and must shew us how highly we are descended how royally we are allied how gloriously estated that only is it that must advance us to heaven and bring heaven down to us Through the want of the exercise whereof it comes to passe that to the great prejudice of our souls we are ready to think of Christ Jesus as a stranger to us as one aloof off in another world apprehended only by fits in a kinde of ineffectuall speculation without any lively feeling of our own interesse in him whereas we ought by the powerfull operation of this grace in our hearts to fidne so heavenly an appropriation of Christ to our souls as that every beleever may truly say I am one with Christ Christ is one with me Had we not good warrant for so high a challenge it could be no lesse then a blasphemous arrogance to lay claim to the royall bloud of heaven but since it hath pleased the God of heaven so far to dignifie our unworthinesse as in the multitudes of his mercies to admit and allow us to be partakers of the dâ—vine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. it were no other then an unthankfull stupidity not to lay hold on so glorious a priviledge and to go for lesse then God hath made us SECT 3. The kinde and manner of this union with Christ KNow now my son that thou art upon the ground of all consolation to thy soul which consists in this beatificall union with thy God and Saviour think not therefore to passe over this important mystery with some transient and perfunctory glances but let thy heart dwell upon it as that which must stick by thee in all extremities and chear thee up when thou art forsaken of all worldly comforts Do not then conceive of this union as some imaginary thing that hath no other being but in the brain whose faculties have power to apprehend and bring home to it self far remote substances possessing it self in a sort of whatsoever it conceives Do not think it an union meerly virtuall by the participation of those spirituall gifts and graces which God worketh in the soul as the comfortable effects of our happy conjunction with Christ Doe not think it an accidentall union in respect of some circumstances and qualities wherein we communicate with him who is God and man nor yet a metaphoricall union by way of figurative resemblance but know that this is a true reall essentiall substantiall union whereby the person of the beleever is indissolubly united to the glorious person of the Son of God know that this union is not more mysticall then certain that in naturall unions there may be more evidence there cannot be more truth neither is there so firm and close an union betwixt the soul and body as there is betwixt Christ and the beleeving soul for as much as that may be severed by death but this never Away yet with all gross carnality of conceit this union is true and really existent but yet spirituall if some of the Ancients have tearm'd it naturall and bodily it hath been in respect of the subject united our humanity to the two blessed natures of the Son of God met in one most glorious person not in respect of the manner of the uniting Neither is it the lesse reall because spirituall Spirituall agents neither have nor put forth any whit lesse vertue because sense cannot discern their manner of working Even the Loadstone though an earthen substance yet when it is out of sight whether under the Table or behinde a solid partition stirreth the needle as effectually as if it were within view shall not he contradict his senses that will say it cannot work because I see it not Oh Saviour thou art more mine then my body is mine my sense feels that present but so as that I must lose it my faith sees and feels thee so present with me that I shall never be parted from thee SECT 4. The resemblance of this union by the head and body THere is no resemblance whereby the Spirit of God more delights to set forth the heavenly union betwixt Christ and the beleever then that of the head and the body The head gives sense and motion to all the members of the body And the body is one not only by the continuity of all the parts held together with the same naturall ligaments and covered with one and the same skin but much more by the animation of the same soul quickning that whole frame in the acting whereof it is not the large extent of the stature and distance of the lims from each other that can make any difference The body of a childe that is but a span long cannot be said to be more united then the vast body of a giantly son of Anak whose height is as the Cedars and if we could suppose such a body as high as heaven it self that one soul which dwels in it and is diffused through all the parts of it would make it but one intire body Right so it is with Christ and his Church That one Spirit of his which dwels in and enlives every beleever unites all those far-distant members both to each other and to their head and makes them up into one true mystical body so as now every true beleever may without presumption but with all holy reverence and all humble thankfulnesse say to his God and Saviour Behold Lord I am how unworthy soever one of the lims of thy body and therefore have a right to all that thou hast to all that thou doest Thine eye sees for me thine ear hears for me thine hand acts for me Thy life thy grace thy happinesse is mine Oh the wonder of the two blessed unions In the personall union it pleased God to assume and unite our humane nature to the Deity In the spiritual and mysticall it pleases God to unite the person of every beleever to the person of the Son of God our souls are too narrow to blesse God enough for these incomprehensible mercies Mercies wherein he hath preferred us be it spoken with all godly lowliness to the blessed Angels of heaven Forverily he took not upon him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. Neither hath he made those glorious spirits members of his mystical body but his Saints whom he hath as it were so incorporated that they are become his body and he theirs according to that of the divine Apostle For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. SECT 5. This union set forth by the resemblance of the husband and wife NExt hereunto there is no resemblance of this mystery either more frequent or more full of lively expression then that of the conjugall union betwixt the husband and wife Christ is as the head so the husband of the Church The Church and every beleeving soul is
