be so advanc'd as to be turn'd into the Godhead The Athanasian Creed thus sets it forth Although Christ be God and Man yet he is but one Christ one not by conversion of the Godhead into Flesh but by taking of the Manhood into God one altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person The Scriptures plainly hold forth the two Natures of Christ to be distinct even after the Vnion turn to Rom. 1.3 4. Rom. 9.5 1 Pet. 3.18 2 Cor. 13.4 To which Texts let me add a few Considerations drawn out of some other Texts Christ sayes * Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one there 's his Godhead but withal he sayes †Joh. 14.28 my Father is greater than I there 's his Manhood too he sayes ‖ Joh. 8.58 Before Abraham was I am there 's his being God and yet he was born but the other day there 's his being Man too he had the Divine Nature for he was Omniscient but he had the Humane also at the same time for he 's said to * Luk. 2.52 grow in wisdom and †Mark 13.32 not to know the time of the last Judgment of which before he was God and so the Father's Will and his were all one but he was also Man and so he pray'd * Luk. 22.42 Nevertheless not my Will but thine be done He was the â€
What this sending of Christ was not Page 289 What it was opened in Five things Page 290 How this was consistent with his equality with his Father explained Page 294 The Grounds of Christ's being sent Page 296 The Love of Father and Son to be adored upon this Page 302 c. All are to go when they are sent not before Page 307 None to rest in the external sending of Christ Page 309 Christ as sent to be believed on Page 310 Comforts from Christ's being sent Page 313 None free from Sin here Page 8 Sin a vile and base thing Page 190 The Tyranny of it Page 192 Its advantages against us Page 232 It hath not barely a Being but too great a power even in the Regenerate Page 203 The special and most prevailing Sin must be most resisted Page 222 Christ's Death the highest Demonstration of the Evil of Sin Page 541 What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 Of the breaking of the Heart for and from Sin upon Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 546 SOCINIANS dealt with and these great Truths made good against them 1. That Christ did praeexist before he was born of the Virgin Page 284 2. That Christ was the Son of God not in respect of the things which they alledge Seven of which are instanc'd in and largely refuted but in respect of his eternal Generation Page 323 c. 3. That he who was antecedently the Son of God was in time made the Son of Man or was incarnate Page 393 c. 4. That Christ was a true and proper Expiatory Sacrifice and the true notion of his Expiation is made good gainst them Page 481 c. 5. That he made Satisfaction to the Justice of God Page 515 6. The principal Ends of Christ's Death are asserted and their Ends thereof proved not to be the principal Page 517 c. 7. That Christ is truly and Essentially God Page 349 Sons of God by Creation by Grace by Nature Page 321 Christ God's Son Page 319 Scripture attestations of it Page 319 c. Christ God's own Son Page 321 That opened Comparatively and Absolutely ibid. His bâ—ing the Natural Son of God Co-equal Co-essential Co-eternal with the Father begotten of him by eternal Generation is explained proved and largely vindicated against Opposers Page 323 c. He is not God's own Son partly in respect of eternal Generation and partly in respect of his miraculous Conception c. Page 345 c. Of the different communications of the Divine Essence from the Father to the Son and to the Spirit Page 348 Christ's Godhead inferr'd from his Sonship Page 349 How Christ's Sonship is to be studyed Page 354 c. All are to believe Christ to be the Son of God and to believe on him as such Page 358 How he is to be Honoured as the Son of God Page 363 What Comfort doth arise from Christ's Sonship Page 368 How the Spirit is the Spirit of Life Page 162 How 't is said to be in Christ Jesus Page 161 He is the Spirit of Life Formally Page 162 Effectively Page 163 c. What is meant by the Law of the Spirit Page 158 His making free from the Law of Sin opened Page 228 Of the Necessity Sufficiency Efficacy of the Spirits Power and Operation in that Page 230 c. The Spirit the sole Efficient therein Page 243 How he secures against the Law of Sin after Conversion Page 240 Deliverance from Sins power is to be expected from this Spirit and to be ascribed to him Page 244 c. Of the Spirits greatness and glory Page 241 He is greatly to be honoured Page 247 How the Spirit may be obtain'd Page 70 The Spirit taken Personally and Habitually Page 104 What it is to Walk after the Spirit Vide Walking Of Christ's Substituting himself in the Sinners stead Page 483 The true Nature and Ends of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Page 528 c. Christ sympathizes with his Members Page 80 T. The Tabernacle a Type of Christ's Body Page 389 Of the Distinction of the Persons in the Sacred Trinity Page â—87 Great relief under Troubles of Coâ—â—ence from Christ's Incarnation Page 513 U. How Sin reigns in the Understanding Page 181 How the Spirit works on the Understanding in order to freeing from the Law of Sin Page 236 Of the Union Of Three Persons in one Nature Of two Natures in one Person Of Persons where yet both Natures and Persons are distinct Page 44 Of the Hypostatical Union Page 399 Of the Sublimeness and Mysteriousness of it Page 400 Opened in Four things Page 401 c. The Mystical Union opened Page 42 c. That also is a great Mystery Page 43 Of the threefold Union 'twixt Christ and Believers Mystical Page 48 Legal Page 48 Moral Page 48 The Bonds of the former the Spirit and Faith Page 49 Several Scripture-Resemblances by which 't is set forth Page 52 c. Six Properties of it Page 54 c. How Persons may know whether they be under it Page 60 Of Natural and Spiritual Union with Christ ibid. Of External or Common and Internal or Special Union Page 61 Sinners exhorted to labour after this Union Page 68 How it may be attained Page 70 Without Union no Communion Page 69 Several Duties urged upon such who are united to Christ Page 72 c. Several Comforts directed to such Page 78 c. The Mystical Union made credible by Christ's Incarnation Page 444 W. Of Walking not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Page 88 Why the Apostle pitches upon this Evidence Page 90 Spiritual Walking not the Cause of the Priviledge but the Property of the Person to whom it belongs Page 93 The contrariety of the Two Walkings Page 95 Men must be in Christ before they can live the Spiritual Life Page 96 There alwayes was and alwayes will be different Walkers ibid. What it is to Walk after the Flesh opened Page 97 103 c. Walking in the Flesh taken in a good sense Page 98 Of the more gross and the more close Walking after the Flesh Page 120 Men dehorted from Fleshly Walking Page 121 c. The Dehortation enforced with diverse Motives Page 122 c. Directions in order to it page 129 c. What it is to Walk after the Spirit Page 104 106 Opened by the Spiritualness of the Principle Page 106 c. Guide Page 106 c. Affections Page 106 c. Propensions Page 106 c. Ends Page 106 c. All in Christ thus Walk Proved Page 112 This Walking Excellent Page 132 c. Pleasant Page 132 c. Saving Page 132 c. Spiritual Walkers are To be very thankful Page 136 To be yet more Spiritual Page 137 To take the Comfort of it Some Discouragements about it removed Page 139 The Will is the principal Seat of Sins Power Page 181 How the Spirit works upon the Will efficaciously yet without the infringing of its Liberty Page 238 Reader In the drawing up of this Index many things occasionally spoken unto have slipped me but thou wilt find them under those main Heads which I chiefly insist upon to each of which thou art here directed FINIS
very mysterious Nature but the greatest mystery of all is that there should be such a mystery I mean that there should be such a thing for such poor creatures O consider you who sometimes were * Eph. 2.13 a far off even you are made nigh not only by Christ but to Christ you who were so far from being in Christ that you were even * 1 Joh. 5.19 in the wicked one and in him you did lie even as the carnal world doth yet you are now under a blessed conjunction with Christ You who by nature * Rom. 11.17 were grafted into the wild Olive are now grafted into and made partakers of the root and fatness of the Olive tree O incomparable transcendent mercy That so great a person as Christ the * Joh. 3.16 only begotten Son of God * Rom. 9.5 God blessed forever * Heb. 1.3 the brightness of his Fathers glory should stoop so low as to be made one with dust and ashes that you who are no better than worms which crawl on the earth should be joyned to so glorious an Head that he who did at first assume your Nature into so near an union with himself should afterwards take your Persons also and mystically unite them to his own person that it should not only be * Matth. 1.23 God with you but God in you and you in God O how will you be able in some suitable manner to bless God and Christ for such unconceivable astonishing Love as this is This being in Christ as a limb and part of him here on earth will certainly bear a great share in your highest thanksgivings and Hallelujahs when you shall be with him in Heaven To get the Vnion more cleared up 2. Endeavour after a further clearness in this Vnion This I would urge 1. With respect to the Nature of the thing 2. With respect to your Personal interest in it First get the thing it self more and more cleared up that your knowledge of it may be more full and more distinct Some further Head knowledge about it would not be amiss It 's a mystery that very mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but 't is now made manifest to the Saints to whom God hath made known the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory as the Apostle sets it forth Col. 1.27 now is it a mystery which hath been hid so long but is now revealed in the Gospel and shall we not labour after a clearer light about it It being a priviledge that is common to all Believers there being also such a revelation of it 't is to be lamented that it is no better understood by us 'T is true in this life we cannot hope fully to comprehend it yet we might know much more of it than generally we do Paul speaks of * Eph. 3.19 the love of Christ as passing knowledge and yet he prayed for the Ephesians that they might know it i.e. that they might know as much of it as was possible though all could not be known the same I say concerning the Mystical Vnion But chiefly In the Second place labour to be more clear as to your personal interest in it Are not many of God's people very much in the dark about this often questioning with themselves whether they be in Christ or not Is it better with you have you assurance of your spiritual conjunction with Christ As you value your comfort your inward settledness and establishment take pains after this assurance so as that with the Apostles evidence and confidence you may be able to say * 1 Joh. 5.20 we are in him that is true Could you but once arrive at this how great would your rejoycing be I have told you 't is a sad thing for a man to get no higher than a peradventure with respect to Non-condemnation now the assurance of that depends upon the assurance of Vnion The Apostle would have Christians know distinctly how the case stands with them in reference to their being in Christ and Christ's being in them 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates In order to this assurance you must pray much for the Spirit 's witness for that Spirit which promotes it doth also discover and give the evidence of it The objective evidence you may have in your selves viz. Grace in the heart the new Creature Faith c. but the subjective evidence you will not have till the Spirit by a divine irradiation doth make out the thing to you To maintain the Vnion 3. Are you in Christ O maintain and keep up your Vnion with him this is the abiding in him which he himself speaks so much of Joh. 15.4 Abide in me and I in you so v. 5 6 7 't is not enough to be in Christ unless you abide in him You 'le say is not the Union indissoluble that which shall never cease I answer yes it is so yet you may do that which may tend to the dissolving of it though through Grace it shall not actually dissolve it and you may do that which may utterly deprive you of the sense and evidence and comfort of it though the thing it self shall remain firm and sure it concerns you therefore upon these accounts to be very careful Wherein why do not sin willingly and knowingly against God and do not abate in your constant and fervent performance of duty for these things strike at the Union at the untying of that knot which God hath tyed so fast And if it should once come to that what would become of you No sooner is the branch broken off from the root but it immediately withers and dyes could you imagine a Believer to be broken off from Christ but for one moment what a withering dying person would he be O Sirs your life strength fruitfulness comfort your all is in Christ and secured by your Union with him if that should fail all would fail do nothing therefore to endanger it Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me v. 5. he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim à me separated from me so Beza renders the word ye can do nothing So long as you preserve your Union you 'l be strong strong to do and strong to suffer but if you once make a breach upon that you 'l be no better than Sampson when his * Judg. 16.19 strength was departed from him what is the cutting off the hair to divulsion and separation from the head 4. Improve your Vnion with Christ To improve it Are you in him you should always be drawing and deriving from him So the member doth from the head and
needs upon this be excellent and glorious The excellency of persons and things is to be measured by their appropinquation or approximation to that which is most excellent then the Saints are the * Psal 16.3 excellent in the earth because they are so near to Christ the center of all excellencies How was the humane Nature advanc'd and dignifi'd even above the Angelical Nature when it was so nearly united to the Godhead as the woman of mean descent is when she is match'd into some great family And hath not Christ highly advanc'd your persons too by taking them into so close so intimate an union with himself 'T was accounted honour for Esther to be taken into Ahasuerus's Royal Bed 't was a far greater honour to her to become his wife but this is nothing to the honour which Christ hath put upon you in his joyning and marrying of you to himself O let him first be adored who hath thus eâ—aâ—â—â—d poor worms and then you should know how to judge of your selves according to the advancement and dignity conferred upon you by your being in Christ As to your Being and Order the Angels are above you * Psal 8.5 Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels but as Christ hath assumed your Nature and not theirs and hath thus nearly united your Persons to himself so they are a little nay a great deal lower than you Let there be no pride or sinful self-exaltation in you yet know how to put a right estimate upon your selves according to your advancement by Grace The Saint in his rags is greater than the Sinner in his robes for the one is in Christ and the other is not and that puts a superlative glory and excellency upon him Believers being in Christ they are safe 2. Are you in Christ Jesus then as your dignity is great so your safety is great too You need not fear the greatest dangers which threaten you upon your being in Christ even in the * Psal 23.4 valley of the shadow of death you are safe The Evils you dread are either temporal and external or spiritual internal and eternal you are secure against all That special providence which is over you secures against the first and that special Grace which is in you and towards you secures against the last * Isa 4.5 Vpon all the glory shall be a defence You upon your Vnion are a part of this glory for it points to persons as well as things therefore there 's a defence upon you to keep off whatever might hurt you You are not meerly a part of Christ through your conjunction with him but you are in regard of his special and tender affection as * Zech. 2.8 the apple of his cye and will he not guard the apple of his eye He that is in this Ark must needs be safe in the greatest deluge The Evil of Evils is eternal condemnation but what saith the Text There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus How can they perish who are one with Christ will he suffer persons so united to him to be miserable so long as 't is well with the Head shall it not be well with the Members also In the Body Natural the Head may be safe and yet some of the Members may perish but in the Body Mystical 't is otherwise where all the members are safe in the head and as safe as the head it self O Believers you may with courage look the greatest dangers evils in the face as knowing that none of them shall ever reach you much to hurt you because you are so strongly engarrison'd in Christ But more of this in the last branch of Comfort Christ sympathizes with those who are in him 3. Are you in Christ Jesus Here 's Comfort for you Vpon your union with him he sympathizes with you in all your afflictions and looks upon all done to you as done to himself I say Christ sympathizes with you in all your afflictions for he 's a sympathizing compassionate tender-hearted Saviour as you read Heb. 4.15 Heb. 5.2 As there is by virtue of the Vnion a mutual sympathy betwixt the Head and the Members the Husband and the Wife so 't is here 'twixt Christ and you * Isa 63.9 in all your afflictions he is afflicted He that * Isa 53.4 bore your griefs when he was on earth really and properly he bears them still now he is in heaven in a way of sympathy Further I add he hath a tender sense of what is done to you and looks upon it as done to himself and no wonder since he and you are but One. He that touches you touches the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 * Sic vocem pedis suscipit Lingua clamat calcas me in membris Christi Christus est August in Ps 30. Saul Saul why persecutest me Act. 9.4 When the Saint is persecuted Christ himself in him is persecuted As if any kindness or love be shown to Believers Christ looks upon it as done to himself Matth. 25.40 Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it to me So if any unkindness be shown to them Christ looks upon it as done to himself O that Enemies would be quiet and let God's people alone and fear to wrong or injure them for they are so united to Christ so incorporated with him that they who strike at them do through them strike at Christ himself Will certainly supply them in all their wants 4. Are you in Christ He will then most certainly supply you in all your wants In temporal wants fear not Christ will provide will he suffer that body to starve which he hath united to himself You are full of anxious thoughts what ye shall eat and drink what ye shall put on Christ would have you * Matth. 6.26 take no thought about these things your bodies being in union with him he 'le look after them so that they shall not want what is necesiary O Believer hath Christ thus admirably joyn'd thee to himself and will he deny thee a little meat and drink and cloathing And then as to spiritual wants in those Christ will supply too Every member in the body from this head shall receive that grace life strength that is proper for it The root supplies every branch with what it needs Christ will do the same to every believing Soul and this is part of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that supply of the Spirit which you read of Phil. 1.19 This union is operative and communicative if thou beest in Christ thou shalt most surely have from him * Rom. 12.3 that measure of Grace and Comfort which he sees best for thee Every Lamp in the Golden-candlestick was supplied from the two Olives Zec. 4.12 and so every particular member of Christ is and shall as need requires be supplied from him The Apostle tells us 1 Tim.
