all these glorious appearances operate intimately and immediately he penetrates into the inmost spirit and is more intimate to it than that is to it self he operates not only by an immediation of virtue but by an immediation of essence for his virtue is not distinct from his essence Thus there is a communication of the Spirit an excellent operative intimate presence with Believers as if he were a kind of soul to them to quicken them unto every good work But alas how short are our thoughts in this point how little a portion of it do we know The Master of the Sentences out of St. Chrysostom asserts That we cannot comprehend how God is every where much less can we comprehend how he who is every where is in a special manner in Believers I verily think that those Phrases of Scripture which express the Spirit to be communicated to them have in them a mystery much deeper than we can dive into I shall therefore make no further answer to the Quaere it is enough for me to say with Fulgentius That the inhabitation of the Holy Trinity in us De Pers Christ is non localis sed immensa non comprehensibilis cogitatione sed venerabilis fide not local but immense not comprehensible in thought but venerable in Faith I conclude with that of Zanchy De trib El. lib. 4. cap. 1. Spiritus Sanctus quia immensus est ideo ubique est maximè in omnibus fidelibus speciali quodam sed incomprehensibili modo The Holy Spirit because he is immense therefore he is every-where most of all he is in all the faithful after a certain special but incomprehensible manner The next thing which comes to be considered in this discourse is the Operations of the Spirit I touched upon this before but now I will speak a little more to it It 's true these Operations being among the opera ad extra are common to the whole Trinity yet in Scripture they are in a peculiar manner attributed to the Spirit the reason of which is because of that order which is among the persons in the Sacred Trinity the Father is of himself fons Deitatis the fountain of the Deity the Son is from the Father lumen de lumine light of light the Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son he proceeds by an eternal spiration from both of them And as is the order of subsisting so is the order of operating the Father operates from himself the Son from the Father the Holy Spirit from both Hence in the three great Works of God Creation which is the first rise of things out of nothing is in a special manner attributed to the Father Redemption which helps up a poor fallen creature is in a special manner attributed to the Son Sanctification which perfects the redeemed is in a special manner attributed to the Holy Spirit Hence in the great Work of Salvation the Father laid the counsel and platform of it the Son carries on the work in a middle mediating way the Holy Spirit according to his place in order consummates it by working Faith and all other Graces But this is only by the way In treating of these Operations I shall note two things that is what is in them of respect to union with Christ and what is in them of respect to the Inhabitation of the Spirit or which is all one to the Inhabitation of the whole Sacred Trinity The first Operation of the Spirit in Believers is this He forms all holy Graces in them he draws the very Picture of Christ upon them in humility love meekness mercy goodness heavenliness patience this operation is requisite upon a double account One that Christ may have a seed the Father promised him a seed he himself merited one yet a seed he could not have unless the Spirit did work these Graces which make us to bear a resemblance of him Another that God might have a Temple under the Old Testament he had an outward Temple but even then he would have an inward one a Sanctuary in the heart under the New Testament he had a Temple in the humane nature of Christ but even in that he aimed to have a Tabernacle in men but this could not be unless the Spirit did come and turn the heart into an holy place for him As touching this Operation the holy Graces may be considered under a double notion either as they make us to have one common nature with Christ and thus they import union with him or else as they are tokens of the divine Presence and thus they import the Inhabitation of God in us These Graces make us to have one common nature with Christ and thus they import union with him there is as the learned Camero observes a double union one ab uno communi simpliciter from one common nature simply considered thus all men are united there being one humane nature in them another ab uno communicato from one nature communicated thus a Father and a Son are united the Son having the same nature communicated from the Father To apply this distinction First Believers have one common humane nature with Christ not only in that large sense in which all men have the same nature with him but in a more strict sense peculiar to believers only He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one Hebr. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one not of one God so Angels also are not of one Adam so wicked men also are but of one nature and condition Christ hath an humane nature sanctified by the Spirit and so have Believers this is one peculiar thing in which he and they meet there is no other holy flesh in all the world but what is in him and them This tells us that they are so united to him in one common nature as no other creature in Heaven or Earth is Angels are not so they are holy but not flesh unregenerate men are not so they are flesh but not holy Believers only have as Christ hath an humane nature sanctified by the Spirit Further which advances the Union they have this sanctified nature from him we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 In this sanctified nature there are two things a carnal substance and an holy quality as to the carnal substance he is of our flesh and of our bones he did partake of flesh and blood with us As to the holy quality we are of his flesh and of his bones by him we are partakers of the divine nature Thus believers are joyned to him as to the Fountan of their Sanctity their holy Graces all hang upon him as beams upon the Sun If the Children of Reuben and Gad had been asked What part have you in the Lord they would have shewed the pattern of the Altar If Believers be asked What part have you in Christ they can shew forth their holy Graces These are Copies drawn after him