the Spouse of this heavenly Bridegroom whom he marrieth unto himself for ever in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercies Esai 62. 5. Hos 2. 9. and this match thus made up fulfils that decretive word of the Almighty They twain shall be one flesh Eph. 5. 31. Gen. 2. 24. O happy conjunction of the second Adam with her which was taken out of his most precious side Oh heavenly and compleat marriage wherein God the Father brings and gives the Bride Gen. 2. 22. All that the Father giveth me shal come to me saith Christ Joh. 6. 37. wherein God the Son receives the Bride as mutually partaking of the same nature and can say This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Joh. 1. 14. Gen. 2. 23. wherein God the holy Ghost knits our wils in a full and glad consent to the full consummation of this blessed wedlock And those whom God hath thus joyned together let no man no Devill can put asunder What is there then which an affectionate husband can withhold from a dear wife He that hath given himself to her what can he deny to impart He that hath made himself one with her how can he be divided from his other-self Some wilde fancies there are that have framed the links of marriage of so brittle stuffe as that they may be knapt in sunder upon every sleight occasion but he that ordained it in Paradise for an earthly representation of this heavenly union betwixt Christ and his Church hath made that and his own indissoluble Here is no contract in the future which upon some intervenient accidents may be remitted but I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine Cant. 6. 3. Cant. 2. 16. And therefore each is so others that neither of them is their own Oh the comfortable mystery of our uniting to the Son of God! The wife hath not the power of her own body but the husband 1 Cor. 7. 4. We are at thy disposing O Saviour we are not our own Neither art thou so absolutely thine as that we may not through thine infinite mercy claim an interesse in thee Thou hast given us such a right in thy self as that we are bold to lay challenge to all that is thine to thy love to thy merits to thy blessings to thy glory It was wont of old to be the plea of the Roman wives to their husbands Where thou art Caius I am Caia and now in our present marriages we have not stuck to say With all my worldly goods I thee endow And if it be thus in our imperfect conjunctions here upon earth how much more in that exquisite onenesse which is betwixt thee O blessed Saviour and thy dearest Spouse the Church What is it then that can hinder us from a sweet and heavenly fruition of thee Is it the loathsome condition of our nature Thou sawst this before and yet couldst say when when we were yet in our bloud Live Ezek. 16. 6. Had we not been so vile thy mercy had not been so glorious thy free grace did all for us Thou washedst us with water and anointedst us with oyle and cloathedst us with broidered work and girdedst us about with fine linnen and coveredst us with silk and deckedst us with ornaments and didst put bracelets upon our hands and a chain on our neck and jewels on our fore-heads and ear-rings on our ears a beautifull crown on our own heads Ezek. 16. 9 10 11 12. What we had not thou gavest what thou didst not find thou madest that we might be a not-unmeet match for the Lord of life Is it want of beauty Behold I am black but comely Cant. 1. 5. what ever our hiew be in our own or others eyes it is enough that we are lovely in thine Cant. 1. 16. Behold thou art fair my beloved behold thou art fair yea pleasant Cant. 1. 16. Thou art beautifull O my love as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights Cant. 6 3. 7. 6. But oh Saviour if thou take contentment in this poor unperfect beauty of thy Spouse the Church how infinite pleasure should thy Spouse take in that absolute perfection that is in thee who art all loveliness and glory And if she have ravished thy heart with one of her eyes Cant. 5. 16. 4. 9. how much more reason hath her heart to be wholly ravished with both thine which are so full of grace and amiablenesse and in this mutuall fruition what can there be other then perfect blessedness SECT 6. The resemblance of this union by the nourishment and the body THe Spirit of God well knowing how much it imports us both to know and feel this blessed union whereof himself is the only worker labours to set it forth to us by the representations of many of our familiar concernments which we daily finde in our meats and drinks in our houses in our gardens and orchards That which is nearest to us is our nourishment what can be more evident then that the bread the meat the drink that we receive is incorporated into us and becomes part of the substance whereof we consist so as after perfect digestion there can be no distinction betwixt what we are and what we took Whiles that bread was in the bing and that meat in the shambles and that drink in the vessell it had no relatian to us nor we to it yea whiles all these were on the Table yea in our mouthes yea newly let down into our stomachs they are not fully ours for upon some nauseating dislike of nature they may yet go the same way they came but if the concoction be once fully finished now they are so turned into our bloud and flesh that they can be no more distinguished from our former substance then that could be divided from it self now they are dispersed into the veins and concorporated to the flesh and no part of our flesh and bloud is more ours then that which was lately the bloud of the grapes and the flesh of this fowl or that beast Oh Saviour thou who art truth it self hast said Joh. 6. 51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven v. 55. My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed and thereupon hast most justly inferred v. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him and as a necessary consequent of this spirituall manducation v. 54. whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternal life Lo thou art bread indeed not the cōmon bread but Manna not the Israelitish Manna alas that fell from no higher then the region of clouds and they that are it died with it in their mouthes but thou art the living bread that came down from the heaven of heavens of whom whosoever eats lives for ever Thy flesh is meat not for our stomachs but for our souls our faith receives and digests thee and