to the Lord of Glory but 't is as much your duty to deal thus revengefully with the Flesh O let all cry out in the height of their hatred against it Let it be crucified why but what evil hath it done nay rather ask what evil hath it not done therefore cry out the more let it be crucified And indeed the crucifixion of our Natural Flesh in Christ without the crucifixion of moral and sinful Flesh in our selves will not profit us Paul saith he was crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 how why in a spiritual and mystical sense so as to be dead to the Flesh and so as to live the spiritual life And the Apostle lays it upon this 1 Pet. 4.1 2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God 'T is a Scripture somewhat dark but the strength of it lies thus Christ hath suffered for us and we in an analogical sense must be ready to suffer too this is the same mind here spoken of and Christ having suffered hath ceased from sin h. e. so as to dye for sin no more so saith the Apostle you too in your own persons must so dye to sin as no longer to live in it This is the being planted into the likeness of Christ's death Rom. 6.5 and you find the Apostle there in that Chapter from this very Topick the Death of Christ earnestly disuading persons from walking after the flesh I have done with the Motives to inforce the Dehortation What men are to do that they may not walk after the Flesh Before I go off from this Head something must be hinted by way of Direction What is to be done some may say that we may no longer walk after the Flesh I answer 1. Get out of the Flesh For being in the flesh is always attended with walking after the flesh as the State is always according to the Course so the Course is always according to the State if you be in the fleshly state your conversation will be a fleshly conversation Such as the man is such are the principles and such as the principles are such will the practises be also Therefore get out of the state of Nature in which the Flesh rules and carries a man whither it pleases and get into Christ persons out of Christ are all Flesh and thereupon will be wholly followers of the Flesh Spiritual walking discovers the Vnion but first the Union is the ground of spiritual walking that will certainly follow upon being in Christ but being in Christ must necessarily antecede it Till thou beest ingrafted into Christ no good fruit can grow upon thee he that is flesh must needs live and act flesh 2. Get the Spirit and walk after the Spirit 'T is the divine Spirit and the divine Nature from that Spirit which must dethrone and break the power of sinning and sinful Nature Till the Holy Spirit and grace come into the heart the Flesh lords and domineers in the life as you will hear more fully when I come to the second Verse The Apostle joins together Sensual and not having the Spirit Jud. 19. where the latter clause is not onely a further description of the persons spoken of but 't is also the assignation of the cause or reason of their being sensual viz. because they had not the Spirit Till the mighty Spirit of God comes into the Soul by saving illumination and overpowering influences to say efficaciously to a man * Isa 30.21 This is the way walk therein there may be convictions purposes resolutions to the contrary yet still there will be one way or other walking after the Flesh And so for Grace no sooner doth this take possession but the Walking is altered which it never is before to any purpose Prov. 2.10 When wisdom entereth into the heart c. discretion shall preserve thee c. to deliver thee from the way of the evil man c. who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness who rejoice to do evil c. Your way to be rid of the Flesh is to get the Spirit set a thousand Arguments the most effectual Considerations imaginable before the Sinner to draw him off from this fleshly walking till the regenerating sanctifying Spirit take hold of him they are all weak and ineffective I add Walk after the Spirit Every man will be walking there 's no standing still all will be in motion so long as they are in viâ and every mans Walking will be in one of these two ways either after the Flesh or after the Spirit for non datur tertium And these being contrary do mutually exclude each the other he that walks after the flesh cannot in sensu composito walk after the spirit and he that walks after the spirit cannot walk after the flesh therefore Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the Reason then upon which this Direction is grounded is strong and evident And let me tell you Principles you will and must have some or other which if they be not good they will be bad and so as to Guides Affections Propensions Ends these will be in every reasonable Soul from one cause or another So that if you be not spiritual you will be carnal for one of these two you must be as both you cannot be O let it be the Former that it may not be the Latter 3. Take heed of particular allowed fleshly acts for they make way for that general course which you are to shun Acts produce Habits as well as Habits do produce Acts particular acts of sin especially if allowed and repeated end in a course of sin If you gratifie the flesh in some things it will grow upon you as sad experience proves the Gangrene or Leprosie at the first begins with some particular member but if it be let alone in a little time it diffuses it self over the whole body and so 't is here as to sin A little leaven leavens the whole lump 'T is true as hath been observ'd the Apostle here fixes his Character upon the Course and not upon single acts but he that allows himself in them will not stay there in time hee 'l fall into a wicked and fleshly Course 4. Timely suppress the first risings of the flesh it gains by delays O as soon as the corrupt Nature begins to stir and show it self see that you fall upon it presently make speedy and vigorous resistance to it if you give the Enemy time hee 'l grow stronger and the Conquest will be the more difficult You read Jam. 1.15 of the conceiving of Lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Vide Stobaeum in Eclog. Serm. 3. p. 9. when Lust hath conceived
his mercy to Sinners he had gracious purposes in himself towards Man and whereas all mankind lay before him in an undone and ruin'd condition he would not leave them to perish eternally in that condition Then supposing this which cannot be deny'd God must send something must be done or else these gracious purposes of God will be lost and all men must inevitably perish for ever For as to all Other Wayes the Sinners Case was desperate with respect to them there was no hope or help some new and strange course must be taken or else as things stand on the Creatures part there 's nothing to be look'd for but hell and damnation Now things being brought to this pass therefore God will send yea he will send his own Son for hee 'l be sure to pitch upon a Way which shall infallibly and effectually do the work Observe it in the Text when or because it was impossible for the Law to do then or therefore God sent his Son since neither the Law nor any thing else could operate to any purpose towards the advancing of God's Honour and the promoting of the Sinners good it was necessary in order to these great Ends that God himself should interpose in some extraordinary way which thereupon he accordingly did in the sending of Christ But more particularly let us take it for granted that there was a necessity of Sending yet why did God pitch upon his Son and send him might not some Other Person have been sent as well as he or might not some Other Way have been found out as good as this I answer No Christ the Son must be the very Person whom God will send And him he pitch'd upon so far as we poor shallow mortals are able to judge of his deep and unsearchable actings or to assign the reasons of them for these Reasons 1. First because he was the Person with whom the Father had covenanted about this very thing There was a Covenant commonly called the Covenant of Redemption which had passed betwixt these two Persons in which the Father engaged so and so to Christ and Christ reciprocally engaged so and so to the Father a considerable part of the terms and matter of which Covenant is set down Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. The Father Covenants to do thus and thus for Fallen Man but first in order thereunto the Son must Covenant to take man's Nature therein to satisfie offended Justice to repair and vindicate his Father's Honour c well he submits assents to these demands indents and covenants to make all good and this was the Covenant of Redemption Now upon this Covenant God sends his Son that being done in pursuance of and agreeable to that admirable compact or stipulation that had passed betwixt them both So that this Sending was not founded meerly upon the Father's absolute Will or Sovereignty over Christ but upon the foederal agreement made betwixt them as to this very matter Of which I 'le say no more here having formerly had an opportunity to publish some thoughts about it 2. Secondly God sent Christ because he saw that was the very best way which could be taken and therefore in wisdom he pitch'd upon it O there was no Way like to that The Father had great desigus now to carry on as for example to let the world see what an evil thing Sin was what a dreadful breach it had made betwixt himself and the Creature how terrible and impartial his Justice was what an Ocean of Love he had in his heart to promote the Sinners happiness yet so as in the first place to secure and advance his own glory in the magnifying of all his Attributes to indear himself his Son and all his mercies to his people to lay a sure foundation for the Righteousness and Salvation of believers were not these great and glorious designs Now there was no Way for the accomplishing and effecting of these comparable to this of God's sending his Son What God might have done some other way by his absolute Power and Will abstracting from his decree I dare not enquire into much less determine any thing about it or wherther this was the Onely Way I leave to others to discuss but certainly this was the best the fittest Way and therefore the Wise God pitch'd upon it Eos itaque qui dicunt itane defuit Deo modus alius quo liberaret homines à miseriâ mortalitatis hujus ut unigenitum Filium c. parum est sic refellere ut istum modum quo nos per Mediatorem Dei Hominum hominem Jesum Christum Deus liberare dignatur asseramus bonum divinae congruum dignitati verum etiam ut oftendamus non alium modum possibilem Deo defuisse cujus potestati aequalitèr cuncta subjacent sed sanandae nostrae miseriae convenientiorem alium non fuisse Aug. de Trin. lib. 13. cap. 10. Austine went no higher than thus 3. Christ was sent because as this was the best and the fittest Way so he was the best and the fittest Person to be imploy'd in such an Embassy God always sends the fittest messengers upon his errands 't was a great errand for Christ to come from heaven to earth about man's Redemption but God saw that He was the fittest messenger to be imploy'd therein and therefore he sent him For as he imploys none in his work especially when 't is high and of great importance whom he doth not either find or make fit for it so the more fit any are for his work the rather he doth imploy them and therefore this was that which induced him to send Christ none being so fit for the managing and transacting the Work of Redemption as he was which I shall endeavour to make out in a few Particulars Christ's superlative fitness for it appears from and was grounded upon Christ's Fitness for the Work of Redemption set forth 1. His two Natures the Hypostatical union of Both in his Person He was God Joh. 1.1 Phil. 2.6 1 Joh. 5.20 Rom. 9.5 Isa 9.6 Tit. 2.13 He was also Man 1 Tim. 2.5 then too he â—as God-man in one Person Col. 2.19 Now who could be so fit to bring God and Man together as he who was himself both God and Man who so fit to negotiate with both as he who was a middle Person betwixt both who so fit to treat with an offended God as he who was God who so fit to suffer as he who was Man and to merit by suffering as he who was God-man Had he been only God he could not have suffered had he been only Man he could not have merited but being both he was eminently fit for both viz. for suffering and meriting for obeying and satisfying Thus his not to be parallell'd Fitness was grounded upon his Personal consideration 2. 'T was grounded upon his glorious Attributes his Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Faithfulness
hard as that the power of the Son of God cannot effect it and what can be so high as that the Obedience of the Son of God cannot merit it Had Christ been only the Son of Man then indeed Faith could not have bore up with such confidence but he being the Son of God also and having the Nature Essence Attributes of God how may Faith triumph as to the efficacy and meritoriousness of his obedience 'T was the blood of God which he shed Acts 20.28 O what a greatness and * Superest ut poena illa Fidejussoris nostri pretio dignitate atque merito foret infinita id quod allter fieri non potuit quam si Persona patiens foret ipsa infinita Nam ut Pèccati c. Vid. Thes Salmur de Christo Mediat parte 1. th 13. p. 246. infiniteness of Merit must needs result from the greatness and infiniteness of such a Person Heb. 9.13 14. If the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God 4. You may go boldly to the throne of Grace upon all occasions For you have God's own Son to lead you thither and to make way for you and not only so but this own Son improves all his interest in and with the Father for your good why are you afraid to go to God Heb. 4.14 16. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God c. let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need 5. You need not in the least question the prevalency of Christ's intercession Doth Christ intercede and shall he not prevail will not the Father hear such a Son Suppose he may deny you which he will not yet surely he will not deny his own and onely Son Christ upon this relation may ask any thing and he shall have it mark the connexion Psal 2.7 I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee what follows now upon this why Vers 8. Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession God thinks nothing too much for this Son when he asks it of him and 't is the same when he asks for you as when he asks for himself therefore fear not but that your Prayers shall be graciously answered Christ himself interceding for you when the Kings own Son carrys the Petition doubtless it shall be granted 6. This is the Person to whom you are mystically united and therefore his Glory and Greatness reflects a Glory and Greatness upon you You are in Christ not only as he is the Son of Man but as he is the Son of God also for the Vnion is terminated not in this or that Nature but in the whole Person the Apostle therefore takes special notice of this 1 Joh. 5.20 We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ O to be in this Son there 's the glory and safety of a believer I have done with this high and most Evangelical Truth The Lord Jesus is God's own Son upon which I have been somewhat large partly because of the excellency of the Argument it self and partly because of the great opposition made against it 2 Joh. 3. Grace be with you mercy and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love ROM 8.3 c. In the likeness of sinful Flesh CHAP. XII Of Christ's Incarnation and abasement in Flesh A Fourth General in the Words handled Why the Apostle is so express in the further adding of these Words to the former Five things laid down for the explication of them Flesh not taken here in the same sense with Flesh in what went before A double Synecdoche in the word Flesh Christ did not bring Flesh from Heaven with him but assum'd it here on Earth His sending in Flesh was not his taking a meer humane shape c. Likeness to be joyn'd not with Flesh but with sinful Flesh Two Propositions rais'd from the Words Of the First that Christ was sent in Flesh What his sending in Flesh imports this opened more strictly and more largely Of Marcion and Others who denied the verity of Christ's Incarnation and Body That proved as to both as also the verity of his whole Manhood Of his having a true Soul Of his submitting to the common adjuncts and infirmities of Flesh How the Humane Nature in Christ and in us differ His Incarnation not impossible not incredible The Reasons of it 1. That the Old-Testament Prophecies Promises Types might thereby receive their accomplishment 2. That Christ might be qualified for his Office as Mediator and the work of Redemption 3. Because it was the fittest and the best way in order to the redeeming of man Seven Propositions laid down for the due stating and opening of Christ's Incarnation As 1. That Christ who before was the eternal Son of God and had a praevious existence was made Flesh this made good against the SOCINIANS 2. That the Second Person only was incarnate 3. That this was not done till the fulness of time 4. That 't was not the divine Essence absolutely considered which assumed Flesh but that Essence considered as subsisting in the Second Person 5. That the Nature assuming was the Divine Nature 6. That the Humane Nature was so assum'd as to subsist in the Divine and that both of these Natures make but one Person where the Hypostatical Union is opened and prov'd 7. 'T is probable that if Adam had not fallen Christ had not been sent in the Flesh Of the Second Proposition That Christ was sent in the likeness yet but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Of the Sanctity of Christ's Humane Nature The Grounds thereof Use 1. To inform 1. Of the excellency of the Gospel and of the Christian Religion As also 2. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh or Manhood Use 2. Wherein several Duty 's are urged upon Christians as namely 1. To give a full and firm assent to the Truth of Christ's Incarnation and also firmly to adhere to Christ as having assumed our Flesh where something is spoken against those who make little of a Christ in Flesh but are all for a Christ within 2. To be much in the study and contemplation of Christ incarnate 3. To adore the Mystery it self and also the Father and the Son in the Mystery 4. To endeavour after the powerful influence of it