hath one nature with Believers they are as branches in him and receive juice from him The mystical union set forth by the natural head and the body Those two famous Texts Ephes 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. considered which import more than when Christ is called Head over all things Head of principality and power Head of every man Head of the Heathen or Head of the Church as an Husband Christ as an Head hath the same nature with Believers but exceeds them in order as being first and highest in perfection as being full of Grace in virtue as influencing into the Church The necessity matter and way of this influence Christ an Head above all other heads as making of no member a member and as having virtue enough for a world CHAP. V. The mystical union set forth by that between the food and the body Christ is the true food He strengthens against the cursing Law He strengthens unto all duties He is united to Believers He is food by way of eminency Several conclusions drawn from the resemblances viz. That the Vnion between Christ and Believers is not meerly a political one That it is not meerly a moral one Several reasons to prove the same That this Vnion affords support to Believers That it gives a vital influence to them That it is a very intimate Vnion That it hath a great mystery in it That it is very lasting and durable CHAP. VI. There are two Bonds of this Vnion Faith and the Holy Spirit Faith sees and presentiates Christ to the Believer it puts the soul into an apt posture for him it gives a right to him it intimately unites to him The Spirit it self is in some sort communicated to Believers he is sent to them he is given to them he dwells in them his special operative immediate presence is with them he forms Holy Graces in them he actuates and preserves those Graces he sheds abroad Gods Love in their heart In all these Operations two things are noted viz. somewhat of Vnion with Christ and somewhat of the Inhabitation of the Spirit CHAP. VII The Seals of the mystical Vnion are Baptism and the Lords Supper Baptism is a Seal of Vnion not to all but to Believers Some Infants are in their infancy in union with Christ some come to it afterwards some never attain to it The Lords Supper is a Seal to confirm and exhibit Christ to us The presence of Christ in the Eucharist is not a corporal one The Bread and Wine are not as the Papists say turned into his Body and Blood His Body and Blood are not as the Lutherans say in with and under the Bread and Wine The presence of Christ is spiritual He is present objectively to our Faith and virtually in the communicate Spirit Also the eating of Christ is not oral but spiritual CHAP. VIII The Priviledges of those that are in Christ are great Christs righteousness is imputatively derived upon them to deliver them from wrath to intitle them to life eternal Christ is their Advocate above he pleads for them that they may have pardon the spirit access to God They are adopted in him as sons they have a freedom in holy things a continual indulgence from God an heavenly inheritance They have the Holy Spirit in them it lives breathes moves operates in them They have communion with God their services answer to his call his communications answer to their services They are happy in every condition in prosperity their mercies are pure in adversity they have God with them and admirably appearing to them Our great work is Vnion with Christ CHAP. IX The Marks of Vnion considered In general the marks are internal no meer outward thing is a mark the marks are cordial no meer notion is a mark the marks are supernatural no meer moral virtue is a mark In particular The first mark is poverty of Spirit the second is an high estimation of Christ the third is a tender respect to the Bonds of Vnion the Spirit and Faith the fourth is a conformity to Christ a conformity to him in Graces in the rise of them and in the kinds a conformity to him in Sufferings in the mortification of Sin and in bearing of the Cross a conformity to him in his resurrection in heavenliness of mind and newness of life in matter and manner The conclusion in two words of advice one to those that are not in union with him the other to those that are in union with him ERRATA PAge 8. l. 5. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 9. l. 4. r. arcanum p. 10. l. 20. r. viventes p. 48. in Marg. r. pignus p. 70. in Marg. r. vinea p. 72. l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 75. l. 16. r. Insititious p. 78. in Marg. r. palmitibus Ibid. r. moventem in se habere Christum movere in Christo Ibid. r. Araus p. 95. l. 15. r. secundum p. 110. l. 26. r. niti p. 112. l. 19. r. Capernaitical p. 121. l. 20. r. forinsecus p. 123. l. 12. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 146. l. 5. r. venit p. 168. l. 16. put a at self and dele at waiting p. 176. l. 18. Marg. r. unum p. 184. l. 10. r. nisi Christus in Corde OR The Mystical Union between Christ and Believers considered CHAP. I. Millions in the Church miscarry for want of Vnion with Christ This is cleared from the two Covenants of Works and Grace from the two heads Adam and Christ from the two ways and periods of mankind Two Vnions with Christ one in appearance another in truth this latter is a mystery it carries a respect to the Vnion of the Sacred persons in Trinity and to the hypostatical Vnion of two natures in Christ it depends on them it resembles them it is that the hypostatical Vnion aims at it is not to be measured by human Reason but by Scripture GREAT preparations are made in the Gospel for the salvation of men there God proclaims himself in rich titles of grace and mercy Christ is set forth as an All-sufficient Saviour and Redeemer His blood is a Laver able to wash away all sin his treasures of grace are enough to supply all wants In his precepts we have the true way of holiness and righteousness manifested to us in his Promises we have an heaven of life and immortality opened before our eyes all things are ready on Gods part one would think they should be so on mans whose elective faculty and instinct after happiness might in all reason prompt him to accept of so great an offer Nevertheless Millions in the bosom of the Church utterly miscarry their sins are unpardoned their souls are unsanctified the pure way of holiness is forsaken Heaven the region of bliss is lost and which is the prodigy of corrupt nature they run into perdition as if it were what it is impossible to be their choice or option The reason of this is because they are not nor will be united
