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A77515 Two treatises the one, handling the doctrine of Christ's mediatorship : wherein the great Gospel-mystery of reconciliation betwixt God and man is opened, vindicated, and applyed. The other, of mystical implantation : wherein the Christian's union and communion with, and conformity to Jesus Christ, both in his death and resurrection, is opened, and applyed. / As they were lately delivered to the church of God at Great Yarmouth, by John Brinsley, minister of the Gospel, and preacher to that incorporation. Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.; Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662. 1652 (1652) Wing B4737; Thomason E1223_1; ESTC R22919 314,532 569

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true conversion in the heart of a regenerate person it causeth a reall separation of the soul from the body of sin Applic. False Mortification discovered Which discords to make some short Application as I go make many to be as yet strangers unto this blessed work It may be they have parted with some sins but they are not dead to sin No their souls are not separated from the body of sin Those sins which it may be they have left for fear or shame or some other sinister respects yet they have their hearts still Like a dear wife who carrieth her affectionate Husband's heart into the grave with her Illa habeat secum servétque sepulchro Thus do mens hearts oft-times cleave to their sins which in respect of actuall communion they are separated from They do not hate them nor yet any sin as sin For then they would hate all sinne A quatenùs ad omne c. He that hateth any sin as sin hateth all sin But so do not they No However it may be there is a kind of Antipathy in their natures by reason of their Constitution or Education against some sins yet there are others which are sweet and delightfull to them Now as for such they are not made conformable unto Christ in his death His death was a true death a separation of the soul from his body Secondly A Voluntary Death 2. Resemb A Voluntary Death Such was the Death of Jesus Christ He poured forth his soul unto death Isai 53.12 He gave himself for our sins Gal. 1.4 Laying down his life Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life John 10.17 No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my selfe verse 18. This he did in way of voluntary obedience unto his Father He was obedient unto the death c. Philip 2.8 What herein he did all the men and divels in the world could not have enforced him to His Death was a voluntary and spontaneous act And herein it was a pattern of true Mortification Such is true Mortification a voluntary act which is a voluntary and willing death Whatever Gods people do in way of duty to God they do it willingly Thy people shall come willingly in the day of thy power Psa 110.3 And as in all other actions and services so in this they are a willing people In Mortification a Christian dyeth unto sin is not put to death So much is imported in those phrases of Mortifying and Crucifying of sin If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Romans 8. They that are Christs hove crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof Gal. 5.24 And so of putting off the old man That ye put off concerning the former Conversation the old man Ephes 4.22 All voluntary and spontaneous acts Such is true Mortification Not when sin dyeth of it selfe or is put to death accidentally by some other means but when the man himself puts it to death When a man putteth off the rags of the old Adam not when he is stripped of them In this resembling the death of Christ which was a voluntary death Applic. And if so Counterfeit Mortification discovered being inforced what a deal of Counterfeit Mortification will this one touchstone discover Many there are who seeme to have left their sinns but it is against their wills No thanks to them They are enforced to do what they do Enforced 1. It may be 1 By the sense of some temporal Inconvenience through the present sense of some temporall inconvenience they see attending upon them Thus the prodigall waster happily leaveth his riotous and luxurious courses of drinking and gaming How so Because he findeth them prejudiciall to his estate to his health 2. It may be they have a clamorous conscience 2. Through clamours of conscience which will not let them be quiet but continually dogs them And thereupon they are faine to let go their sins parting with them as a night-robber doth with his prey which he leaveth behind him because the dogs come with open mouth at him Upon this account it was that Judas was so willing to be rid of his thirty pieces of silver No thanks to him they were too hot for him to hold Thus do many men part with their sins as a sick man parts with his meat or Medicine which he would faine keepe but it maketh him sick and thereupon his stomack easeth it selfe of it 3. Happily they part with them not out of any dislike they have of them but for fear servile fear 3 Through fear of punishment Temporall from Man or God Fear of punishment Punishment Temporall or Eternall Temporall from Man or from God Of the former kind how many They abstaine from such and such evils but no thanks to them They dare do no otherwise The fear of man is upon them The penalty of the law deterrs them Of the latter not a few They see wrath is gone out against them from the Lord. Some temporall Judgment hangs over their heads like Dam ocles his sword threatning of them This maketh them to let go their sinns parting with them as the dog with his