We read Mark 11.9 They that went before and they that followed cryed saying Hosanna blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Believers who liv'd before Christ's incarnation and they who follow since both are equally obliged to magnifie God for him both receiving the same benefit by him 2. It may be enquired Why Christ was incarnate just when he was why at this very Epocha or period of time rather than at any other was Christ incarnate why not either before or after but just then Answ why because it was that very time which God had set therefore called the fulness of time Gal. 4.4 He that is pleas'd to set the time for other things as for the Churches deliverances Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Psal 102.13 and so in several Other cases surely he was pleas'd to set the time for so great a thing as the coming of his own Son in Flesh he in his eternal decree had determin'd the precise time for this which therefore when it was come then Christ came now I say all must be resolv'd into this True there were some more immediate Reasons why he came just when he did he was to come before the Scepter was wholly departed from Judah Gen. 49.10 whilst the Second Temple was standing Hag. 2.6 7 8 9. during the Fourth Monarchy Dan. 2.44 Daniel's 70 weeks were almost expired Dan. 9.24 there was a general expectation raised in the world of the coming of the Messias as might easily be made out Now with respect to these things the Lord Jesus came at that very period of time whereat he did but they all falling out but in compliance with and subordination to the Decree of God therefore the determination of the time of Christ's Coming and Incarnation must ultimately be resolv'd into that O he came just when he did neither sooner nor later because the Father had appointed that very time Prop. 'T was not the Divine Essence absolutely considered which assumed Flesh but that Essence considered as subsisting in the Second Person 4. 'T was not the Divine Nature or Essence simply and absolutely considered which assumed Flesh but it was that * Tota igitur Natura Divina fuit incarnata sed non quatenus absolutè in se consideratur ut omnibus Personis communis sed quatenus personalibus proprietatibus seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Personâ Filii determinata coâ—sideratur Davenant in Col. 2.9 p. 240. Solus Filius suscepit humanitatem in singularitatem Personae non in unitatem Naturae Divinae Concil Tolet. Neque enim Divina Natura si propriè accuratè loqui velimus sed Persona Divina assumsit Naturam Humanam Divina quidem Natura unitur Humanae sed eam nòn assumsit assumere enim non est Naturae sed Suppositi Bisterf contra Crell p. 565. Vide Alting Theol. Problem p. 562. 577. Nature considered as subsisting in the Second Person If this restriction and stating of the Point be not admitted we cannot avoid our holding the Incarnation was common to all the Persons contrary to what the Church hath ever held and to what was asserted but even now therefore when 't is said †1 Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the Flesh you are to understand God in the Personal not in the Essential notion Prop. The Nature assuming was the Divine Nature 5. The Nature assuming was the Divine Nature that being considered as was laid down in the forgoing Proposition The Manhood did not assume the Godhead but the Godhead it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc de Orthod Fide lib. 3. cap. 2. p. 167. Man did not become God but God became Man 't is not said that †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. de Inc. Christi t. 1. p. 612. the Flesh was made the Word but the Word was made Flesh this is a thing so unquestionable that the very naming of it is enough Prop. That the Humane Nature was so assum'd as to subsist in the Divine that both Natures make butâ— one Person 6. The Lord Jesus the eternal Son of God God blessed for ever did so assume the Humane Nature as in a most mysterious and unconceivable manner to unite it upon the first framing or forming of it to his Divine Nature and to give that a subsistence in this so as that both do make but one Person the Essence Properties Operations of both Natures yet remaining the same without either conversion or confusion Here the Hypostatical Vnion is both asserted and and also described for wherein doth the nature of that Vnion consist but in that which is here laid down Of the Hypostatical Vnion Of it you read Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily i. e. Personally and Hypostatically Rom. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever here 's both the Natures of Christ and both in him making but one Person upon the personal conjunction of which he 's call'd Emmanuel God with us Matth. 1.23 But not to insist upon the Proof of this Vnion which all but INFIDELS and SOCINIANS do believe The mysteriousness thereof I will endeavour as well as I can rather to explain and open it an undertaking which I enter upon the Lord knows with great fear and dread because of the loftiness and mysteriousness of the thing to be opened O 't is a thing so sublime and mysterious as that it transcends the capacity of Angels and Men how then shall I be able to speak of it or to it Take whom you will single out a Person of the sharpest wit the profoundest judgment the most elevated reason let all the most raised abilities concur in him and then set the Hypostatical Vnion before this person alas poor man how will he be puzzl'd nonplus'd unable to fathom so great a depth as this is And well he may since 't is the mystery of mysteries one of the first magnitude than which by a narrow intellect none more hard to be conceiv'd of or understood 'T is indeed sure and certain to Faith which believes it because God reveals it which readily answers all Objections and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Martyr solves all difficulties about it by resting on divine revelation but if Reason beyond its proper bounds will be prying into and judging of a thing so abstruse its blindness as well as its boldness will soon appear its bucket will not go to the bottom of a Well so deep its line is too short to measure such heights breadths lengths depths as are here to be found I do not in the least wonder that they who make Reason to be the supream Judge of matters of Faith do throw off the belief of this mystery for though it be not at all contrary to reason
Adam's loins too for his genealogie is carried up to Adam Luk. 3. yet he not descending from him in the ordinary fleshly way his Person was exempted from the guilt of his sin and his Nature from the general depravation 3. Christ was actually Holy there was nothing but holiness in whatever he did all his actings inward and outward did exactly correspond with the Nature and Will of his Father he never was guilty of the least sin in thought word or deed sin was neither contracted nor * Eandem assumsit Naturam Chriâ—tus sed in ea non peccaviâ— Ambros committed by him Grace and Holiness were advanced in him to the highest pitch according to the utmost capacity of the Humane Nature without the least mixture of what is contrary thereunto in a word he liv'd in his whole course a most holy innocent spotless sinless life as the Scriptures which have been alledged do abundantly testifie The Grounds of Christ's Holiness and Sanctity This sanctity and sinlessness of Christ's Humane Nature was necessary upon a double account 1. To fit it for the personal union with his Divine Nature Can it be imagin'd that ever the Lord Jesus would take a Nature tainted with sin and so nearly unite it to himself when the Divine Nature stood at so great a distance from sin can we without blasphemy think that it would assume the Humane Nature had it been sinful into so close an union as that both should make but one person O such a thing was not possible God can take a sinning if repenting Creature into his bosom but he cannot take a sinning Nature into his Person Christ might condescend to take flesh yet be God but he could not have taken sinful flesh and yet be God the humane nature simply considered was not inconsistent with his Godhead but that Nature if sinful was 2. This was necessary in respect of Christ's Office and undertaking for our good In order to which as he must be man so he must be man perfectly holy and righteous for he that is a sinner himself cannot be a Saviour to other sinners then 't would be Physician heal thy self or Saviour save thy self all that such a one could do would be little enough for himself Christ was both Priest and Sacrifice with respect to both he must be without sin as Priest for if sin had been chargeable upon him he must then have offer'd for himself and so have been in the same condition with the Priests under the Law which the Apostle shews he was not Heb. 7.26 27. As Sacrifice too for whatever was offer'd up to God it was to have no blemish in it In allusion to which the Apostle calls him a Lamb without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 answerably to the Paschal Lamb Exod. 12.5 and to the two Lambs in the fire-offering Numb 28.3 and he 's said to offer himself without spot to God Heb. 9.14 How could Christ have taken off guilt from us had he had it lying upon himself or how could he have made us righteous had he not been righteous himself therefore 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him and Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many mark it Christ being a righteous Person himself so he comes to justifie and make others righteous so 1 Joh. 3.5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin the connexion is observeable * Si esset in illo peccatum auferendum esset illi non ipse auferret August he that will take away sin from others must have no sin in himself Christ coming for that end therefore in him there was no sin Three things as †one observes from the words were requisite to him that should be the Mediator he must be God he must be Man * Piscat he he must be perfectly and unmixtly holy all these three qualifications you have in the Text Christ was God's own Son there 's his Godhead he was sent in flesh there 's his Manhood he was sent but in the likeness of sinful flesh there 's his purity and holiness Having done with the Explicatory part Use 1. Information I come now to what is Applicatory Where in the first place passing by other things these two we are mainly informed of 1. Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion 2. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh or Manhood Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion 1. First that great Truth which I have been upon informs us of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion The more raised and mysterious the things are which the one reveals and the other believes the more excellent must both of them needs be for this is a Principle grounded upon Reason and strengthned by the Consent of all who pretend to Religion whether it be true or false What more common amongst men when they would argue for the excellency either of that from which they fetch their Religion or of their Religion it self than to cry up the mysteries and to tell us what high sublime mysterious things are contained in them These make a great impression upon mens minds and strongly induce them to believe that whatever hath in it such mysteries must certainly be of God and have a divine Original therefore Heathens themselves as well as Christians have much pleas'd themselves with this and have been great pretenders to such and such mysteries thereby to gain credit and reputation to their way Now let us apply this Principle or common test to the Gospel-revelation and the Christian Religion and then I 'm sure their excellency above all other pretended Revelations and Religions will be evident For look into all those admired and rare Secrets those high and raised mysteries which they who know not the Gospel did so much cry up and magnifie and do but compare them with this one mystery God 's own Son sent in flesh alas what trifles what shallow contemptible ridiculous things are they in comparison of it A God incarnate shames all the little mysteries of the Pagan Religion if so good a title may be given to so bad a thing they all vanish before this and are not able to stand in competition with it Now where is this profound mystery revealed but in the Gospel and where is that revelation believed but in the Christian Religion therefore how excellent must both needs be upon this account The Heathens knew nothing at all of this they dreamt of Men being made Gods but that he who was truly God should be made truly Man this they were altogether ignorant of in all their Religion there was no such mystery The Apostle cryes out 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh c. his design in these
glorying who would take away from them the Manhood of Christ since as 't is truly said * Nullus potest eo capite gloriari in quo asserit Naturam suam non haberi Leo Epist 11. No man can glory in that head in which he believes there is not his own Nature And how injurious are the Saints unto themselves who do so little meditate upon improve and draw comfort from Christ in this consideration Wherein doth Christ's Incarnation afford matter of Comfort to Believers If it be ask'd What is there in a Christ incarnate for the strengthning of the Faith the heightning of the comfort of God's Children give me leave to answer this Question in several particulars 1. There 's this in it certainly this must be an effectual and the most effectual way imaginable for the promoting of God's glory and the Sinners good This an effectual way to promote God's glory and the good of Sinners If Christ become Man that must be a very proper and powerful Means in order to these ends for besides the greatness of the thing in it self if it shall please God out of his abundant mercy to propound to himself the bringing about of such things he out of his infinite Wisdom will be sure to pitch upon such means as shall certainly reach them and therefore he pitching upon this unquestionably it shall attain what it was designed for Is not this then ground of joy and a great support to faith to consider that there is a way and such a way way found out as shall infallibly and effectually promote your good 2. In this you have in high demonstration of his * Nihil tam necessarium fuit ad erigendam spem nostram quam ut demonstraretur nobis quantum nos diligeret Deus Quid vero isto indicio manifestius quam quod Dei Filius Naturae nostrae dignatus est inire consortium Aug. de Trin. l. 13. Love yea the highest that was possible The highest demonstration of God's Love for there was in it ultimus divini amoris conatus infinite Love it self could go no higher than a Christ in Flesh Now this Love of God is the strongest the most heart-reviving cordial that can be given to a gracious person and answerable to the degree of that so is the degree of his comfort for evermore where God displayes his highest Love there he hath the highest comfort You that are such do you desire an evidence of this and would that chear you here you have one the very highest that God could give viz. his sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh All the Promises are seal'd by this 3. By this as hath been already observed under a former head all the promises are seal'd confirm'd and ratify'd Christ's Incarnation was not only one of the promises it self yea the grand Old-Testament promise but it was the seal and confirmation of all the rest When God would give Ahaz a sign for the incouraging of his faith as to the making good of a particular mercy promis'd what was that sign why Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel Isa 7.14 and so it is in all other respects The Promises indeed are confirmed several wayes but there is not any one thing which gives an higher confirmation to them than this Christ's being made Flesh What ever God hath promis'd 't is all sure now to be made good why because his great promise of the Incarnation of his Son than the which nothing could be more high and more improbable is exactly accomplished A Christ incarnate is Faith's highest security Saints you have no reason now to question either God's power for what cannot he do who can unite the Godhead and the Manhood what can be too hard for him who can make a Virgin to conceive or his mercy and willingness to do any thing for you for he that will send his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh what will he stick at what can come after that can be so great as that * Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son how shall he not with him give us all things Well therefore might the Apostle say All the promises of God in him in Christ are yea and in him Amen c. 2 Cor. 1.20 A very great and precious Truth here lies before me All the great objects of the Christians Faith and Hope are by Christ's Incarnation made sure and credible This proved by Instancâ—s which there-I would fain speak more fully unto 't is this that all the excellent Objects of the Christians Faith and Hope are made credible nay sure and certain upon the Incarnation of the Son of God This I 'le endeavour to make out in some Instances As the Mystical Vnion 1. There 's first the mystical union betwixt Christ and Believers a very great mystery as you have heard Christ in believers and one with them what can be more wonderful yet 't is sure there is such a thing and we may be assured of it for 't is made credible and certain by that which I am upon The Hypostatical Vnion ascertains the Mystical Vnion the union of Persons is not so much as the Personal Vnion he that hath thus united our Manhood to his Godhead in one Person why may he not mystically unite our persons to his Person this latter union not being so high as the former As 't is said * Heb. 7 7. the less is blessed of the better so I may here say the less is confirmed by the greater if Christ had not come so near us in the taking of our Nature the mystical union might have been more doubtful but now there 's no room for doubting Observe that place Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one there 's the union in the same common Nature for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren there 's the near relation or the mystical union grounded upon the former Communion with God Christ's special presence the inhabitation of the Spirit 2. There 's Communion with God Christ's special presence in the Soul the inhabitation of the Spirit All very high and glorious things so high that the poor creature knows not how to believe them yet they also are very credible and certain upon Christ's Incarnation 'T is more for God to be made man then 't is for God to converse with man God manifested in the flesh is more than God manifesting himself to flesh Moreover Christ in our flesh laid the foundation of the Creatures Communion with God and removed that which hindred it namely distance and enmity these two stood in the sinners way as to this blessed communion but Christ removed them both and so brought it about 'T is observable the Apostle having spoken of the Incarnation of Christ 1 Joh. 1.1 2 3. presently he adds and truly our