of Christs members with themselves First those in heaven HItherto we have treated of this blessed union as in relation to Christ the head It remains that we now consider of it as it stands in relation to the members of his mysticall body one towards another For as the body is united to the head so must the members be united to themselves to make the body truly compleat Thus the holy Ghost by his Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 12. As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ From this entire conjunction of the members with each other arises that happy communion of Saints which we professe both to beleeve and to partake of This mysticall body of Christ is a large one extending it self both to heaven and earth there is a reall union betwixt all those farre-spred lims between the Saints in heaven between the Saints on earth between the Saints in heaven and earth We have reason to begin at heaven thence is the originall of our union and blessednesse There was never place for discord in that region of glory since the rebellious Angels were cast out thence the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. must needs agree in a perfect unity neither can it be otherwise for there is but one will in heaven one scope of the desires of blessed souls which is the glory of their God all the whole chore sing one song and in that one harmonious tune of Allelujah We poor parcell-sainted souls here on earth professe to bend our eyes directly upon the same holy end the honour of our Maker and Redeemer but alas at our best we are drawn to look asquint at our own aims of profit or pleasure We professe to sing loud praises unto God but it is with many harsh and jarring notes above there is a perfect accordance in an unanimous glorifying of him that sits upon the throne for ever Oh how ye love the Lord all ye his Saints Psal 31. 23. Oh how joyfull ye are in glory Psal 149. 5. The heavens shall praise thy wonders O Lord thy faithfulnesse also in the congregation of the Saints Psal 89. 5. O what a blessed Common-wealth is that above The City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem ever at unity within it self Psal 122. 3. and therein the innumerable company of Angels and the generall Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven the spirits of just men made perfect and whom they all adore God the judge of all and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 12. 22. All these as one as holy Those twenty thousand chariots of heaven Psal 68. 17. move all one way When those four beasts full of eyes round about the throne give glory and honour and thanks to him that sits upon the throne saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come then the four and twenty Elders fall down before him and cast their crowns before the throne Rev. 4. 6 7 8 9 10. No one wears his crown whiles the rest cast down theirs all accord in one act of giving glory to the Highest After the sealing of the Tribes A great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands And cryed with a loud voice Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb And all the Angels stood about the throne and about the Elders and the four beasts and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen Blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto God for ever and ever Revel 7. 4 9 10 11 12. Lo those spirits which here below were habited with severall bodies different in shapes statures ages complexions are now above as one spirit rather distinguished then divided all united in one perpetuall adoration and fruition of the God oâ— spirits and mutually happy in God in themselves in each other SECT 20. The union of Christs members upon earth First in matter of judgement OUr copy is set us above we labour to take it out here on earth What do we but daily pray that the blessed union of souls which is eminent in that empyreall heaven may be exemplified by us in this region of mortality For having through Christ an accesse by one spirit unto God the Father being no more strangers and forainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2. 18 19. we cease not to pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Mat. 6. 10. Yea O Saviour â—hou who canst not but be heard hast prayed to thy Father for the accomplishment of this union That they â—â—â—y be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one Joh. 17. 22 23 What then is this union of the members of Christ here on earth but a spirituall onenesse arising from an happy conspiration of their thoughts and affections For whereas there are two main principles of all humane actions and dispositions the brain the heart the conjuncture of these two cannot but produce a perfect union from the one our thoughts take their rise our affections from the other in both the soul puts it self forth upon all matter of accord or difference The union of thoughts is when we minde the same things when we agree in the same truths This is the charge which the Apostle of the Gentiles layes upon his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 10. and in their persons upon 〈◊〉 Christians Now I beseech you brethreâ— by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing aâ—â— that there be no divisions among yoâ— but that ye be perfectly joyned togethâ—â— in the same minde and in the saâ—â— judgement And this is no other thâ—â— that one faith Eph. 4. 5. which make up the one Church of Christ upoâ— earth One both in respect of timâ— and places Of times so as the Fathers of the first world and the Patriarchs of the next and all Gods people in their ages that lookt togethâ—â— with them for the redemption of Israâ—â— are united with us Christians of the laâ—â— dayes in the same beleef and make 〈◊〉 one entire body of Christs Catholiâ— Church Luk. 2. 23. Of places 〈◊〉 as all those that truly professe thâ— name of Christ though scattered into the farthest remote regions of thâ— earth even those that walk with theâ—â— feet opposite to ours yet meet with us in the same center of Christian faith and make up one houshold of God Not that we can hope it possible that all Christians should agree in all truths whiles we are here our minds cannot but be more unlike to each others then our faces yea it is a rare