bone when the whip is over him This it was that made Ahab for a time act the part of a penitent Who that looketh upon him in that penitentiall garbe 1 King 21.17 cloathed with sack-cloth fasting and walking so demurely but would take him for a Mortified Convert But no thanks to him the Prophet had rung him such a peal as made both his ears to tingle He had denounced the judgements of God against him in such a terrible manner as made him for the time to put on that disguize Eternall Or haply the fear of eternal punishment is upon them Upon this account do men sometimes part with their sins Even as sea-men in a stress part with their goods which they cast over-board with their owne hands Not that they are out of love with them but because they love their lives better they see they must either part with them or perish with them Or like a Cut-purse who being apprehended by a Sergeant drops the purse which he hath cut or drawn not that he is weary of it but because he knoweth if that should be found about him it would hang him Even thus do many part with their sins when conscience being awakened they see hell gaping upon them It may be God's Serjeant Death in their apprehensions hath arrested them ready to carry them before the dreadfull Tribunall of a just and terrible God And they know that if such and such sins be found about them there is no way but eternall condemnation for them And hereupon they cast them away it may be seriously resolving never more to own them or to have any acquaintance with them Thus many seem to leave their sins All far from true Mortification to part with them who are yet
Christ's death The death of Christ being applied unto the soul by faith there issueth a vertue from him a mortifying vertue causing such a death unto sin in the believer Thus are they ingrafted in the likenesse of his death Q. but how then is this work attributed unto them How believers are said themselves to mortifie sin If it be wrought in them by a forreign power by a vertue flowing from Christ's death how then are they said to mortifie and crucifie sin Mortifie yee your members which are on the earth Col. 3.5 If ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 They which are Christ's have crucified the flesh Gal. 5.24 So that it seemeth there is some power in a man's self to effect this work Answ For answer hereunto They co-operate with grace received the Solution will be easie if we do but take notice who and what manner of persons they are of whom and to whom the Apostle there speaketh They were not meer carnall men men dead in sins but they were Christians such as he presumed to be already dead to sin as he saith of his Colossians Col. 3 3. such as were already made partakers of the grace and spirit of God now being such he speaketh of them and to them as men who through the assistance and inablement of the Spirit that grace received were inabled to do what he there speaketh of But so are not others Meer carnall men being destitute of the Spirit of Christ however they may out of morall Principles do somwhat to the restraining of sin yet to the mortifying of it they can do nothing No this is the work of that Spirit which worketh all the works of regenerate persons in them and for them Not that we are sufficient of our selves saith the Apostle to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 Without mee or severed from mee yee can do nothing saith our Saviour to his Apostles John 15.5 nothing which belongeth to true Piety It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Mortification is a supernaturall work the work of an almighty Power wherein men are but Instruments the Spirit of Christ the principall Agent If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom. 8.13 A twofold Mortification 1 Habitual 2 Actuall For further Resolution I might yet minde you of an usefull Distinction There is a two-fold Mortification the one Habituall the other Practical The former habituall and inward consisting in a change of the heart turning the bent and inclination of it from and against all sin Now this is the immediate and onely work of the Spirit of grace breathing and working where it will The later is practicall or outward or rather actual mortification viz. the exercise or putting forth of that inward grace the acting of that principle in resisting of Temptations in suppressing and subduing bringing under and keeping under inordinate lusts watching against sinfull and inordinate acts Now this is the work of a regenerate person himself co-operating working together with the Spirit of God as a Rational Instrument with the principal Agent acting out of that supernaturall principle of grace which he hath received so shewing forth the vertue of Christ even that vertue which is derived from the death of Christ So as still this Truth remaineth unshaken that Mortificatoin or this death unto sin is wrought in the Beleever by a vertue flowing from Christ and his Death as from the stock to the graft implanted in it And thus have I with as much brevity as might be passed thorow the Doctrinall part of these two Propositions That which remains is the Application wherein I will not be long Examine whether we be dead unto sin Applic. In the first place Every of us bring it home to our selves enquiring concerning this Conformity whether we be thus planted together with Christ in his death made thus conformable to him in his death or no Are we thus dead to sin or no It is a Question of high concernment Great are the things which depend upon this Qualification no less then life it self If we be dead with Christ wee