would have had all and the poor Gentiles nothing If Christ will redeem and save both he must make good that Law which did equally oblige both now that was the moral Law Gal. 4.4 c. God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we Gentiles as well as Jews might receive the adoption of Sons Christ came not to save this or that nation or people but mankind wherefore he must be subject unto and fulfil that Law in order thereunto in which not any particular people but all mankind were concern'd which I say was the Moral Law 4. Over and above the Moral Law Christ was subject to other Laws 4. Yet besides this general Law which concern'd all mankind which therefore the Saviour of mankind subjected himself unto there were other * Bradsh of Justif c. 19. particular and special Laws to whose obligation he submitted and unto which he was obedient As he was a man he was subject to the Moral Law as he was of the seed of Abraham of the stock of Israel so he was subject to the Ceremonial Law as he was Mediator there were some particular and positive Laws laid upon him to which he was subject also In obedience to the Ceremonial Law he was circumcised Luk. 2.21 presented in the Temple with the usual offering of the poor and mean Luk. 2.22 kept the Passeover Matth. 26.17 and the like In obedience to the special Laws laid upon him as Mediator the chiefest of which was that he should so and so suffer yea lay down his life he did according to the Will of his Father therefore he 's said to be obedient to death even the death of the cross Phil. 2.8 and to learn obedience by the things be suffered Heb. 5.7 and Joh. 10.18 No man taketh it his life he speaks of from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again this commandme have I received of the Father so Joh. 14.31 We commonly distinguish between the Moral Law under which as being general Christ was and that special Law which was laid upon him as Mediator but * Burg. of Justif p. 2. p. 396. c. Bodius on the Ephes p. 386 387. some I find do not very well approve of this distinction their reason is because it seems to assert that something was impos'd upon Christ by the latter Law unto which he was not oblig'd by the former which say they was not so For there was nothing enjoyn'd in the mediatory and positive Law unto which Christ was not oblig'd by the Moral Law there was indeed in it a more particular application and determination of Christ's duty in his circumstances but the thing it self was pre-enjoyn'd and he pre-engag'd thereunto from the Moral Law but this I will not concern my self about He that would see a particular draught of Christ's obedience to the several Laws which he was made under and the several capacities in which he all-along obey'd may find it done to his hand by others largely and distinctly as particularly by Zanchy on Phil. 2.8 p. 114. c. 5. His Obedience imputable to us and meritorious for us 5. Though Christ was thus made under the Law and so obliged to keep it yet this notwithstanding his obedience thereunto was meritorious for us and imputable to us For this is usually objected by the SOCINIAN * Quo circa nec pro aliis magis quam quilibet alius homo legem divinam conservando satisfacere potuit quippe qui ipse eam servare omnino deberet Socin de Servat p. 3. c. 5. Against him see Calov Socin proflig Sect. 5. Controv. 1. pag. 642. Opposers of the imputation and merit of his Obedience for if Christ say they was subject to the Law as he was and so bound for himself to do what he did how can his obedience be made over to others or merit for others for debitum tollit meritum For answer to this several things are said but I 'le instance only in three 1. In the business before us Christ is not to be considered only as Man but as God-man Had he obey'd as meer Man his Obedience could not have been meritorious for so all would have been but a due debt and for himself but he obeying who was * Obediens factus fuit ad mortem Patri non necessum id habuit natura sed oeconomia nostrae redemptionis Ut etiam meriti vis non naturae humanae quà natura sed quà Deo unita ost adscribenda Stegman Disp 23. p. 266. God-man so it became meritorious for others His obedience and subjection was indeed terminated in his Humane Nature but that must not be abstracted from his Divine both being now united in one person which Vnion though it did not make Christ incapable of obeying yet it did put a singular virtue and worth and merit into his obeying And as to his obeying for himself take the explication of that in the words of a †Mr. Perkins on Gal. 4 4. p. 274. Reverend Divine It is saith he alledged that Christ as Man fulfill'd the Law for himself and therefore not for us Answ The flesh or manhood of Christ considered by it-self apart from the Godhead of the Son is a creature that owes homage unto God yet if it be considered as it is received into the unity of the second person and is become a part thereof it is exempted from the common condition of all other men and is not bound to perform subjection as all men are for if the Son of Man be Lord of the Sabbath then also is he Lord of the whole Law * Quicunque prose suo loco vel Adae vel Abrahae factus est filius is quoque pro se suo nomine ad Legem implendam tenebatur qui vero non pro se sed pro aliis vel homo fieri vel Isrâelita nasci voluit is quoque non pro se sed pro aliis ad legem quamlibet implendam obligatus est At Christus c. Turret de Sat. p. 276. Vide Polanum in Dan. 9. p. 196. Bodium on Ephes p. 811 812. Hoorneb Socin confut l. 3. p. 627. Quamvis humana natura ut creatura quaevis Deo sublex observantiam debuit attamen quia nec eam assumere tenebatur neque simplicis creaturae obedientia fuit sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideo pro quibus hoc istud factum quidni pro iisdem satisfecisse dicatur 2. Though Christ when he had submitted to assume mans Nature was bound to keep the Law yet his keeping thereof was in effect free and voluntary and so imputable and meritorious inasmuch as he for the sake of man freely consented to the taking of that Nature without which he had not been under any obligation to the Law When he was
as to the Body also The Soul indeed is the principal Subject of this Union but the Body too hath its share in it therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6.15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ As Christ in the assuming of the nature of man took not the body only or the soul only but both and so united them to the Godhead so 't is in the Mystical Union the whole man is knit to whole Christ And which puts marvailous sweetness into it the totality of this Vnion on Christs part reaches to every individual Believer in the world as the whole Soul is united to every part of the Body so 't is whole Christ to every Believer Sixthly 'T is an immediate Vnion Christ and the believing Soul they * See Davenant upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Colos 2.19 Per has commissuras Christus tangit nos nos tangimus Christum touch each the other if I may so express it and the Word encourages me so to do there is nothing that doth intervene or interpose between Christ and it In other unions it is not so there is union between the head and the members yet all the members do not touch the head the Foot is at a great distance from the head though it be united to it all the parts of the building are united to the foundation yet they are not all contiguous to it there is apposition but no contiguity But now the Union which I am upon is so immediate that every Believer touches Christ as it were and lies close and near to him Which yet is not to be taken of any * Omnis physicus contactus excludendus est Zanch. in cap. 5. ad Eph. p. 242. Physical or Local Contact but only of that which is Moral and Spiritual not of any immodietas suppositi but only of that immedietas virtutis or unionis which is through the Spirit and Faith Lastly 'T is an indissoluble Vnion The knot therein is tied so fast that it shall never he again untied or loosened Christ and Believers are so firmly joyned together that none shall ever be able to part them all the powers of Hell with all their united strength shall never be able to disjoyn or separate one Soul from Christ As no * Non obstat unioni huic intercapedo locorum five distantia Coeli Terrae quâ Christus quâ homo fideles peregrè ab ipso versantes disterminantur Quia unio non est existentia corporis Christi intra corpora nostra nec locali contactu aut inclosione constat Alting Explic. Catech. Part. 2. Qu 76. p. 266. distance of place doth hinder the Union so no force or violence from Devils or men shall ever be able to dissolve the Union And herein lies the peculiar transcendent blessedness of this Union above all other Unions They all may cease be broken and come to nothing the members may be separated from the head and the head from the members the tender Husband may and shall be parted from the affectionate Wife the building may be broken off from the foundation the Soul may be divided from the Body But the Mystical Union stands fast forever Christ and a gracious Soul can never be separated God hath joyned them and * Mat. 19.6 what he hath joyned together no man shall ever put asunder There are two abiding things in the Saints their Vnction and their Vnion Their Vnction abides But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you 1 Joh. 2.27 and their Vnion abides for it follows and ye shall abide in him Our Apostle makes his Challenge in the close of this Chapter who shall separate us from the Love of Christ he tells you none should ever be able to do it v. 38 39 so who shall separate us as to our Union with Christ none shall none can Possibly the influences of it for some time may be suspended but yet the Union it self is not nay cannot be dissolved As it was in the Hypostatical Union for a time there was a suspending of the comforting influences of the Divine Nature to the Humane insomuch that our Saviour cried out * My God Mat. 27.46 My God why hast thou forsaken me yet for all this the Union between the two Natures was not in the least abolished So here in the Mystical Vnion the sensible effects comforts benefits of which may sometimes be kept in and not appear but yet the thing it self abides and so shall abide firm and inviolable forever 'T is an inseparable an insuperable Vnion Yea Death it self though that be the bane of all other Unions shall never reach this so as to put an end or period to it And thus I have finished the Heads necessary to be spoken to for the opening of this admirable and blessed Vnion In the clearing of which I have given you the Explication of the Subject of the Proposition There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus I must not dismiss so excellent so useful a Point without some practical improvement of it VSE 1. Of Examination whether we be in Christ And first are they and they only the persons to whom there is No Condemnation such as are in Christ Jesus I would then put all of you upon the most serious Examination whether you be thus in Christ Jesus Pray bring it down to your selves and ask your selves one by one this question Am I in Christ some are so in him am I one of them what is this Mystical Vnion to me It concerns you to be very inquisitive about this because the grand priviledge in the Text depends upon it You cannot safely apply No Condemnation if it be No Vnion If you desire a solid foundation to build upon for exemption from Condemnation you must make sure of this Vnion the happiness and safety of your future state wholly depends upon your present being in Christ O that you would be perswaded with the greatest diligence faithfulness impartiality to search and examine your selves about this The Apostle is very smart upon it 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove you own selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you and you in him except you be reprobates and say I except you be liable to eternal condemnation Two Distinctions concerning Vnion with Christ Now that I may help you in this great Enquiry viz whether your have that very Vnion with Christ which will effectually secure you from this most dreadful Condemnation I must first distinguish about it 1. Union with Christ is either Material and Natural or Spiritual and Supernatural There is a Material or Natural Union with Christ consisting in oneness with him in respect of one of his Natures For he having assumed the nature of man and hypostatically united it to the Godhead upon this wherever the nature of man is there is Union
or conjunction with him so far as the participation of one and the same Nature with him will go The Spiritual and Supernatural Union is that which hath been opened viz. that which is brought about by the Spirit and by Faith upon which the Creature is not one with Christ meerly in respect of his Manhood but he is one with him in an higher manner as being also according to his measure made a partaker of his Divine Nature that is to say as the Image of God is imprinted upon him as the several Graces of the Spirit are wrought in him as Christ and he are not only one flesh but also one spirit both having the same spirit dwelling in them and both being animated and acted by one and the same spirit Now to apply this Distinction The first of these Vnions is not sufficient to secure from Condemnation or to entitle to Salvation for then that being * Nullus est hominum cujus Natura non erat suscepta in Christo Prosp resp ad cap. Gall. c. 9. Of this see Cyril l. 10. c. 13. in Joh. Dei Filius quia suscepit humanam Naturam cum omnibus hominibus conjunctus est c. sed ista conjunctio generalis est tantum ut ita dicam juxta materiam Pet. Martyr common and general all men living should be saved and none should be condemned Even the graceless and unregenerate are men and have that very nature which Christ assumed but is this enough for an everlasting state of happiness Surely no! 'T is true even this natural union is very precious and the foundation of great joy and comfort to Believers O for such to remember that Christ hath match'd into their family sits in Heaven in their nature and is of the same flesh and blood with themselves this I say must needs be very sweet The Apostle speaks of it as a very great thing Heb. 2.11 He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admits of various interpretations I conceive this is the best Christ and the Saints are all of one that is all of one nature of one and the same flesh and blood for it follows v. 14. Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same c. and v. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham I say this Vnion is matter of great comfort to Believers but for Others who have nothing more than that Christ is man and hath assumed their flesh and is as they are and they as he what will this avail them What is Christs taking our flesh if he doth not give us his spirit what is it for him to be made like to us in our nature if we be not made like to him in his nature Christ with the humane Nature is in Heaven and yet thousands with the humane Nature are in Hell O rest not in meer manhood though Christ be man but get an higher a closer a more special Union with him or else it will be condemnation for all that 2. I distinguish Secondly Union with Christ is either External and Visible or Internal and Invisible The First is common and general yet not so common as the Material and Nartural Vnion spoken of before for all are Men but all are not Christians This lies in Church-membership the participation of Church-priviledges living under the Word and Sacraments passing under the Baptismal Seal making of some external profession of Religion c. The Second includes and supposes all this but hath a great deal more in it it notes real insition and implantation into Christ This Distinction is evidently grounded upon that of our Saviour Joh. 15.2 where he saith Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away here is the external Vnion for here is a branch which bears no fruit and yet it is in Christ how it must be understood in respect of Church membership external profession c. And every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit here 's the internal and special Union that which is as was said by real insition and implantation into Christ Now the enquiry lies here whether you be so in Christ as to be ingrafted and implanted into him the Former without this will signifie but very little 'T is indeed a great mercy to be a member of the Visible Church but this without a close and special membership with Christ will not secure a mans everlasting state if it be only external conjunction with Christ here it may for all that be eternal separation from him hereafter What is it for the Branch to be ty'd or fast'ned to the Stock if it doth not coalesce and incorporate with the Stock what is it for a man to be in Christs mystical Body only as the wooden leg or eye of glass is in the natural body where there is apposition but no coalition or union Certainly when Paul here tells us There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus he means such a being in him as is more than what is external and common or (a) Illi in Christo esse dicuntur hoc loco non qui mediatè tantum secundum quid in Christo sunt nempe ratione Ecclesiae ipsius quae corpus Christi mysticum c. sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelliguntur veri Christiani qui immediate in Christo sunt per Unionem mysticam cum ipsius personâ fide virtute Spiritus Sancti c. Gomar founded upon any such bottom As particularly such as is by meer Baptism I mean when 't is the participation of the external sign only and there 's nothing more (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl They therefore who open the Words by this are too large and general Alas Baptism (c) Non loquitur Paulus de iis qui Sacramentum tantummodo Baptismi perceperunt quos extrinsecus duntaxat unda alluit non autem intus in animo Gratia expiavit sed eos intelligit qui sunt in Christo Jesu h. e. rem etiam Sacramenti adepti sunt Justinian in loc Qui sunt in Christo Jesu i. e. qui per Baptismum Christum induerunt eique per Fidem dilectionem incorporati sunt factique tanquam viva ejus membra tanquam palmites Christo ut viti insiti Perer. Disp 1. in Cap. 8. ad Rom. Qui sunt insiti per Baptismum in eo regenerati Estius alone will not do it there must be something more than the external badge and livery of Christianity or else that will come short both of Vnion here and No-Condemnation hereafter O how many are there who are baptiz'd live in the Church are visible members thereof who yet are far from being inwardly knit to Christ and therefore shall perish eternally This is to be