and prevalent Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven saith our Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount Mat. 5. 16. and his great Apostle seconds his charge to his Philippians Phil. 2. 15 16. That ye may be blamelesse and harmlesse the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Lo the world sits in darknesse and either stirs not or moves with danger good example is a light to their feet which directs them to walk in the wayes of God without erring without stumbling so as the good mans actions are so many copies for novices to take out no lesse instructive then the wisest mens precepts By admonition the sinner is in danger of drowning Seasonable admonition is an hand reacht out that layes hold on him now sinking and drawes him up to the shore The sinner is already in the fire seasonable admonition snatches him out from the everlasting burnings Jude v. 23. The charitable Christian may not forbear this oft times thanklesse but alwayes necessary and profitable duty Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Lev. 19. 17. By exhortation The fire of Gods Spirit within us is subject to many damps and dangers of quenching seasonable exhortation blowes it up and quickens those sparks of good motions to a perfect flame Even the best of us lies open to a certain deadnesse and obdurednesse of heart seasonable exhortation shakes off this perill and keeps the heart in an holy tendernesse and whether awfull or chearfull disposition Exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3. 13. By consolation We are all naturally subject to droop under the pressure of afflictions seasonable comforts lift and stay us up It is a sad complaint that the Church makes in the Lamentations Lament 1. 21. They have heard that I sigh there is none to comfort me and David Psal 69. 20. sets the same mournfull ditty upon his Shoshannim Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to take pity and there was none and for comforters but I found none Wherefore hath God given to men the tongue of the learned but that they might know to speak a word in season to him that is weary Esa 50. 3. That they may strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees and say to them that are of a fearfull heart Be strong fear not Esa 35. 3. The charge that our Saviour gives to Peter Luk. 22. 32. holds universally Thou when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren By prayer so as each member of Christs Church sues for all neither can any one be shut out from partaking the benefit of the devotions of all Gods Saints upon earth There is a certain spirituall traffique of piety betwixt all Gods children wherein they exchange prayers with each other not regarding number so much as weight Am I weak in spirit and faint in my supplications I have no lesse share in the most fervent prayers of the holiest suppliants then in my own All the vigour that is in the most ardent hearts supplies my defects whiles there is life in their faithfull devotions I cannot go away unblessed Lastly where there is a communion of inward graces and spirituall services there must needs be much more be a communication of outward and temporall good things as just occasion requireth Away with those dotages of Platonicall or Anabaptisticall communities Let proprieties be as they ought constantly fixed where the lawes and civill right have placed them But let the use of these outward blessings be managed and commanded by the necessities of our brethren Withhold not thy goods from the owners thereof when it is in the power of thy hand to do it Say not unto thy neighbour Go and come again tomorrow and I will give it when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3. 27 28. These temporall things were given us not to engrosse and hoard up superfluously but to distribute and dispense As we have therefore opportunity let us do good untoall men especially them who are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. Such then is the union of Gods children here on earth both in matter of judgement and affection and the beneficiall improvement of that affection whether in spirituall gifts or good offices or communicating of our earthly substance where the heart is one none of these can be wanting and where they all are there is an happy communion of Saints SECT 24. The union of the Saints on earth with those in heaven AS there is a perfect union betwixt the glorious Saints in heaven and a union though imperfect betwixt the Saints on earth So there is an union partly perfect and partly imperfect between the Saints in heaven and the Saints below upon earth perfect in respect of those glorified Saints above imperfect in respect of the weak returns we are able to make to them again Let no man think that because those blessed souls are out of sight far distant in another world and we are here toyling in a vale of tears we have therefore lost all mutuall regard to each other no there is still and ever will be a secret but unfailing correspondence between heaven and earth The present happinesse of those heavenly Citizens cannot have abated ought of their knowledge and charity but must needs have raised them to an higher pitch of both They therefore who are now glorious comprehensors cannot but in a generality retain the notice of the sad condition of us poor travellers here below panting towards our rest together with them and in common wish for the happy consummation of this our weary pilgrimage in the fruition of their glory That they have any Perspective whereby they can see down into our particular wants is that which we finde no ground to beleeve it is enough that they have an universall apprehension of the estate of Christs warfaring Church upon the face of the earth Rev. 6. 10. and as fellow-members of the same mysticall body long for a perfect glorification of the whole As for us wretched pilgrims that are yet left here below to tug with many difficulties we cannot forget that better half of us that is now triumphing in glory O ye blessed Saints above we honour your memories so far as we ought we do with praise recount your vertues we magnifie your victories we blesse God for your happy exemption from the miseries of this world and for your estating in that blessed immortality We imitate your holy examples we long and pray for an happy consociation with you we dare not raise Temples dedicate Altars direct prayers to you we dare not finally