shall also live with him so you have it in the 8th verse of this Chapt. This our dying to sin insures our resurrection to life eternall life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shal be also in the likness of his resurrection Every of us then enquire as concerning this Death whether we be made partakers of it whether we be thus dead unto sin or no Qu. But how shall we know it Answ Evidence of it A freedome from the service of it Here I shall not trouble you with many Evidences In the verse next but one after the Text ver 7. you shall meet with one which may serve in stead of many He that is dead saith the Apostle is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Mark it He that is dead to sin is freed from sin How freed from it Why not onely in respect of guilt justified from it as the Margin in our Translation readeth it according to the proper signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also in respect of service This it is which the Apostle there principally aims at as appeareth from the words foregoing where he tels us that our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed Ver. 6. that henceforth we should not serve sin For he that is dead is freed from sin viz. from the service of it He ceaseth from sin so S. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.1 He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin that is he which is crucified with Christ dead with him for that is there meant by suffering in the flesh he hath ceased from sin How ceased from it What wholly from the committing of it Not so through infirmitie he falls into sin now and then aye but he doth not make a practice of it he doth not live in it as the verse following explains it He that is dead is freed from sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh in this mortal life to the lusts of men Thus the mortified person ceaseth from sin though through the infirmity of the flesh he may fall into it yet he doth not live in it make a practice of it devote himself to the service of it so as to make it his businesse Now do we find such a cessation from sin in our selves Q. But may there not be a Cessation where there is no Mortification True cessation from sin is may there not be a cessation from sin where there is no mortification of sin A. Yes there may Let me therfore in a few words shew you what kind of cessation that must be which giveth evidence to the
Spirituall and He●●●●●● Bl 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So much we may learn from the Apostle Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with al spiritual and Heavenly blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ Being in Christ they are blessed with all spirituall blessings in him and through him God giving them unto his Son and his Son unto them he giveth all things that are in him He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shal he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 All things necessary convenient More particularly The fatness of this Olive the Excellencies of Jesus Christ Particularly in his Merit his Spirit which here he communicateth to beleevers may be reduced to two heads His Merit and his Spirit both these Christ is full of Full of Merit and full of Spirit And both these he imparts and communicates unto beleevers His Merit unto their Justification Adoption His Spirit unto their sanctification Of each briefly 1. The first thing Christ communicates unto the beleever is his Merit And that 1. unto Justification 1. Merit Unto justification This Benefit the Gentiles receive from their ingrafting into the stock and Covenant of Abraham Thereby it cometh to passe that Righteousness is imputed unto them So the Apostle layeth it down Rom. 4.11 Abraham received the sign of Circumcision c. that he might be the father all them that beleeve though they be not Circumcised that Righteousnesse might be imputed to them also This saith Grotius Idem hic figuratè indicat Paulus quod aper●iùs dixerat cap. 4. ver 11. Grotius in ●om 11.17 is the fatnesse of the Olive which the same Apostle speaketh of cap. 11. The one a covert and figurative the other a plain expression of the same thing And this benefit are all true believers made partakers of being made one with Christ now Christ is made unto them Righteousnesse So saith this Apostle 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who is made unto us of God Wisdome Righteousnesse And how is Christ made Righteousnesse to the believer not by way of Infusion but Imputation not by putting a Righteousnesse into him but by putting a Righteousness upon him even his own Righteousness By the imputing his merit his Satisfaction his Obedience unto them thorow which they are accepted as righteous unto eternall life Thus is the Righteousnesse of Christ communicated unto all believers He is to them The Lord their Righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 2. The second Benefit issuing from hence is Adoption Thus in Ingrafting there is a kind of Adoption Ramum ramus adoptat 2. Adoption Venerit Insitio fac Ramum Ramus adoptet Ovid. as the Poet elegantly describeth Grafting The Stock as it were adopteth the Branch that is put into it For what is Adoption but the taking of anothers child and bringing it up as a mans own Thus ingrafting the Stock receiveth the branch of another tree and nourisheth it as its own And the like benefit are believers made partakers of by their engrafting into Christ Christ being the Son of God by nature he maketh them the Sons of God by grace the grace of Adoption To as many as received him he gave power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Right Priviledge to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name John 1.12 This benefit Christ came to procure and purchase for his Elect. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4.5 And this benefit upon their believing their receiving of Christ they are made actuall partakers of Being thereupon made Heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ Rom. 8.17 These benefits believers have from the merit of Christ Secondly As they are made partakers of his Merit so of his Spirit 2. Spirit He that is joyned to the Lord to Christ is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 i. e. like minded with Christ in as much as he is made partaker of the same spirit Because ye are Sonnes saith the Aposte God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Gal. 4.6 And by this means Christ is made unto believers Sanctification Unto Sanctification So the Apostle goeth on in the place fore-named 1 Cor. 1.30 Who is made unto us of God Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification So he is viz. by the communicating of his Spirit unto them which is a Spirit of Sanctification So called by the Apostle Rom. 1.4 where speaking of Christ he saith He was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holinesse or sanctification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning the Divine Nature dwelling in Christ which being holy in it selfe sanctifieth others by the merit and vertue thereof according to that of the Authour to the Hebrews Heb. 2.11 where speaking of Christ he saith That both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one Christ and believers are one And being one with Christ they are sanctified through the Merit Mat. 23. ●● 19. and Spirit of Christ Through the Merit of Christ imputed unto them Luke 1.35 as the Gold was sanctified by the Temple and the Gift by the Altar Through the Spirit of Christ dwelling and working in them after a sort as it did in Christ in his Conception sanctifying and purifying their natures Of Sanctification there are two parts Mortification the one Vivification Of Sanctification Two parts Mortification Vivification the other the one a dying unto sin the other a rising to newnesse of life and of both these Christ is the cause and that not only the Exemplary Cause the Pattern Sampler of both Christ the cause of both of which God willing I shall speak in the Sequel of the Text which tels us that believers are ingrafted with Christ in the likenesse of his Death and Resurrection the one in their Mortification the other in their Vivification but also the Meritorious Cause having merited and procured these benefits for them by his Death Resurrection And withall the Efficient Cause working both these in them which he doth by the communication of his Spirit in them By this Spirit he worketh the mortification of sin in them If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8.13 And by the same spirit he quickeneth them up to newnesse of life This the Apostle calleth the power and vertue of Christ's Resurrection Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. that power whereby Christ himselfe was raised from the dead which was the power of his eternall Spirit dwelling in him Of this power the work of this spirit the Apostle desireth a further experimentall knowledge in himselfe in raising him
Religion I a corner stone in that Foundation and a Truth principally aimed at by the Apostle in the Text I have now in hand as I have shewn you from the verse following as also because among other Truths of God I find it of late called in question nay utterly exploded and that by some who to use Paul's words Gal. 2.9 seemed to be Pillars men of no mean note in the Church of God Now passe we on to that which remains wherin I shall be as concise and briefe as conveniently I may finding the work to swell in my hand far beyond my expectation when I first took it up Secondly As Christ is a Surety in way of Satisfaction so of Caution II. Christ a Surety in way of Caution In the former he is a Surety de praeterito for what is past In this later he is a Surety de futuro for what is to come A Surety in way of Caution undertaking for those whom he hath so reconciled unto God viz. for the performance of the stipulation of the conditiōs of the covenant required on their part This Jesus Christ our Mediatour undertaketh and effecteth wherein he being the Truth again out-strips the Type Moses that Typicall Legall Mediatour he could go betwixt God and the people declaring his mind unto them receiving and returning their answer unto him Both these we find Exod. 19.7 8. Moses called for the Elders of the people and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord had commanded him And all the people answered together and said All that the Lord hath spoken we will do And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord. Thus he went betwixt them as an Internuncius an Intermessenger reporting the mind of each to other But he durst not ingage for them As for God he durst and did ingage for performance of the Covenant on his part And hee laid an ingagement upon the people Both these he did in and by that one Ceremonie which we meet with Exod. 24.8 Having first read the Booke of the Covenant in the audience of the people and received their Answer to the purport aforesaid Then he tooke the blood of the Sacrifice and sprinkled it on the people By that Ceremonie confirming and ratifying the Covenant Assuring it on Gods part and ingaging the people to fidelitie and constancie on their part as God willing I shall shew you more fully anon in moralizing of that Ceremonie But engage for them he durst not Which if he had done he had not been able to performe it But this doth our Mediator the Lord Jesus He having by his death reconciled his people unto God Undertaking for performance of the conditions on the behalfe of his Elect viz. Faith and Obedience now he undertaketh for them for their performance of the Stipulation the conditions of the Covenant on their part What the Stipulation is you have heard already Even the Obedience of Faith so the Apostle calleth it Rom. 1.5 and 16.