but on the outside of the Ark which will not save from drowning 'T is the internal special Union which you must look after whether you be in Christ so as to receive life growth spiritual influences from him as the branch doth from the root Other Unions might be alluded to 'T is very true that Baptism is an ingrafting Ordinance into Christ therefore 't is set forth by being baptized into Jesus Christ Rom. 6.3 and Gal. 3.27 you read As many of you as have been baptized have put on Christ and again 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all baptized into one body But then it must be limited to such and such subjects and as the spirit accompanies it working therein Faith and Regeneration So that the matter comes to this upon Baptism alone in the external reception of it you cannot be confident but if you can find that you are also true Believers and regenerate persons then you are right as to your Vnion and safe as to Non Condemnation This twofold Distinction being premised and opened in the General the main Question now lies thus before us How may a person know whether the Vnion in which he stands to Christ be internal special and saving or whether it be only external material and common 'T is a Question of very high import for answer to it I shall desire you 1. To fix your thoughts upon the double Bond of it 2. To look into some trying Scriptures which lay down marks and characters about it First make your search after and by the Bonds of the Mystical Vnion the Spirit and Faith As 1. Enquire whether you have the Spirit for it being the bond of the Vnion 't is evident that none can be a partaker thereof who is not first a partaker of the Spirit The Apostle lays it down very expresly * Rom. 8.9 If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his that is he is none of those who are savingly united to him Whoever is in Christ the Spirit of Christ is first in him that being the agent by which this blessed In-being is brought about I told you the Spirit is the bond of the Union on Christs part which yet you are to understand not of the Spirit meerly as it resides in Christ himself but as 't is given and communicated to us he by his own Spirit as poured out upon Believers and dwelling in them takes hold of them and joyns them to himself Not that there is any priority of time betwixt the gift of the Spirit and the Vnion for they go together at the very same instant wherein the Spirit is received the Soul is united to Christ but in order of Nature the reception of the one is antecedent to the Vnion with the other 1 Joh. 3.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us and chap. 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Observe it still the Apostle grounds the evidence of the Vnion upon the Spirit as given to the Saints not as it resides in Christ himself O therefore let the serious inquisitive Christian put such interrogatories as these to himself Have I the Spirit is he given to me doth he dwell in me for accordingly as he can answer these queries so will he be able to conclude whether he be in Christ or not And he that would know whether he hath the Spirit he must examine what he feels of its great acts in himself To have the Spirit 't is for a man to be brought under the great and special effects and operations thereof at present I say no more of it I hope hereafter I shall These are various there 's Illumination whence he 's called The Spirit of wisdom and revelation Eph. 1.17 Quickening whence he 's called the Spirit of Life Rom. 8.2 Conviction the promise is he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.8 he 's the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zech. 12.10 the sanctifying Spirit 1 Pet. 1.2 the Spirit enabling to mortifie sin Rom. 8.13 working a person up to all holy obedience Ezek. 36.27 Now then what do you find in your selves of these high and precious operations of the Spirit here lies your participation or having of it and consequently the evidence of your Union with Christ This great Spirit is never idle where he is he is always an active operative working Spirit is he so in you doth he teach enlighten convince humble draw to Christ raise up the heart to heavenly things excite to duty assist in duty c. if so then he is in you and you are in Christ if it be not so then you have not the Spirit and thereupon are none of Christ's 2. Enquire about the other bond viz. * Soli verè Fideles sunt membra Christi idque non quatenus Homines sed quatenus Christiani nec secundum regenerationem ac proinde non secundum ipsam humanae Naturae substantiam per se sed quatenus illa in Christo ut altero Adamo renovatur singulis ejus partibus novâ ac spirituali qualitate Sanctificatis ut simus novi homines Polan Synt. Theol. p. 454. Faith Ask your selves in secret how the case stands as to Faith say O is this precious grace wrought in us are we sincere and sound Believers have we heartily clos'd with Christ according to the Gospel-offer have we received Christ and whole Christ is our trust relyance confidence for pardon life salvation grounded upon him and upon him only do we cast our selves upon his alone Merits renouncing every thing in our selves have we that Faith which is wrought by the (a) Eph. 1.19 Almighty power of God which (b) Acts 15.9 purifies the heart (c) 1 Joh. 5.4 overcomes the world (d) Gal. 5.6 works by love is attended with (e) Jam. 2.20 good works is it more than a meer dogmatical or historical Faith than such an easie common presumptuous false Faith as that which is in the generality of men O that you would herein deal faithfully with your own Souls let the search be deep and thorough go to the very bottom of your deceitful hearts bring things to an issue be sure that you be not mistaken if the Faith be right the Vnion is sure yea every thing else is sure but if that be unsound do not flatter your selves you are not in Christ Jesus but in the woful state of disunion and distance from him Thus the Examination must be made from the Bonds of the Vnion To clear up the thing yet further in order to your passing true judgement upon your selves I would direct you to a few trying Scriptures 1. Let the First be that 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature what a glass is this for every one of us to see our faces in The thing to be known is our being
as may be suitable to his Nature and Relation as he is the infinite God and the eternal only begotten Son of God and what Honour can be high enough for such a Person But more particularly there 's a twofold Honour which you must all give to Christ 1. The Honour of Worship Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth in the first-born into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him God will have his only begotten Son to be worshipped though he be very tender to whom that honour is given Divines do from hence strongly argue yet I know * Remonstr Apolog Cap. 2. 16. Episcop Inst Theolog. lib. 4. sect 2. cap. 34. 35. Some make but little of this Argument to prove the Godhead of Christ thus if religious Worship be God's peculiar if a God be the sole and adaequate object of Divine Worship if no Creature be to share with him therein it being that Glory which he will not give to another Isa 42.8 Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and yet the Father will have Christ to be the proper Object of divine Worship hence it follows that then he is and must be more than meer Man that he is true and very God And surely it would be no better than flat Idolatry in us Christians to give proper and formal religious worship to Christ was he not truly God as well as truly Man Therefore as to this Franciscus David and Christianus Franken both Socinians were in the right against Socinus if Christ was but meer Man the common Principle in which they all agreed then he could not be worshipped with religious Worship without Idolatry whereupon they would not give any such worship to him And as this Worship proves Christ's Godhead so his Godhead is the * Of this see Zanch. de tribus Elohim l. 3 c. 12. Junius Def. Trinit contra Samosat Profess Leid Cens cap. 16. Voetius de Adorat Christi Cheynel Trin-unity very largely p. 334. c. Dr. Stillingfleet of the Idolatry of the c. chap. 2. p. 112 113 114. ground of it for the adaequate immediate proper ground of Divine Worship as attributed to Christ is his divine Nature Essence and Sonship true he as Man is to be worshipped but not because he is Man the Humane Nature of Christ is the Object of Worship but 't is only as 't is taken into Personal Vnion with the Divine As he is Mediator and set in such an Office he is to be worshipped but this is not the proper and fundamental reason thereof for though he never had been Mediator yet Worship would have been due to him as the Father and Spirit are to be worshipped though the Office of Mediator belongs not to them Further the Lord Jesus as he in our Nature hath done such great and excellent things for us is to be worshipped yet this is only a forcible motive and inducement thereunto not the proper ground of it it remains then that the alone reason of Worship given or done to Christ is his being God and the co-equal co-essential Son of God And he being so what an obligation doth this lay upon you to worship him there 's inward worship consisting in the trust fear reverence adoration of the heart there 's outward worship consisting in attendance upon and due observance of Gospel-institutions as Prayer Hearing the Word c in both of these respects let Christ be worshipped by you both are due to him as he is God's own Son Well may you tender your homage to him in this way when Angels themselves bow before him and worship at his throne 2. Secondly there 's the Honour of Obedience which you must also give to Christ This is annexed to the declaration of his Sonship at the same time in which the Father attested that Christ was his Son he enjoyned obedience and subjection to him * Matth 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased what follows hear ye him this hearing of Christ is the Creatures obeying of him in all his holy Laws Commands and Institutions and so 't is as if God had said here 's a Person whom I own for my Son in a special and peculiar way whom therefore I have set as * Psal 2.6 my King upon my holy Hill of Sion into whose hands I have put †Matth. 28.18 all power upon whose shoulders I have laid the ‖ Isa 9.7 Government therefore I charge you to hear him and to yield all Obedience and Subjection to him O Sirs 't is God himself and not such a poor worm as I who requires this of you it must be Reverence and it must be Obedience too this high relation of Christ calls for both and believe it without this Obedience he that is God's Son will never be your Saviour for Heb. 5.9 Being made perfect he became the author of eternal Salvation unto all them and to none but them that obey him I have spoken much to press believing on this Son upon you but let me add there must be obeying of him as well as believing on him Obedience is not so of the very essence of Faith but that Faith may very well be defin'd without it yet 't is an inseparable Adjunct or Consequent or fruit of Faith and these two do alwayes concur in the Subject though they be different in themselves and have a different influence upon justification and salvation But that which I aim at is this since Christ is the Son of God and this is clearly revealed to you since this Son hath made known to you in the holy Gospel what his Will and pleasure is how he would have you to live what to do what to shun I beseech you now hearken to him comply with him in all his excellent Commands give up your selves in an universal subjection to his blessed Laws let there be an obediential frame of heart to his whole Will this is indeed to honour him and to honour him in such a way as best answers his Sonship to God and his Lordship over you 4. Branch of the Exhortation To adore the Love of God 4. Fourthly is Christ no lower a Person than God's own Son what cause have we then to admire and wonder at the greatness of God's Love in his sending of him Here 's a glass indeed to transmit and represent unto us the Love of God O how shall we get our hearts affected with it what thankfulness in us can bear any proportion to the mercy before us For God to send to send a Son such a Son in such a manner as follows in the words here 's the Wonder of Wonders God never did the like before and hee 'l never do the like again and blessed be his name there is no need he should 'T would have been admirable mercy if God would have sent some other person upon this errand to redeem