this Believers are united to him who is God-man In some of them there is union without vital influence in this there is union with it in others of them there is an influence but it is only of a natural life and that only while a local conjunction between the things united is maintained But in this there is an influence of a spiritual and Divine life and this notwithstanding that the local distance between Christ and Believers be as vast as it is between Heaven and Earth In them there is nothing but plain Law or Love or Art or Nature but in this there is a secret a mystery of grace an admirable conjunction of Believers to Christ and by him to the Father I conclude with the excellent words of Zanchy De tribus Elok lib. 4. fol. 180. Hoc est mirabile hujusce unitatis mysterium quae constat Deo Patre Christo Mediatore Ecclesiâ vinculo Spiritûs Sancti cum Christo cum Patre conjuncta This is the admirable mystery of this Union which is made up of God the Father Christ the Mediator and the Church by the bond of the holy Spirit with Christ and with the Father conjoined These two things being laid down which are to be observed in all the after discourse touching these resemblances I proceed to consider the resemblances in particular in which much profitable matter will offer it self to us First The Union between Christ and Believers is set forth by that which is between a King and his Subject In government the humane instinct is gratified in society and a multitude is reduced to unity a King and his Subjects become politically one he protects them they are under his shadow he governs them they are in subjection to him protection as the Lawyers speak draws subjection and subjection draws protection His royal care over them is returned in their reverence towards him and their reverence towards him falls down upon themselves in the benefits of government Ar. Eth. lib. 5. c. 6. he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeper of right for them and they render him the honour due to his greatness Thus they are knit together for that common good which is the great center of Government In like manner Christ is King and Believers are his Subjects His Kingdom as it imports power is over all creatures but as it imports union it is only over Believers Tyrants saith the Philosopher rule over men against their wills but Kings rule over the willing The Emperor Justinus plainly told the great oppressors Spondan Ann. Anno. 568. Ego contumacibus imperare nolo I will not rule over the disobedient Our Lord Christ doth not own rebellious sinners while such as Subjects but look upon them as enemies Believers only are his Subjects he is their great Protector they are under the wings of his grace and power he rules and governs them they are obedient to him his care is over them their obedience is towards him he maintains their right they render him the honour of his government Thus they are knit together to promote the glory of Christ and the salvation of Believers It 's true in this resemblance the meer Analogy proves no more than a political Union but the excellency of that union which is between the spiritual King and Believers shews forth a mystery For the explaining of this I shall lay down several particulars 1st The more worthy and near in blood the persons united in government are the more excellent is the union David was an excellent one worth Ten thousand others those over whom he reigned were Gods own peculiar people the nearness was such that the people told him Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh 2 Sam. 5.1 In these circumstances the union between David and his people could not but be a very excellent one much more excellent is that between Christ and his Subjects what an one is He how admirably accomplished for government he is higher than the Kings of the earth it was not a little material oyl but the Holy Ghost which anointed him to his office His wisdom is incomparable no secret is hid from his eyes Solomon's large heart was but a little thing to the vast treasures of wisdom and knowledg in him His Wisdom is as much above a meer mans as the Fathers bosom from whence he came is above mans heart His power is exceeding great he can do every thing earthly Princes set upon their thrones here below he sits above at the right hand of Power Ahasuerus had power over an Hundred and seven and twenty Provinces but he hath all the power in Heaven and Earth None is so able to save to the uttermost as he his goodness and mercy are beyond parallel His Divine bowels were up very early in a design of grace towards fallen man his humane compassions far transcend all those in the creature Nay further he himself would suffer being tempted that he might have an experimental fitness to succour the tempted His clemency is such that he is very tender over those infirm ones who are as the bruised reed and have grace in desire only His justice is very illustrious he reigns in righteousness he doth nothing but what is right truth may as soon lie and rectitude it self decline as there can be any blot or jeofail in his goverment Such a King is Christ And what are his Subjects They are no common people but excellent ones their pure heart hath a kind of Oracle in it the secret of the Lord is with them they are wise in the greatest concernments strong in the hardest duties their hearts are melted in acts of love towards God and man their hands are ever doing that which is just and right and the reason of all is because some of the holy unction which anointed their Lord falls down upon them and puts a glory on them Such are the Subjects And what is the nearness between the King and them On the one hand he though the Son of God came down from Heaven and became partaker of flesh and blood with them on the the other they though naturally but the sons of fallen Adam became through grace the seed of Christ himself his blood runs in their consciences his Divine Spirit breathes in them his holy image appears in their hearts and lives the Subjects are all Sons and resemble their Governor Here is not a single relation but one relation upon another this is the nearness The result is this he being so incomparable a King they being such excellent Subjects the nearness between them being so great the union must needs be a very choice one Who would now live under the power of sin and not much rather join himself to the blessed kingdom A better Ruler or Society then there cannot be found 2dly The more right the Laws and Administrations of a Kingdom are the better is the Union There are two sorts of Laws there are Laws of