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The obedience of Faith or if you will divide them Faith and Obedience These without any just offence I may call the conditions of this Covenant Faith whereby the Covenant is accepted upon the tearms on which it is tendred and Christ the Mediator of it received Obedience wherby it is kept viz. in an Evangelicall way in respect of desire and indeavour This it is which the Psalmist calleth Keeping of the Covenant Psalm 25.10 and 103.18 Not a Legall but an Evangelicall keeping when the promises of grace being beleeved there is a serious desire and indeavour of yeilding obedience to all God's Commandements Now for this Christ undertaketh on the behalfe of his Elect that they shall thus keep the Covenant that they shall thus Consent and Obey as the former Translation rendreth it Isaiah 1.19 And undertaking it he effecteth it working in them what the Covenant requires This he doth by his Spirit which is to them in whom it dwels first a Spirit of Faith So you find it expresly called 2 Cor. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of Faith So called not only because it is not given but to beleevers as Grot. glosseth upon it but also because it worketh Faith in the soul inclining it to receive Christ the offer of grace by and through him And then a Spirit of Holinesse So the Spirit of Christ is called Rom. 1.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of Sanctity or Sanctification Because being Holy in it selfe it sanctifieth the person in whom it dwelleth Thus it sanctified the Humane nature of Christ wherein it dwelled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle phraseth it Col. 2.9 Really Substantially Essentially Bodily And thus it sanctifieth all true beleevers in whom it dwelleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a Spirituall manner being communicated from Christ unto them as from the Head to the Members Thus doth Jesus Christ this our Mediator come unto all his Elect people as by his merit so by his Spirit So may wee most fitly understand that of Saint John 1 John 5.6 This is hee that came by water and blood Both these issued out of the side of our Saviour upon the crosse surely not without a mystery Betokening a double benefit redounding to all believers by and through him The one of Justification the other of Sanctification Thus Christ is said to come to them first by Blood taking away the guilt of sin Then by water cleansing them from the filth and pollution of sin Both which were shadowed out by the like Types under the Law There in the Service of the Tabernacle was Blood and water Blood in the Sacrifices water in the Legall ablutions Both Types of Christ who thus cometh unto his people as by Blood Justifying so by water Sanctifying them This is that which the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 1.31 where speaking of the Benefits which beleevers have by Christ he saith hee is made unto them of God Righteousness Sanctification i. e. The cause and procurer of both Of Righteousnesse through his merit Of Sanctification by his Spirit Thus doth Jesus Christ worke in the heart of his Elect both these Conditions of the Covenant Faith and Holinesse And as he beginneth this worke in them With perseverance so he maintaineth and continues it Causing those whom he hath thus reconciled unto God to persevere in Faith and Obedience In faith I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not saith our Saviour to Peter Luk. 22.32 The like he doth for all that are given to him taking order for their persevering in faith So as though it may fail in the mouth as Peter did yet it shall never fail in the Heart And as in faith so in Holinesse this he also maintaines which he doth by the continuall Supply of his Spirit mortifying and keeping under corruption nourishing and exciting of grace putting them on in the course of their Obedience guiding their feet into the
up to the life of grace here and glory hereafter And this power this spirit all true believers in their measure are and shal be made partakers of even as the members of the naturall body participate in those animall spirits which are in the Head And hereby they shall be inabled as to mortifie sin so to live unto God And thus you see the communion which is betwixt Christ the Believer as betwixt the Stock the Graft implanted in it Applic. Which is a ground of everlasting consolation to all those that are truely baptized into Christ A ground of everlasting Consolation mystically ingrafted into him by faith Being thus made one with him now let them know that all that is Christs is and shal be theirs The sap that is in the Stock is for the use and benefit of the Graft And thus whatever is in Jesus Christ it is for the Benefit and advantage of those that are in him So as All that is in Christ is the Believers what is it that they can want Is it pardon of sin is it Grace and favour with God Lo here is merit enough for both He hath by his obedience