Matth. 22.45 Lord of David and the Son of David the branch of David and the root of David both ‖ Revel 22.16 root and off-spring how could such different things be affirm'd of him but upon the distinction of his two Natures that therefore is not in the least impeach'd by the Hypostatical Vnion True upon this Union there is the communication of properties betwixt them so as that that which is proper to one Nature is applyed to the other as you see Joh. 3.13 1 Cor. 2.8 Act. 20.48 and so as that that which is predicated of the one may be also predicated of the other I mean in the concrete for in the abstract this will not hold as I cannot say the Deity is the Humanity or the Humanity is the Deity yet I may truly say God is Man and Man is God a communication of properties thus far or in this sense we deny not it follows upon the Vnion but that that which is essential to one Nature should really Physically be convey'd and made over to the other Nature as Omnipresence Vbiquity Omniscience c. from the Godhead to the Manhood which is the Popish and Lutheran Communication this as implying a Contradiction and carrying in it a perfect repugnancy to the nature of the thing we cannot assent unto The Humane Nature in the first moment of its formation was united to the Divine 4. No sooner was the Humane Nature framed or formed but in that very instant of time it was united to the Divine Nature this also I put down as another branch of the main Proposition 'T was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Orth. Fid. l. 3. cap. 2. v. Luommbard L. 3. Dist 2. taken as soon as it was made its first existence and its union were contemporary We distinguish betwixt the formation sanctification and assumption of the Humane Nature and we conceive of these as done successively in such an order first that Nature was form'd then sanctify'd then assum'd But this is meerly founded upon our conception not that it was so indeed and really as to the things themselves for in truth there was no priority of time priority of Nature I deny not betwixt the one and the other but at the very same moment wherein by the Power of the Holy Ghost the Manhood of Christ was formed it was also sanctify'd and united to the Godhead A Question here is moved by Some whether Christ's Humane Nature was compleat and perfect at the first that is whether as soon as ever his Flesh was formed his Soul was infus'd and united to it or whether as it is with us there was not some space of time intervening betwixt the formation of the Flesh and the infusion of the Soul in the discussing of which there is a difference among them Some being for the * Sharp Cursus Theol. p. 362. Affirmative and Others for the †Lud. Capellus in Thes Salmur part 2. p. 12. thes 15. Dr. Jackson on the Creed 7th Book Sect. 3. ch 29. p. 324. Negative But which is to my purpose all agree in this that whether it was only Flesh for sometime or whether both Flesh and Soul were form'd together yet still the Vnion began at the first instant of the Incarnation There was a time before Christ's Manhood did exist but as soon as ever it did exist there was no time wherein it was under disunion and disjunction from his Godhead Thus I have endeavoured by these Four things to give you a little light concerning the Hypostatical Vnion of the two Natures in Christ's Person which this Sixth Proposition led me unto a point of such high importance and so proper to the subject in hand that I could not wholly pass it over and yet withal so sublime and mysterious that I can neither speak nor conceive of it according to what is in it 7. Prop. 'T is probable if Adam had not faln Christ had not been sent in Flesh 7. Let me add but one thing further 'T is probable had there been no sin that Christ had not been sent in Flesh or had not Adam fallen and thereby involv'd his whole Posterity in a state of sin and guilt 't is probable that Christ had not been incarnate I express it modestly going no higher than 't is probable because though the Scriptures make it certain to me yet 't is not so to others nay some are of a quite other opinion The question is not de possibili what God by his absolute Power and Will might and could have done but only de facto whither if man had not sin'd Christ should actually have assum'd our Nature about which the Schools with other Divines are divided some * Scotus in 3. part disput 7. Quest 3. Absque praejudicio concedi potest etiamsi humana natura non peccasset adhuc Christum carnem sumpturum fuisse Alex. Alons 3. p. Qu. 2. memb 13. Catharinus de praed Christ Pet. Galatinus de Arc. Cathol ver l. 7 c. 2. Osiander c. affirming it some * Aquinas p. 3. qui. 1. art 3. Vasquez in 3. part tom 1. disp 10. art 3. Becan Theol. Schol. p. 3. c. 1. qu. 7. Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 12. against Osiander Hoorneb Socin Confut. tom 2. l. ◠c. 2. p. 253. Stegm Photin disp 15. p. 176. Alting Theol. Probl. Loc. 12. Probl. 5. p. 564. denying it The former affirm though sin had not been yet Christ would have come in Flesh not to have dy'd or suffer'd but only to have let the world see the glory and excellency of his Humane Nature that so great a work as his Incarnation might not have been lost or not done that God thereby might give out a singular demonstration of his Love to man the latter cannot lay so great a stress upon these things and therefore assert if man had not sin'd Christ had not been incarnate And indeed their Opinion seems to be more agreeable to the Word for that usually mentions saving from sin and the taking away of sin as the end and ground of Christ's taking Flesh My Text describes the state of the sinner to be desperate upon the terms of the Law and then upon that God sent his Son in Flesh it adds further he was thus sent to condemn sin in his Flesh so that had there been no sin to have been condemn'd he had not been sent in Fesh So Matth. 1.21 She shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners c. Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world Dan. 9.24 Seventy weeks are determined upon the people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity Tit. 2.14 Who gave
to the utmost of its capacity having nothing in its several faculties but truth in the Vnderstanding holy conformity in the Will heavenliness in the affections I say represent to your selves in your thoughts such a Soul and then think what an excellent Soul would that be just such a Soul is in Christ Indeed if we consider these constitutive parts of Christ's Manhood as they stand apart and by themselves they are excellent to a very high degree but if we go further and consider them in the Hypostatick Vnion then we are at a mighty loss and cannot conceive what a glory is by that conferr'd upon them As suppose a Pearl was put into a glass of Chrystal that would put a great radiancy upon it but what if the Sun it self could be put into this glass how radiant then would it be So here the Lord Christ having so precious a Soul dwelling in his Flesh even that if there was nothing more must make it very glorious but when the Godhead it self dwells in it how unspeakable must its glory and splendor needs be Leaving the parts let me speak to the whole the whole humane nature in Christ is transcendently excellent If the essential and eternal Son of God will so far condescend as to assume Man's Nature certainly in him the Manhood must have all that dignity glory perfection that ever it was capable of and surely never was the Humane Nature so advanc'd as in Christ If you consider it as 't is in us so it hath its worth and excellency for man is yet a glorious creature though 't is too true by the loss of God's image he hath lost very much of his glory As he was at first created in the state of innocency he was high indeed by the Fall the case is sadly altered the Humane Nature now is exceedingly debas'd and depress'd but yet even in its ruins as 't was with old Carthage it may be seen what once it was much is lost and the best is lost but all is not lost the glory of the Saint is gone but the glory of the Man in a great measure yet remains He is yet as to his natural composition and indowments very excellent the top of the whole creation God's * Vid. Nyssen de Hom. opif. c. 3. p. 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euryphamus in Stobae Ser. c1 p. 556. Theophrastus calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as though God in him would vye with and out-vye all that he had done besides in the whole visible creation See Weems's Portrait p. 60 61. master-piece and highest workmanship endowed with a body curiously wrought with a Soul of divine original excellent in its being and operations And besides this which is general it pleases God in some to restore the Humane Nature in part to what it lost in Adam's fall to advance it again by Grace and Regeneration yea to take it up to heaven to the vision and fruition of himself And now 't is at its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here 's its non-ultra its highest advancement 't is not capable as in us of higher exaltation that what it hath by Grace and Glory This dignity and glory the Humane Nature hath in us but yet as 't is so subjected take it even at its highest elevation it comes infinitely short of the dignity and excellency of the Humane Nature of Christ the reason is because in it there 's all that hath been spoken in an eminent manner and besides which is higher than all the former it is taken into a near conjunction with the Divine Nature How glorious must that Manhood be which subsists in the Godhead and hath no subsistence but in that The nearer the Vnion is with that the greater is the perfection and glory of that which is admitted into that union And hence it is that there is such a fulness of Grace in Christ as Man over and above what is in the best of men that he is * Psal 45.7 anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows that his Manhood bears a part in the mediatory Office that 't is to be worshipped with Divine Worship as hath been proved before I say all this belongs to it by vertue of the Hypostatical Vnion from which in all things it derives super-excellent Glory And yet I must tell you this Humane Nature as high as 't is is the lowest thing in Christ that which is the highest in us is but the lowest in him Supremum infimi infimum supremi as Man he 's glorious but what is he then as God! What a Person is Christ take him altogether O let him be adored and reverenced by you as Man but especially as he is God-man So much for Information Use 2. Exhortation to several Dutys 2. Secondly was Christ sent in flesh hence ariseth matter of Exhortation to several Duties 1. I would exhort you to give a full and firm assent to the truth of Christ's incarnation To give a full and firm assent to the truth of Christ's Incarnation as also firmly to adhere to Christ as sent in flesh Here are two things which Iâ—le speak to apart First see that you give a full and firm assent to the truth of Christ's Incarnation 'T is a thing which the Scripture layes a great stress upon 1 Joh. 4.3 Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now is it in the world 2 Joh. 7. Many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist It seems the Incarnation of Christ met with early opposition his flesh was no sooner translated to Heaven but 't was deny'd on Earth this Apostle therefore who in his Gospel had been a great asserter of it in his Epistles will be also a zealous defender of it and see how warm he was upon it the denyal of Christ's coming and of his coming in the flesh for there lies the main emphasis he carries as high as Antichristianism and sets no lower a brand upon it Antichristianism doth not only lie in the opposing of Christ in his Offices which is the latter and modern Antichristianism but also in the opposing of him in his Natures as God and Man which was the first and ancient Antichristianism to deny Christ's Manhood and assuming flesh this is down-right Antichristian the very spirit of Antichrist if the Apostle here may be believed Now there 's a twofold denial of this one open express direct the other * Non attendamus ad linguam sed ad facta si enim omnes interrogantur omnes uno ore confitentur Jesum esse Christum quiescat paululum lingua vitam interroga Aug. in Ep. Joh. Tract 3. implicit virtual interpretative the former I hope is very rare the latter I fear is too common he
full object for these things where think and think as long as you will yet fresh matter will offer it self that 's a Well out of which the more you draw the fuller you 'l find it to be Psal 104.34 My meditation of him saith David shall be sweet surely the believer may say My meditation of God who as he was made Man shall be sweet O that you would live in the daily exercise of this heavenly duty upon this excellent object What a blessed thing would it be if we could lie down rise up with a Christ and especially a Christ incarnate in our minds Me thinks that which was the product and matter of God's thoughts from everlasting should very much be the subject and matter of our thoughts in time 3d. Branch of the Exhortation To adore the mystery it self and also the Father and the Son in the mystery 3. Thirdly was Christ sent in Flesh yea in the likeness of sinful Flesh this should strike us all with amazement and astonishment how should we admire and wonder at this dispensation Was it so indeed that such a person did become man such a man O the wonder of wonders here 's nothing but Wonders a conflux and complication of Wonders in this one thing there are many Wonders and those too not of the lowest rank but the highest that ever were Who can duly think of weigh ponder upon what is here laid down without being transported and swallowed up in high and holy admiration The glorified ones in heaven are alwayes wondring and what is it which causeth them so to do 't is the beholding of Christ in our flesh they began betimes so to do even as soon as ever Christ had assumed our Nature and they continue still to do the same and so they will to all eternity The Angels were so full of joy and admiration upon the first breaking out of this that they must come from heaven and give some vent to themselves in singing * Luk. 2.14 Glory to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men Now when there is such admiring and wondring in heaven shall there be none in earth Things which are mysterious and strange affect us very much was there ever any thing so mysterious and strange as the incarnation of the Son of God this is a mystery indeed the first link in that chain of mysteries 1 Tim. 3.16 When little things make us wonder 't is an evidence of weakness when great things do not make us wonder 't is an evidence either of great inconsideracy or gross stupidity The proud Philosopher scorns to wonder at any thing in Nature but the humble Christian who hath things before him far more sublime and unsearchable than any mysteries in Nature may well stand and wonder at those things in Religion which 't is not possible for him to comprehend Amongst which what more incomprehensible take it in all respects than the incarnation of God's own Son he that doth not wonder at this pray what will he wonder at To be more particular and distinct in the urging of this duty of humble and thankful admiration two things I would say 1. Admire in reference to the thing it self The mystery of Christ's Incarnation to be admired 2. Admire God and Christ the Persons who had the hand in it 1. For the thing it self Christ in our flesh 'pray pause and ruminate a while upon it and then tell me what you think of it the more you look into it and consider it the more you will admire it A God to be made Man a God to take dust for flesh is but living or breathing dust into intimate conjunction with himself a God to submit for some time to lie in the womb of a Virgin O wonderful Here 's finite and infinite joyn'd in one eternity match'd with time the Creator and a Creature making but one Person here 's the Lord and Soveraign of the world marrying into a mean and broken Family the maker of the Universe made himself here 's two Natures which stood at an infinite distance each from the other hypostatically united here 's the verity of flesh and yet but the similitude of sinful flesh here 's a man begotten without man a * Filius Dei de Patre sine matre Filius hominis de matre sine Patre Aug. de temp Serm. 23. Vide Tertull de carne Christi p. 373. Vacabat viri semen c. Son without a Father for though Christ had more than a putative body yet as Man he had no more than a putative Father Luk. 3.23 Jesus began to be about thirty years of age being as was supposed the Son of Joseph c. here 's a Virgin conceiving and bringing forth a Son she remaining a Virgin still Jer. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth a woman shall compass a man are not all these stupendious amazing never enough to be admired things How do wonders here grow upon us no sooner doth one go off but presently another succeeds in its room Christ wrought many miracles in his Flesh but the greatest miracle of all was his assuming flesh let Jews and Infidels scoff and deride the sincere Christian must admire and adore 2. For the Persons who had the great hand in this they are to be admired too I 'le instance 1. in God the Father 2. in God the Son God the Father to be admired 't is shown how or wherein 1. God the Father hee 's to be admired For 't was he who sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh he ordain'd and order'd all about this he laid the foundation of it in his own purpose and will it was the * Psal 118.23 Lord's doing from first to last should it not be marvellous in our eyes I and as was said before 't was the highest thing that ever he did in this with reverence be it spoken he went to the utmost of all his Attributes In Christ's Incarnation saith a * Mr. Burroughs Gosp Conv. p. 89. Reverend Divine we may see God as it were resolving to do a work from himself to the uttermost to manifest the uttermost of his glory in a work out of himself The work of God within himself was his eternal Generation and the Procession of the Holy Ghost but now God would work out of himself and that to the utmost extent He had made a World but there he had not manifested the uttermost of his glory therefore God will c. what 's that to take the Nature of man into a personal union with his Son that 's the uttermost Now where God goes to the utmost of his Attributes it becomes us to go to the utmost of our thankfulness and admiration There are Four Attributes in God which upon the account of Christ's Incarnation can never be enough admired 1. His Wisdom in finding out such a glorious way for the Sinners recovery This was