he hath they may look here and there but his eyes are every where running to and fro through the earth to shew himself strong on the behalf of his people they may sometimes nod with the rains of Government in their hands and so not provide against approaching dangers but he is never surprized but always provided and at hand to defend his people in every temptation he makes a way to escape in every danger he knows a method of deliverance Again No earthly Kings have such a power to protect as he hath they have a power in their own Dominions but he hath all the power in Heaven and Earth in order to the good and preservation of his people They and their Subjects joining together are not always able to maintain themselves and their union against a foreign power but he is always able to maintain his Kingdom The Chaldean Empire was left to the Persian the Persian to the Grecian the Grecian to the Roman but his Kingdom shall not be left to other people Dan. 2.44 but by a peculiar priviledg it abides for ever no foreign power can ruine it no gates of Hell can prevail against it the posture of Christ and the Church doth evidence this Christ is at the right hand of God Psal 110.1 And the Church is at the right hand of Christ Psal 45.9 In this posture power cannot be wanting or protection fail Further As touching Rewards his bounty is beyond all parallel Other Kings may sometimes forget the good services of their Subjects Joash forgot the kindness of Jehoiada the poor wise man who by his wisdom delivered the City was not at all remembred Eccles 9.15 Many excellent services have been buried in oblivion but the Lord Christ never forgets the services of his people their sins are delivered over to oblivion but not their services no not the least of them He hath a bottle for their tears a book of remembrance for their holy thoughts a reward for a cup of cold water given for his names sake nay he is so far from forgetting their services that in the very act they find a secret reward given in to them the supplies of his spirit the irradiating beams of his love and the sweet calms and serenities in conscience tell them that he hath them always in remembrance Earthly Kings may give their servants some of the shadows here below and some of those things which lye round about them but he gives his Subjects 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substance sound wisdom durable riches and real happiness he gives them himself and all that train of good things which accompanies him Here he gives them tokens and glimpses of his love but what great and glorious things are there for them in Heaven There their labours end in eternal rest their holy race arrives at a Crown of Glory their Prayers are turned into Hallelujahs their Alms are repaid in everlasting Love their good works shall have a full reward what they sowed to the Spirit shall come up in a crop of glorious immortality in Heaven they shall enter into the joy of their Lord and sit down with him in his throne they shall then see and enjoy the blessed God reading all truths in the original and drinking all good at the fountain-head dwelling in a paradise of bliss and for ever reposing themselves in the bosom of infinite sweetness Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which are prepared for them To conclude If Protection and Rewards can do any thing the Union between Christ and his Subjects must needs be very secure CHAP. III. The Mystical Vnion set forth by the Conjugal one There is a mutual consent between Christ and believers The believers consent imports a right knowledg a free choice and a present compliance with Christ Christs consent is purely gratuitous believers purely supernatural Christ and believers mutually make over themselves each to other The Emphasis of that phrase one spirit opened There is an intimate love between Christ and believers he put on an humane nature for them they put off a corrupt nature for him He died for expiation they die in mortification There is a communication of good things from Christ to the Church the Church propagates in Believers and good works The mystical Vnion set forth by that of a foundation and a building Christ laid and Believers built on him by Divine Art The double cement of faith and the holy Spirit Christ is a large and strong foundation he bears up the Church by Divine influences THE Union between a King and his Subjects being in the earthly pattern political only the Holy Ghost goes on in Scripture to set forth the mystical union by that which is between Man and Wife Marriage is the conjunction of man and woman in a conjugal society it is the first primordial society called Elementum mundi the Element of the world out of it spring Families out of these are made Cities and Kingdoms in these a Church is raised up unto God The conjugal union is that which peoples the World and Saints the Church in no earthly society is there a conjunction so great as this is Eve the first Wife was taken out of Adam he was created one then two were made out of one and again those two were one in marriage Man and Wife saith St. Austin are prima copula De bono conj c. 1. the first bond or tye of humane society By this conjugal union the Scripture shadows out the mystical one The Book of Canticles is not as some profane ones have fancied a light Love-song but an excellent Epithalamium or Divine Ditty which under the parable of a marriage points out that incomparable union which is between Christ and the Church St. Paul in the 5th Chapter to the Ephesians exhorts Wives to be subject to their Husbands as the Church is to Christ and Husbands to love their Wives as Christ loves the Church and at last he adds This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church vers 32. In the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Christum Ecclesiam respiciens ad Christum Ecclesiam saith Piscator Though the last thing the Apostle said before was touching the earthly marriage viz. They two shall be one flesh vers 31. yet he looks back to Christ and the Church the earthly marriage was but the shadow and image of the mystery but Christ and the Church in the mystical union joined together are the very center and substance of it In this resemblance divers things may be noted First In Marriage which though founded in nature is a voluntary act there must be a consent the conjunction of Bruits is like themselves out of an impetus of nature but the conjunction of Man and Woman is as becomes rational creatures out of counsel and choice a consent is necessary Marriage is a contract and that cannot be without