active and passive made an abundant satisfaction to the Justice of God He hath done and suffered enough to finish the Transgression and to make an end of or seal up sins and to make Reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Here is nothing wanting to the Justification of a Believer before God Nor yet to his Sanctification As there is a fulnesse of merit so there is a fulnesse of spirit in Christ It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Col. 1.19 So it did during his abode here upon earth The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us full of grace and truth John 1.14 Upon his change of State he received an addition to that fulnesse When he ascended up on high he received gifts for men Psal 68.18 Gifts which he might distribute and give unto men as the Apostle renders that of the Psalmist Eph. 4.8 He ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things So it followeth ver 10. All things that is all his Elect and faithfull people all which do and shall in their measure receive of that his fulnesse Of his fulnesse we have all received grace for grace saith Saint John John 1.16 We all all believers have received grace for grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace upon grace say some one grace after another abundance of grace or grace for grace graces answering to those graces which are in Christ as the characters in the wax answer those in the seal or grace for grace The grace of Sanctification following upon the grace of Justification both flowing from the free-grace and good will of God in Christ And this believers receive from the fulnesse which is in Christ which is not only a repletive but a diffusive fulnesse Plenitudo non vasis sed fontis Not like the fulnesse of a vessel which if a drop be taken from it it suffers a diminution by it but of a fountain which runneth over for the benefit of all that will come unto it Such a fulnesse of Spirit such a fulnesse of Grace is there in Jesus Christ who is in that respect compared to a Fountain Zach. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleannesse That Fountain is Christ himselfe whose merit and spirit represented by the water and blood issuing out of his side in his Passion are as streams ever running from a living Spring sufficient to wash and cleanse all believing sinners from the guilt and pollution of sin Here is merit enough for their Justification and here is spirit enough for their Sanctification And in both these Believers being united unto Christ have and shall have communion with him A four-fold Benefit flowing from this Union and Communion Out of which Generall still to follow the Metaphor bud forth divers other particulars The Graft being thus put into the Stock made one with it and partaking in the sap and juice that is in it it now receiveth from it a four-fold benefit viz. Nutrition Augmentation Fructification Sustentation Nourishment Growth Fruitfulnesse Establishment And the like four-fold benefit we shall find accrewing unto the Believer from this his union and communion with Jesus Christ Each of which will yeild us a severall Resemblance A first of these Benefits is Nutrition 6. Resembl 1. Benefit Nutrition nourishment This the Graft receiveth from the Stock And this the Believer receiveth from Christ So the Apostle holdeth it forth though under a different Metaphor Col. 2.19 where comparing Christ to the Head and the Church to the Body he sheweth how the one receiveth nourishment from the other Not holding the Head from which all the Body having nourishment ministred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant illum qui omnia ornamenta suppeditat sacras Choreas agentibus Abbis ducta Motaphora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur quicunque aliis suppeditat res ad quemcunque finem necessarias Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est hoc facere abundè copiosè in Davenant in Col. 2.19 The word there used signifieth generally a Supply of all things requisite and convenient and that in an abundant manner Such a supply doth the Head make unto the naturall Body It giveth to every part sense and motion and particular abilities for the discharge of their severall offices and functions as to the eye to see to the ear to hear c. And such a supply doth Jesus Christ make unto his mysticall Body giving spirituall sense and motion to every member with abilities and graces sutable to their severall offices and conditions furnishing them with whatever is requisite for their Personall Salvation and the Churches Edification In this place the word more particularly imports a supply of such things as are necessary for the nourishing of the Body Est autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipere ea quae alendo corpori sunt necessaria Grotius ad loc These the Head supplyeth to the members of the naturall body And these Jesus Christ supplyeth to the members of the mystical Body even to all that are in him Such a supply the Stock maketh to the ingrafted Branches And such a supply Christ yeildeth to all those living spirituall Branches that are ingrafted into him ministring to them spirituall Aliment for the nourishing up of their souls unto eternal life To the nourishment of the naturall Body there are but two things requisite Christ is perfect nourishment to the Believer viz. Meat and Drink and both these is Christ unto the believer My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed saith he to the Jews John 6.55 Meat indeed and drink indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè eminentissimè Truely and really though