of our Nature How is that Nature advanced by Christ's assuming of it that which was his abasement was its advancement As a mean family is advanc'd when some person of eminency marry's into it so Christ having match'd into our broken and decay'd Nature what an honour did he thereby reflect upon it God put a great deal of glory upon it in its first creation Christ hath put much more glory upon it in the Hypostatical Vnion The Angelical Nature in some respects is above ours but in others ours is above it the Angels are not so concern'd in the mystical conjunction to Christ as we are their advantages by a Saviour are not so high as ours they are confirmed by Christ in a state of happiness and that 's all but we are confirmed and restored too the great things which are done by Christ as Mediator he doth them in our Nature and the great Honor which is conferr'd upon him refers to him in our Nature 't is the Son of Man who stands on the right hand of God Act. 7.56 Dominion and Glory and the Kingdom is given to the Son of man Dan. 7.13 14. hee 'l judge the world as the Son of man Matth. 25.31 Joh. 5.27 But the main preheminence of the Humane Nature above the Angelical lies in the intimate uniting of it to the divine Nature Heb. 2.16 Verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Man was the creature that was to be redeemed and therefore 't was the Nature of man that shall be assumed can we think of this without great joy Christ himself as Man is above us in all things he must have the preheminence Col. 1.18 but Angels who are of another order in several respects are below us Christ incarnate must needs be very compassionate 6. A Christ incarnate is and must needs be very compassionate This was one great reason why he took our Nature upon him and in that Nature was exercis'd with such sorrows and sufferings that he might the better know how to sympathize with his members in all their sorrows and sufferings Heb. 2.17 18. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 4.15 We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin He that hath felt what others undergo knows the better how to pity them sense and experience further compassion where persons are not made of flint none sympathize so much with those who labour under Gout Stone c. as those who have been afflicted with those pains themselves God told the people of Israel they knew the heart of a stranger seeing they themselves were strangers in the Land of Egypt Exod. 23.9 How then must the bowels of Christ work towards afflicted ones he himself having been afflicted just as they are besides the mercifulness and tenderness of his heart there is also his own former experience which is yet fresh in his memory of their miseries which doth much draw out his compassion to them Pray what are your afflictions let them be what they will Christ underwent the same are you poor so was he are you tempted so was he are you deserted so was he are you burdened under the weight of sin so was he though in a different way do you suffer by men so did he And if there be any infirmities which he did not lie under yet he knows how to pity you for though he did not feel those particular infirmities in kind such as sickness blindness c. yet he had some others which were equivalent to them and so by proportion he knows how to commiserate you so it comes in Heb. 5.2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity 'T is some alleviation to our grief in our troubles when we know we have some who sympathize with us under them O you that fear the Lord know in all your sorrows sufferings troubles whatsoever Christ in heaven hath a fellow-feeling and sympathy with you he suffers no more but he sympathizes still let this be an allay to your grief and a support to your faith There 's ease and relief from this under all troubles of mind 7. Lastly There 's something in this which may give ease and relief under all troubles of mind There 's such a fulness in this Truth for the comfort of Souls that there is scarce any inward trouble or discouragement which gracious persons here are exercised with wherein they may not find considerable relief and satisfaction for conscience from this Incarnation of the Son of God Christ's flesh is precious balm for a wounded Spirit as 't is meat indeed to feed the hungry Soul so 't is balm indeed to heal the wounded Soul 't is an universal catholick Cordial to revive and cheer under all faintings whatever Do I speak to any who are under spiritual darkness O that a Christ in Flesh might be thought of and improv'd by such To instance in the special fears complaints discouragements burdens of troubled Souls and to shew what there is in Christ as incarnate proper for their support and comfort under all would be a vast work I must therefore only hint a few things Are you tempted to entertain hard thoughts of God to question the mercifulness of his Nature his goodness c do you conceive of him in some hideous and frightful manner you greatly mistake God and think very much amiss of him First think of God in Christ and then of Christ in flesh and surely you 'l have other apprehensions A Christ sent in flesh represents God as benign good merciful gracious full of pity tender-hearted as designing nothing but good to repenting sinners did he thus send his own Son and is he not all this after he hath done such a thing can you imagine that he delights in the death of sinners or that he will not be gracious to all who fly to him Are you afraid because of the Justice and Wrath of God pray remember therefore Christ came in flesh that he might satisfie the one and pacifie the other these were the very things which he undertook to accomplish and what he undertook no question but he went through with Doth Sin lie heavy upon your Consciences mark the Text God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh for what end for sin to condemn sin in the flesh sin brought Christ from heaven and he would not return thither again 'till by a Sacrifice offered in his flesh he had fully expiated it Sin it self could not
stand before him as in our flesh dying and suffering for it if God will become Man the guilt of meer man shall not be so able to damn as the merit of God-man to save O thou true penitent be thy sins never so many never so great yet do not give way to despairing thoughts Bring out thy sins * Dr. Sibbs on 1 Tim. 3.16 p. 59. saith one weigh them to the utmost aggravation of them and set but this in the other scale God manifested in the flesh to take away sin now will all thine iniquities seem lighter than vanity yea be as nothing in comparison of that which is laid down as a propitiation for them And again saith he What temptation will not vanish as a cloud before the wind when we see God's Love in sending his Son and Christ's Love in taking our Nature upon him to reconcile us by the Sacrifice of his blood But some may object 't is a great while since Christ took flesh and in that flesh made satisfaction to God is not the efficacy and merit thereof impaired by that no not in the least Christ's merits are as fresh and have as great an efficacy now as they had at the first moment of his Incarnation and Passion may not that of the Apostle Heb. 2.16 have some reference to this where he speaks of Christ's taking flesh in the Present Tense as if 't was done but now for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taketh not on him the nature of Angels but he taketh on him the seed of Abraham I speak this for the comfort of Christians but not so as to give advantage to the Socinian who because the words run in this Tense would therefore have them to be no proof of Christ's Incarnation Do your many defects the imperfections in your Graces and Duties trouble you you have Christ's perfect Manhood his perfect Holiness and Obedience in that Nature to fly unto The Apostle Col. 2. sets down the Hypostatical Vnion Vers 9. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily well suppose it doth so what 's this to Believers why it follows immediately V. 10. And ye are compleat in him Christ being such a Person so full and perfect a Mediator in him every believer is and must be compleat So that though the sense of imperfections in your selves must humble you yet it must not overwhelm you because in Christ you are perfect Are you afraid notwithstanding all the Calls Invitations Promises of the Gospel yet to close with Christ O do not give way to such fears If you come to him cast your selves upon him will he cast you off he hath assur'd you he will not Joh. 6.37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off Besides his word you have this to secure you he in his Person came from heaven to you and if you by Faith shall go to him do you think he will not give you kind reception I am sure and I will venture my Soul upon it that the gracious promises and encouragements of the Gospel to draw sinners to Christ shall all be made good for since he was pleas'd to take my flesh I have not the least reason to doubt but fully to be assur'd that he is real hearty in good earnest in all of them Many things of this nature might here be spoken unto but 't is full time to put an end to this subject ROM 8.3 4. And for sin condemned sin in the Flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us CHAP. XIII Of Christ's being a Sacrifice and expiating Sin thereby A Fifth Head in the Words discussed viz. the End of God in sending his own c. or the Effect thereof How the Wisdom of God is secured by this End Of the placing of the Words for sin The whole a little descanted upon What the condemning of sin is opened more generally more particularly in three things The condemning of sin for sin opened a twofold interpretation given of it Of the Flesh in which sin is said to be condemned The Observation raised from the Words where 1. Of Christ's being a Sacrifice for Sin How he excels the Old Law-Sacrifices and of their reference to him Six things in those Sacrifices which are all to be found in Christ the true Sacrifice 'T is enquired 1. What a kind of Sacrifice he was proved that he was an expiatory Sacrifice Of the difference and distinction of the Jewish Sacrifices Four Heads insisted upon for the confirming of the main Truth As 1. that our sins were the meritorious Cause of Christ's Sufferings 2. that he did substitute himself in the Sinners stead where two Questions are briefly answered 1 Whether he underwent the same punishment that was due to the Sinner or only that which was equivalent thereunto 2 Whether he took the guilt of sin upon himself or only submitted to the punishment thereof 3. that he was killed and slain and his blood shed in correspondency with the Levitical expiatory Sacrifices 4. this is prov'd from the Ends and Effects of his Death viz. Atonement and Expiation both of which are opened Of the concurrence of the Heathens in their notions about Sacrifices 'T is enquir'd 2. When and where Christ was an expiatory Sacrifice 't is answered when he dy'd upon the Cross 2. Of the Effect of his Sacrifice the condemning of Sin Parallel expressions cited Of the nature of the expiation of Sin Of the extent of it with respect to the Subject and Object Whether were all Sins expiated by the Law-Sacrifices Use 1. I infer from the premises 1. The verity of Christ's Satisfaction 2. The true Nature and principal Ends of his Death 3. The vanity and falshood of all humane satisfactions 4. The true notion of the Lord's Supper 5. The happiness of Believers under the Gospel above theirs who liv'd under the Law 6. The excellency of Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice 7. The Evil of Sin 8. The severity of God's Justice Use 2. Several Dutys urged from hence as Holiness the Love of Christ c. Use 3. This improved several ways for the Comfort of Believers A Fifth Head viz. the End of God in sending his Son c. or the Effects thereof IN the preceding Words God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh Four things have been observed and opened in these now read a Fifth Head offers it self to our consideration and that is the Effect of Christ's mission incarnation and of what followed thereupon or God's End in all this Did he pitch upon so admirable a Way and Method surely some high and glorious Effect must be produced thereby and so there was for thereby sin was condemned and surely too therein the Wise God must propound to himself some great and very considerable End to be accomplished and so he did for he aim'd at nothing lower than that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in Believers In the Words then
thereof He was the end of the Law for righteousness to them that believe c. made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons 2. They say that Christ's fitness for his Mediatory Office did result from his Person from the personal Vnion of the Divine and Humane Natures in him rather than from his active Obedience to the Law for else he could not have been look'd upon as one fit to be a Mediator till he had finished his whole Obedience to the Law whereas from the first instant of the personal Vnion he was fit for that Work and Office 'T was fit nay necessary that Christ the Mediator should conform to the Law but these are two different things what was fit for the Mediator to do and what must fit him to be the Mediator These Ends therefore respecting Christ himself being removed it follows that it was wholly for us that he fulfilled the Law whence then I infer that that must be imputed to us otherwise the end of it would not be attained for without the imputation of it we should neither be the persons designed in it nor profited by it To prevent mistakes and to give this Argument its full strength I would state it thus Whatever Christ did that we were obliged to do and which was to be our righteousness before God that certainly must be imputed to us I do not say that all which Christ did is strictly and properly imputed to us but whatever he did if we were bound to do it and if the doing of that was to be our righteousness that must be imputed or else we are in a sad case He was incarnate for us yet that is not formally imputed why because Sinners were not under any obligation to any such thing so I might instance in his working of Miracles Intercession c. But now if our Lord will be pleas'd to put himself under the Law and to fulfil the Law that must be made over to us because that was a thing which we our selves according to the capacity of Creatures were bound unto and this was to be our righteousness before God what is so circumstantiated must be imputed therefore this being taken in the Argument is good Several other Arguments are produc'd for the imputation of the active as well as of the passive Obedience As that both together make most for the * See Bodius in Eph. p. 796. glory of Christ and for the ease and †Neque conscientias pacaret aliqua justitiae portio sed perpetuò illas trepidare necesse esset nisi firmiter persuasae forent totam justitiam Legis sibi imputari Polan in Dan. p. 187. comfort of burdened Souls That 't is a mighty loss for Christians to lose Christ's active Obedience and why should it be the active only or the passive only if they may have both quidni utraque saith Pareus himself can we have too much of Christ is not all of him precious and do not we need all Surely the * Certè tutiùs ibit ille qui plus Christo ad majorem gloriam ascribit quod in eo quaerat quà m qui ei quicquam adimit Et qui totam Saivatoris Sponsoris nostri Obedientiam Legi divinae praestitam ampléctitur quam qui praecipuam ejus partem pro justitiâ coram Deo sibi imputari non credit Wegelin Disp de Obed. Christi safest way is to take-in as much of him as ever we warrantably may They who go this way also urge the Consent of the Reformed Churches the Suffrages of several famous Divines as concurring with them that their Opinion hath the advantage of being judg'd the more antient and Orthodox which that excellent person †Noram probe sententiam priorem antiquiorem Orthodoxam magis passim audire Sed re apud me accuratius perpensâ penitiusque perspectâ suo merito ea id audire visa est In Praefat. ad Tract de Justif p. 6. Mr. Bradshaw though he somewhat dissents about the thing doth ingeniously confess But these things I shall pass over if the foregoing Arguments will not convince and satisfie I shall hope for less from these So much for this third Opinion Fourth Opinion Christ's active Obedience imputed as a part of his Satisfaction 4. There is a Fourth Say some the * Bradshaw de Justif in Praefat p. 10. active as well as the passive Obedience of Christ is imputed yet not in the sense of the promoters of the former Opinion but only thus as †Thus Grotius de Sat. c. 6. p. 89. Bradshaw de Justif c. 18. sect 5 6. Mr. Baxters Aphor. p. 54. Great Propit p. 92 93. it was a part of Christ's Satisfaction for the violation of the Law as 't is so considered they say it is imputed but not in any other notion They say Christ's active obeying was satisfactory and meritorious as well as his passive than which nothing more certain And indeed the passive without the active had not been satisfactory or meritorious 't was Christ's ‖ Neque tamen excluditur reliqua pars obedientiae quâ defunctus est in vitâ c. Et sanè in ipsâ i. e. in morte Crucis for that he 's speaking of and doth immediately go before primum gradum occupat voluntaria subjectio quia ad justitiam nihil profuisset Sacrificium nisi sponte oblatum Calvin Instit l. 2. c. 16. sect 5. voluntary subjection to the Will of his Father which was an active thing even in his dying which put such an efficacy into his death Now his active Obedience being thus taken is they grant made over and reckoned to Believers * Gataker Animadv in Lucium p. 1. sect 1. p. 2. Bodius in Ephes p. 798. Others to the same purpose consider Christ's active Obedience two wayes either strictly as active as it lay in conformity to what the Law commanded or as there was humiliation and abasement attending that Obedience in the former respect they deny it to be imputed in the latter they say it is This middle and reconciliatory Opinion is somewhat new and modern and owned as yet but by very few but in those few for their worth and eminency there are very many I shall not set my self to argue or object any thing against it though something might be said upon that account I rejoyce with all my heart that we may have the active Obedience of Christ upon any terms or under any considerations I am so far from arguing against it that I keep it by me as a reserve that if there be not solid and satisfactory Answers to be given to the weighty Objections made against the imputation of Christ's active Obedience as commonly asserted which is to be try'd by and by I may fall in and close with it No more at present therefore about the First Question Of the Second Question How the imputation of