which he obeyed and suffered for us and a Divine which put an infinite value upon his obedience and sufferings in these full satisfaction was made for sin a purchase of grace and glory was obtained for sinners an incomparable pattern of sanctity and obedience is set before us and an Holy Spirit is provided to quicken us to imitate him Mercy runs freely in the channel of the Promises Proclamations of Grace are made unto men Here 's the Foundation upon which fallen man may be built up unto righteousness and life eternal Oh riches of Wisdom wonder of Love It 's true natural and carnal men while such are no more fit among persons than hay and stubble are among Doctrines to be built upon this Foundation but the same Wisdom which laid the Foundation will build the House the Holy Spirit is sent forth to work faith in men and thereby to frame them to be set upon the Foundation hence the Apostle saith that the whole Building is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly framed together Ephes 2.21 each part of the Building is aptly and congruously united to the Foundation and to the other parts of it the Building answers to the Foundation and both to the Idea in the infinite Mind To contrive these was one of the greatest thoughts that ever entred into Gods heart and to effect them was one of the greatest works which ever was done in time Between the Foundation and Building there is somewhat that joins and cements them together between Christ and Believers the cement is not material but spiritual these are joined together by Faith and by the Holy Spirit Faith is one cement Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect precious he that believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 Faith joins the Believer to the Foundation that 's the Reason that he shall not be confounded Sin Satan the World shall not confound him because he is built upon a Foundation in which is Propitiation Grace and Victory the Divine Favour the influences of Grace the Crown of eternal Life shall not fail him because he is joined to a Foundation in which the Promises of these things are Yea and Amen The Holy Spirit is another cement In whom that is in Christ the Foundation you are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit saith the Apostle Ephes 2.22 The earthly Foundation and Building are joined together by dead matter like themselves Christus sive lapis sit in aedificio sive radix in arbore sive vitis in viveâ sive caput in corpore semper est non solum vivens sed vita vivificans Zanch. in loc but Christ who is a living Foundation and Believers who are lively stones are united together by the Holy Spirit this is a great mystery the same Holy Spirit which is in him is in them also Again The Foundation supports and bears up the Building in like manner Christ supports and bears up the Church the whole weight of it lies upon him without him all the spiritual stones would instantly sink and totter down into a chaos of emptiness and confusion To make the excellency of this supportation appear we must consider first what manner of Foundation he is and then in what manner he bears up the Church Touching the first He is a Foundation able and every way compleat to support and bear up the Church a short scanty Foundation cannot do its office but he is an ample large one multitudes of Believers in all ages have been built upon him and yet there is room for more Did all the men in the world build upon him by Faith he would bear them all up to life eternal a weak faultring Foundation cannot do its office but he is a strong one a Rock which cannot fail When St. Peter made that glorious confession Thou art Christ the son of the living God our Saviour answers him Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church Matt. 16.18 The Rock here is not confessing Peter but the confessed Christ our Saviour saith not thou art Peter and upon thee but thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church Peter is not the Rock but built upon it Hence St. Austin observes Tract 124. in Joh. Non a Petro petra sed Petrus a petrâ sicut non Christus a Christiano sed Christianus a Christo vocatur the Rock is not named from Peter but Peter from the Rock as Christ is not named from the Christian but the Christian from Christ All Believers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stones Christ only is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rock upon which they are built they being Stones may be moved but he being a Rock is unmovable and for ever the same Peter fell greatly had he been the Foundation the whole Church must have fell with him had not Christ been a Rock to him his fall would have been final These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon this Rock note that one individual Foundation upon which the whole Church is so built that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it To be such a Foundation none is capable but Christ only it is not to be imagined either that the whole Church should be built upon a meer man or if it could that being so weakly founded it should stand against the powers of darkness Christ the true Rock is not a meer man but the Son of the living God he hath the strength of a Deity which cannot fail Earthly Foundations may be eat up by time or ruined by violence but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a founded foundation or a foundation of foundations Isa 28.16 No time can deface the eternal One no violence set its foot upon the Almighty he abideth ever to support his Church Touching the second The supportation of the Church is in a spiritual way it is bore up not as an earthly building by dead matter but as a spiritual House by the influences of Grace To whom coming as unto a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious Ye also as lively stones are built a spiritual House 1 Pet. 2.4 5. He is a Living Foundation one who hath an endless life of merit and the Spirit of life above measure Hence Believers who are built upon and as it were parts of him are maintained in life his Spirit by continual influences and spirations of Grace bears them up in their spiritual being and life the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against them CHAP. IV. The Mystical Vnion set forth by the Vine and the Branches Christ hath one nature with Believers they are as branches in him and receive juice from him The mystical union set forth by the natural head and the body Those two famous Texts Ephes 4. 16. Col. 2.19 considered which import more than when Christ is called Head over all things Head of principality and power Head of every man Head of the
one would think there were no other world but an outward sensible one spiritual sensations are not from meer notion but from Christ the Head Further He influences motion into them Whether they be melting in repentant tears or burning in acts of holy zeal or drawing out their souls in charity or sweating in a lawful calling or bowing down under an afflicting providence all the motion is from the Head without him all their Graces would lye dormant in an habit and be as it were none at all It is the Head which awakens them and makes them go forth into act I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me saith the Apostle Phil. 4.13 The holy action is in Believers but the strength is in the Head only whatever good they do they must thank the Head for it which not by an outward command only but by an inward virtuous influence also bids them arise and do it The last thing is the way how the influence comes from Christ unto Believers We are not to think that the habits of Grace in Christs humane nature are transfused into us habits go not out of their subjects into another they produce acts in their own subjects but procreate not habits in foreign ones But this is the way Christ being full of all Grace did by his glorious satisfaction and merit procure that the same Holy Spirit which is upon himself the Head should fall down upon Believers the mystical parts and members of him Hence the Apostle saith that the Holy Spirit is shed on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.6 Had not he atoned and merited for us the Holy Spirit would not have touched upon one fallen Son of Adam but in and through him there is as St. Chrysostom speaks In Ephes cap. 4. bom 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit flowing from above which touches every member of his body After this sort he is an Head of influence to his Church communicating his Spirit to all his members to unite them one to another and all of them to himself the Head There is one body and one spirit Ephes 4.4 Were there not one Spirit in Believers they being as far distant from one another in time as the morning and evening of the world and in place as the parts and quarters of the earth could not possibly be one body were not the one Spirit from Christ he could not be an Head of influence to his Church or carry himself to it as his Body but there being one Spirit in Believers they are one Body and that one Spirit being from Christ he is an Head of influence to them Thus the Apostle saith That he is head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes 1.22 23. Such an Head is he as filleth the Body his Church with his own Spirit It 's true the Church is his fulness in one respect though he hath all fulness in him and filleth all in all yet as he is an Head which he deigned to be to us he is not full without a body but he is the Churches fulness in a much higher resperct the Church is his outward fulness supplying him with members without which he is not compleat as an Head but is pleased to accoumt himself maimed but he is as I may so say the Churches inward fulness by his own Spirit moving and actuating it as his Body The Church is his fulness in respect of integrity of parts without which he would be as an Head without a Body but he is the Churches fulness in respect of virtue and the spirit without which the Church would not be a living Body depending on him as a living Head Thus he is an Head of influence to Believers communicating in a measure his own spirit to them Notable is that of Durandus Nullus actus vitae est in corpore qui non sit in capite In Sext. lib. 3. dist 13. quest 1 nullus actus gratiae est in totâ Ecclesiâ ad quam se non extendat gratia Christi There is no act of life in the Body which is not in the Head there is no act of Grace in the whole Church to which the Grace of Christ extendeth not it self It is further to be noted that Christ is an Head of incomparable excellency he is not only Head over all things but an Head above all other heads and for this I shall instance in two things The one is this The natural head cannot make membrum de non membro a member of that which was none before but Christ such is his excellent virtue can draw and gather men off from the old corrupt stock of Adam and transplant and incorporate them as members into himself the Head naturally they were lost but he seeks them dark but he inlightens them dead but he quickens them foul but he washes them black but he puts a beauty upon them all the members of him may admire infinite Grace and say we were not the people of God but now we are so we were not members of Christ but now we are so In Adam the first head all men were ruined but Christ the second Head hath power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 to draw and gather men into union with himself and in so doing to make his Power and Grace illustrious The other is this The natural Head hath virtue enough for its own members but Christ our Head hath virtue enough for a world did all the men on earth by Faith come into union with him there would be no defect but a supply of grace for them all his satisfaction and merit are of an immense value his Spirit is a fountain of Grace never to be drawn dry or exhausted There is in him as Bonaventure speaks not only plenitudo sufficienciae In Sent. lib. 3. dist 13. qu. 3. a fulness of sufficiency as in the Saints but plenitudo superabundantiae a fulness of superabundance enough to overflow a whole world of men in case they were by Faith united to him Oh! what an Head is Christ there is a famine of Grace in lapsed nature but in him there are stores and treasures for our supply there is a fulness of sin in us but in him there is a superabundance of Grace to overcome it in him we may see holiness not in the little Pictures of it as in the Saints but in the great Sampler and Origen thereof That beautiful thing Grace in him appears not in beams and drops but as in a Sun or Ocean Happy are those who are in union with him they live in the spring and universal principle of Grace in all the acts of spiritual life sense and motion they may feel the Power Virtue and Divine Efficacy of him the Head CHAP. V. The mystical union set forth by that between the food and the body Christ is the trùe food He strengthens against the cursing Law He