Gospel as well as under the Law Page 13 'T is not only No Condemnation to Believers but positive Salvation Page 16 Of the dreadfulness of Condemnation Page 25 How it may be avoided Page 32 Persons exempted from it are to be thankful and chearful Page 37 c. What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 There may be troubles in the Conscience after Sin and yet Sin may reign Page 212 The Contrariety of the two Walkings Page 95 The Corrupt Nature set forth by Flesh Vide Flesh The Covenant of Redemption touched upon Page 298 Of the New Creature Page 65 Of the crucifying the Flesh Page 66 D. The Law of Death opened Page 152 249 Sin and Death go together especially when 't is the Law of Sin Page 250 How the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Death Page 253 c. Comfort from hence to such against the Fear of Death Page 257 In temptations to Sin 't is good to consider that 't is Sin and Death Page 254 Comfort to Believers as to Death from their Vnion with Christ Page 81 Christ's Death a strong Dissuasive from walking after the Flesh Page 128 The main Ends of Christ's Death made good against the Socinians Page 518 c. Man had not died if he had not sinned Page 250 Of the Saints Dignity from their Vnion with Christ Page 96 Of the Dominion of Sin See the Law of Sin E. The converting Spirit works efficaciously and irresistibly Page 234 Of the spiritualness of a mans Ends. Page 111 Expiation of sin by Christ's Sacrifice Page 449 That finished on Earth not done in Heaven Page 505 The Nature of this Expiation Page 510 The Extent of it Page 511 Vide Sacrifice F. God the Father's Love to be admired in his sending of Christ Page 303 Saints are to think well of God the Father as well as of God the Son Page 305 Faith the Bond in the Mystical Vnion Page 49 Faith to be repeated in fresh applications to Christ Page 553 There are but few in Christ Page 118 Flesh is in the Best Page 91 All particular Sins comprehended in Flesh Page 97 Of being in the Flesh and walking after the Flesh ibid. Flesh taken for corrupt Nature Page 99 Why that is set forth by Flesh Page 100 Flesh considered more Generally Page 99 Particularly Page 101 The Philosophical notion of Flesh and Spirit Page 105 What it is to walk after the Flesh Vide Walking What the Flesh is by which the Law is made weak Page 263 Of Christ's being sent in Flesh that opened Page 375 He did not bring his Flesh from Heaven Page 376 Of the verity of his Flesh against the antient Hereticks Page 377 379 380 That proved ibid. How he was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 406 c. And but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 410 c. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh Page 417 He as sent in Flesh is to be believed on Page 424 Of Freedom from the Law of Sin Vide the Law of Sin Freedom from its Guilt and from its Power Page 150 Of Christ's Fulfilling the Law Vide Law G. The eternal Generation of Christ the Son of God proved Page 324 c. The difference between that and common Generation Page 356 Its mysteriousness Page 354 Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion Page 415 The Priviledges of Believers under the Gospel above those under the Law Page 450 Grace set forth by Spirit and the Reasons why 't is so Page 104 c. There should be in Saints a Growth in Spiritualness Page 137 Of the Spirits being a Guide Page 108 Whether Christ took our very Guilt upon him Affirmed Page 490 H. Heaven made credible upon Christ's Incarnation Page 447 Holiness press'd from Vnion with Christ Page 75 From being made free from the Law of Sin Page 225 From the Incarnation of Christ Page 437 The Holiness and sinlesness of Christ's Humane Nature Page 411 The necessity thereof Page 414 The difference of the Humane Nature as in Christ and as in us Page 386 Of the advancement of the Humane Nature by Christ's assuming it Page 451 Christ to be highly Honoured 'T is shewn wherein Page 363 Humiliation the way to Consolation Page 5 6 Saints to be humbled that they were so long under the Law of sin and that sin still hath such a power in them Page 217 c. As also that there should be that Flesh in them by which God 's own Law is made weak Page 271 Humility press'd from Christ's taking our Nature Page 437 Of the HypostaticalVnion Vide Vnion I. About the Idem and the Tantundem With respect to Christ's Sufferings Page 489 To his Active Obedience Page 608 c. Of the Imputation of Christ's Active Obedience Vide Obedience How the imputation thereof is to be stated Vide ibid. The Incarnation of Christ largely discoursed of Page 372 c. His Mission and his Incarnation two distinct things Page 376 The Latter not impossible not incredible Page 386 The Grounds laid down why Christ was Incarnate Page 387 c. Prophesies and Types of it ibid. Seven Propositions insisted upon for the explication of it Page 393 c. What benefit had they by Christ who lived before his Incarnation Page 397 Why he was Incarnate just at that time when he was incarnate Page 398 A firm Assent is to be given to the Verity of Christ's Incarnation as also a firm Adherence to him as incarnate Page 420 c. Many other Duties urged from this Incarnation Page 426 c. As also the Comfort of it to Believers is set forth in several Particulars Page 441 c. Whether if Man had not sinned Christ had been incarnate Neg. Page 406 Of Inclinations Good or Evil and their difference in the Godly and Others Page 110 The severity of God's Justice in Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 543 The Law unable to Justifie Page 266 Whether there be two distinct integral parts of Justification Page 602 In the Justifying of Sinners God proceeds upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness Page 610 As to Christ we are justified by Works as to our selves by Faith Page 610 L. Law of Sin what it is Page 151 What the Law of the Spirit is Page 159 All Vnregenerate persons under the Law of Sin Page 169 c. How Sin is a Law opened in the proper improper notion of a Law Page 172 c. Wherein Sin acts as a Law Page 177 How it may be known when it is the Law of sin That particularly opened Page 179 c. All the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Sin Page 154 203 c. They are freed from Sin only as 't is a Law Page 149 203 206 Their freedom from the Law of Sin proved from Scripture and Argument Page 207 c. How fâ—r men may go and yet not be freed from the Law of Sin Page 210 A serious Exhortation to all to get free from it
for though the Saints proximately and immediately are united to Christ yet the Union is not so terminated in him but that through him they are united to the Father too Therefore 't is said Joh. 17.21 That they also may be one in us 't is not one in Me singly but one in Vs conjunctly And the Apostle saith 1 Thes 1.1 2. To the Church which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ the same you have 2 Thes 1.1 So * Of the Saints Union with the Father as well as with the Son see Burg. upon Joh. 17. p. 586. Newton upon Joh. p. 450. of the Moral Vnion that Believers in some respects are in both and united both to Father and Son But as to the Law-union arising from Suretyship and Vadimony that is only proper to Christ he of all the Persons being the alone Surety for Believers Thirdly There is a Moral Vnion between Christ and Believers 'T is called Moral from the Bond or Ground of it which is Love and the word Moral is us'd not as it stands in contradistinction to Spiritual but to Natural and Physical I say the Bond of this Union is Love for Faith unites mystically and Love unites morally Love is an uniting grace as well as Faith though it doth not unite in the same way therefore 't is said He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4.16 'T is all for union and it produces union take two persons who love each other their mutual affection makes them to be One there is a real Oneness between Friend and Friend The Philosopher very well defined Friendship by One Soul in two Bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A * Aristot Ethic. l. 9. c. 3.9 Friend is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alteridem another Self Thus 't is in that which is before us there is a mutual reciprocal hearty Love between Christ and Believers he loves them and they love him and by vertue of this mutual Love there is a real and close Vnion betwixt them The Husband and Wife are One not meerly upon the Marriage Covenant and external Relation but also and chiefly upon that Love and Affection that is betwixt them So it is 'twixt Christ and Saints * Qui scilicet dilect à Christo vicissim Christum amant Hocenim est in Christo esse non tantum Christo amari sed Christum amare Corn Mussus Qui Coristo incorporati sunt puro perfecto amore Idem Some therefore open this being in Christ Jesus or Oneness with him by Love in respect of this Love Believers are in Christ And so I have opened that threefold Vnion which is between Christ and Believers I have a little insisted upon the two latter branches of it but 't is the first the Mystical Vnion that I shall further mainly speak to for the truth is this is the Vnion which the Gospel principally sets before us Scripture-Resemblances by which the Mystical Vnion is set forth The Second Thing propounded was to instance in those several Scripture-resemblances by which the Mystical Vnion is set forth These are very many For this being a very high and mysterious thing it hath pleased God to make use of various Resemblances for the better describing of it that he might thereby make it to us more credible and more intelligible And 't is observable how the Spirit of God summons in all Vnions Natural Relative Artisicial that he might by all of them more clearly and distinctly shadow out the grand Vnion betwixt Christ and Saints Yet I must tell you though those are very useful as to the End designed and are very high the highest in genere Vnionis yet they all come short of the Mystical Union which they refer to they may illustrate it but they cannot reach or equalize it I will but briefly go over them both because they are fully handled by Others and also because that which is proper from them to the business in hand may be dispatched in few words The First is that of Husband and Wife A very fit and full Resemblance a * See Dr. Cudworths Union of Christ and the Church shadowed Type say some of the Mystical Vnion Upon the conjugal relation there is a very near and close conjunction If you please to look to its first institution you will find a deep foundation of Oneness laid therein Gen. 2.23 24. This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh Now Christ and Believers stand in this Conjugal relation each to the other he is their Husband they his Spouse they are espoused to Christ their Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 married to Christ Rom. 7.4 betrothed to God and Christ Hos 2.19 their name is Hephzibah and Beulah Isa 62.4 The Marriage-Vnion in the very height of it the Apostle brings down to Christ and Believers Eph. 5.28 29 c. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himself For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall be joyned to his wife and they two shall be one flesh Well what of all this he adds This is a great Mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church As if the Apostle had said do not misapprehend me though I speak so much of the Vnion that is betwixt Husband and Wife according to the primitive Institution yet that is not the main thing which I drive at I aim at an higher Vnion than that namely at that Spiritual Vnion which is between Christ and the Church The Husband and the Wife are one Christ and Believers are so much more Another Resemblance is that of the Head and Members In the Body Natural there is a near and close Vnion between these two being fastened and joyned each to the other they make up one and the same body Thus 't is with Christ and Believers in the Body Mystical he is the Head they are the several Members belonging to that head Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the body the Church Eph. 1.22 God gave him to be the head over all things to the Church which is his body 1 Cor. 12.27 Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular So Rom. 12.5 As truly and as nearly as the head and the members so truly and so nearly are Christ and Believers united also A third Resemblance is that of the Root and Branches There is also union betwixt these otherwise how should the One convey juice sap nourishment life growth to the Other So 't is with Christ and Believers he is the Root they the Branches Joh. 15.5 I am
not of sameness so Matth. 5.48 Be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect So 1 Pet. 1.15 16 't is so to be interpreted here Believers are not one with Christ as he is one with the Father in respect of the manner of the Union but as to the truth and reality of it so 't is as verily as truly one with Christ as Christ is one with the Father 'T is an higher Vnion 'twixt the Father and the Son but 't is as real an Vnion 'twixt Christ and Believers Thirdly 'T is a spiritual Vnion Not a gross fleshly corporeal Union you must not so conceive of it but a divine inward spiritual Union 'T is the uniting of hearts and souls together in an imperceptible way and the bonds of this Union are spiritual namely the Spirit in Christ and Faith in us and the Union is to be judged by that which is the bond of it The Husband and the Wife are * Eph. 5.31 one flesh but he that is joyned to the Lord is * 1 Cor. 6.16 17. one Spirit I have set before you several external and material Resemblances of it but the Union it self is internal immaterial and spiritual When Christ had been speaking so much of it under the resemblance of eating and drinking he adds to prevent mistakes * Joh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life q.d. You must take me in a right sense in all that I have said I do not intend any fleshly or corporeal eatiug as some grosly imagine I only mean spiritual eating and drinking by Faith Neither saith he would I be thought to speak of any Union that is carnal and earthly 't is the heavenly and the spiritual Union onely which I design in all that I have spoken Fourthly 'T is a near intimous Vnion The Persons here concern'd are not only truly and really but nearly closely intimately united each to the other The Union betwixt them is so near that there is no Union excepting what hath been excepted to be compared with it so near that we know not how to conceive of it much less how to express it we may borrow some light here and there from the scattered Vnions of Nature but they all in point of nearness are vastly short of it In the * 1 Cor. 6.17 Text cited but now the Apostle tells us He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit where he opposes joyning to Christ to joyning to an Harlot v. 16. Of which he saith He that is joyned to an Harlot is one body and though this be out of the due course yet he carries it up to the Marriage-Vnion for two saith he shall be one flesh But he heightens the Mystical Vnion with Christ he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit This is the highest Scripture which I know for the describing of the intimousness of the spiritual Vnion First the Apostle says he that is joyned to the Lord In the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is glewed to the Lord 't is the same word which is used Eph. 5.31 he shall be joyned or glewed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his wife It speaks the Firmness and the Nearness of the Union And then he says he that is thus joyned to the Lord is one Spirit what an Expression is this what could be spoken higher to be one Spirit is much more than to be one Flesh inasmuch as the Union of Spirits is the nearest Vnion that is imaginable The Apostle opposes the spiritual conjunction 'twixt Christ and Believers to that carnal conjunction that is 'twixt person and person he that is joyned to an Harlot is one body and one Flesh but he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit Saints are not only Flesh of Christs Flesh and Bone of his Bone by which phrase the heighth of the Conjugal Vnion is set forth and by which the * Quae loquendi Formula ex literis Veteris Testamenti videtur esse desumpta Ita enim Fratres cognati de se mutuò loqui solent Os meum Caro mea Pet. Mart. Jews us'd to express the greatest nearness in consanguinity but which is much higher they are one Spirit with him 'T is not said they have one Spirit or that Believers are * Vide Grâ—â—ium in loc spirited as Christ was or that they are led acted animated by the same Spirit that he was though I conceive that is the very thing intended in the expression but the Apostle says the better to set off the intimousness of the Vnion Christ and they are one Spirit which is as high as any thing that could be spoken Again Believers are so near to Christ that in a sober sense they may be said to be a part of him yea such a part of him that he as Head and Mediator would not be compleat without them for as he is so considered they are his fulness Eph. 1.23 the fulness of him that silleth all in all 't is spoken of the Church the Body of Believers Once more the Union is so near that they both have one and the same Name Christs own Name and Title is given to them 1 Cor. 12.12 So also is Christ the Apostle means Christ Mystical not Christ Personal Compare Jer. 23.6 This is the name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our righteousness with Jer. 33.16 This is the name wherewith she shall be called the Lord our righteousness which is spoken too of the Church The Wife upon the Marriage-Vnion loses her own and is called by her Husbands name and so 't is here He that is Christ shall be called the Lord our righteousness and She that is the Church shall be called too the Lord our righteousness here is communication of names which speaks the nearness of the Vnion Nay Christ and the Believer are but * Ex quo fit ut ipsemet quoque Christus usque adeo arctè noster evadat nos vicissim illius ut apud Patris Tribunal Christus Ecclesia non quidem hypostaticâ substantiarum unitione sed quod ad istam communionem attinet mysticâ velut unum idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unus Christus efficacissunè censeamur Bucan L. Com. 48. p. 821. One mystically though not substantially and this is the highest of all O this is a close and intimate Union indeed Fifthly T is a total Vnion I mean this the whole Person of Christ is united to the whole Person of Believers and the whole Person of Believers is united to the whole Person of Christ Christ is not in this or that single Nature but in both his Natures not in this or that Office but in all his Offices made one with them And they too reciprocally are made one with him as to the whole man not as to the Soul only but