words of the Reverend Vsher Serm befor the Commons 1620. The union between Christ and believers is altogether spiritual and supernatural no Physical or Mathematical continuity or contiguity is any ways requisite thereunto it is sufficient for the making of this union that Christ and we be knit together by those spiritual ligatures the quickning spirit and a lively faith Again no distance of time can do it In all the earthly patterns the united are together in time but the ancient Saints under the Old Testament who were in time before the Incarnation of our Saviour were yet united to him saved they were and by whom but by him who is the only Saviour of the world Salvation is not in any other his name is the only name under heaven for that end A Mediator they had and who could that be but the one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus no other but he could be really such A pardon they had and not without shedding of blood the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin it was only the blood of Christ could do it At the last day they shall be raised up to life and that because they are members of Christ As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 In these words both the All 's respect members only the last All refers only to Christs members this is very evident Christ is opposed to Adam in Adam members only die in Christ members only are made alive In the next verse it is said That Christ rose as the first fruits and afterwards they that are Christs that is the members of Christ who are the sanctified lump Wicked men rise again by virtue of the threatning of eternal death but all the Saints ancient or latter rise as parts and members of Christ In the Mystical union two things may be noted the foundation of it and the bonds The foundation is the satisfactory and meritorious Passion of Christ out of which springs the Church which is his body the bonds are faith and the holy Spirit Faith ascends up to him the holy Spirit comes down upon believers If we apply these things to the ancient Saints it will appear that they were united to Christ his Death which is the foundation was for them He died as the Scripture tells us for all for every man He gave himself for the world the whole world Which phrases must needs take in those under the Old Testament as well as those under the New and which is most express he is a Mediator for the redemption of transgressions under the first Testament Heb. 9.15 The Ancients were not saved by types and shadows but by Christ Their Moral guilt was not done away by the blood of brutes but by his only sacrifice which though offered up but once in the end of the world was in virtue all one as if he had been slain from the beginning of time Thus the foundation did reach unto them Neither were the bonds of union wanting they had faith in Christ the first promise of the Messiah Gen. 3.15 did point out his humane nature in the seed of the Woman his sufferings therein in the bruise of the heel his victory over Satan in the breaking of the head there was much of Christ in that first Gospel I doubt not but Adam had his eyes opened to see him there Abel by faith offered up a Sacrifice to God Heb. 11.4 that is by a faith proper to a sacrifice such as did look through it to the great Sacrifice of the Messiah Abraham is a great pattern of believing even to us who live under the Gospel His faith and ours have not variant objects or centers but both are set upon one and the same Christ He saw Christ a coming at a very great distance we see him come in the flesh Venturus vexit De Vtilit Panit. diversa verba sunt sed idem Christus to come and come are two different words but it is the same Christ saith St. Austin It is the same faith for substance in both the Fathers in Moses's time did all eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.3 4. The unbelievers did look only at the figure the Manna and the Rock but the believers did by faith feed upon Christ Erant ibi saith St. Austin qui quod manducabant De Vtilit Panit. intelligebant erant ibi quibus plus Christus in corde quà m Manna in ore sapiebat there were there those who understood what they eat there were those who did more relish Christ in the heart than Manna in the mouth Thus the Ancients had faith in Christ and which ever accompanies it they had the holy Spirit also What were Moses's Meekness David's Zeal Abraham's Obedience Job's Patience but the fruits of the holy Spirit communicated from Christ the head He is void of the holy Spirit who denies it to be there where such eminent graces are Gods ancient people had the good Spirit to instruct them Neh. 9.20 David prays Take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51.11 The holy Spirit was communicated under the Old Testament These things make it appear that the Ancients were united unto Christ But possibly it may be objected The mystical union is to Christ God-man in the time of those Ancients he was not man they therefore were not united unto him union cannot be to a non-entity De Ver Relig. l. 4. c. 3. a thing that is not quis non videt in eum qui non est credi minimè posse who seeth not that a man cannot believe in him who is not So Volkelius The like may be said of union a man cannot be united to him who is not In answer to this objection I shall offer two or three things Were that of the Socinians true That Christ was not in being till he was conceived of the Virgin this objection might be something but before the Incarnation he was a Divine person after it he was the very same person in our assumed flesh so the union of the Ancients was not to a non-entity or to one not in being Christs humane nature though not in actual being in those times was yet present in such sort that the Ancients were capable of being united to him it was present with their Faith though it had not an absolute existence as a thing put forth out of its causes yet it had a relative existence in the promise so as to be an object of their Faith which being the hypostasis or subsistence of things hoped for could not but presentiate the Messiah to them he being one of the prime things they looked for and upon that account called the hope of Israel Acts 28.20 It was also present with God in his Decree as sure to be as the eternal Rolls
might unite us to him being God-man in one Person that the same Spirit which sanctified his humane nature might sanctifie us members of him It may yet further be observed that that very Spirit which as St. Austin speaks Spiritus Sanctus ineffabilis est quaedam Patris Filiique communio Aust de Trin. lib. 5. cap. 11. Insinuatur nobis in Patre authoritas in Filio nativitas in Spiritu Sancto Patris Filiique communitas in tribus aequalitas quod ergò commune est Patri Filio per hoc nos voluerunt babere communionem inter nos secum per illud donum nos colligere in unun quod ambo habent unum hoc est per Spiritum Sanctum Deum Dei donum Aust de Verb. Domini in Math. Ser. 11. is the communion of the Father and the Son doth unite us to Christ If we put all together we shall see the Spirit to be a most excellent bond In the Trinity it is the communion of the Father and the Son in Christ it is that which united the two natures and sanctified the humane in us it is that which unites us to Christ This is the primary Bond between Christ and Believers Touching this bond it is first to be noted that in Scripture not only the graces of the Spirit but the Spirit it self is said to be communicated to Believers To quote some places for this The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5.5 He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8.11 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God verse 14. The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God verse 16. Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you 1 Cor. 6.19 God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 In these Texts two things may be observed The one is this the Spirit it self is meant it is the Spirit it self which sheds abroad the love of God in the heart which quickens the mortal body which leads the sons of God which beareth witness with our spirit the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit it self in express terms it is also the Spirit it self which hath a Temple in us which makes us cry Abba Father The other is this The Spirit it self is communicated it is given to us it dwelleth in us it leads and acts us it bears witness with our spirit it is in us as in its Temple it is sent forth into our hearts all which do import communication Also we may note as much in that Apostolical Prayer The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 Here are all the persons in the Sacred Trinity named here the Holy Ghost must needs be the Spirit it self none other but he is capable of being ranked with the Father and the Son yet there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a communication of him Also we may gather the same thing from the Promises of the Spirit made by our Saviour in the 14 15 16 Chapters of St. John there it is the Spirit it self which is promised it is the comforter the spirit of truth it is that spirit which proceedeth from the Father which teacheth all things and bringeth all things to remembrance which convinceth of sin and glorifies Christ which takes the things of Christ and shews them unto men all which shew that it is the Spirit it self Also there it is promised to be communicated it was to be sent to them to guide them into all truth to dwell in them to be in them to abide with them for ever all which do shew a communication of it When the Greeks erroneously held That the Spirit did proceed not from the Father and the Son but from the Father only one argument used against them was this If the Spirit was sent from the Father and the Son then it did proceed from both To this the Greeks replied That this sending meerly concerned the gifts of the Spirit not himself but this is directly contrary to the scope of those chapters in St. John if the Spirit be sent meerly because we have his gifts then the Father which we no where read may be said to be sent because we have his gifts when the Scripture saith that the Son was sent it was himself not meerly his benefits in like manner when it saith that the Spirit is sent it is himself not meerly his gifts I may here add somewhat out of the Fathers Ignatius tells them that they were blessed being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Ephes such as carried God the Spirit a Temple within them St. Ambrose saith that the Holy Spirit dwells in us as in his Temple Non quasi Minister De Spir. Sancto lib. 3.13 sed quasi Deus inhabitat he dwells in us not as a Minister but as a God St. Austin speaking of the gift of the Spirit saith De fide sym cap. 9. that God doth not give seipso inferius donum a gift less than himself And again Euch. cap. 37. that the Spirit is donum aequale donanti a gift equal to the giver And in another place That the Spirit seipsum dat sicut Deus De Trin. lib. 15. cap. 19. In Oct. Pasc Serm. 1. gives himself as God St. Bernard hath this passage Est enim Spiritus ipse indissolubile vinculum Trinitatis per quem sicut pater filius unum sunt sic nos unum sumus in ipsis the Spirit it self is that indissoluble bond by which as the Father and the Son are one so also are we one in them I might add much more out of the Schoolmen but this may suffice It seems by these things to be clear that the Spirit it self is communicated to Believers neverthelss it is a Quaere how or in what sense the Spirit it self is communicated to them In answer to this I shall first take notice of three memorable expressions in Scripture That is the sending of the Spirit the giving of the Spirit the dwelling or inhabiting of the Spirit in us The first expression is the sending of the Spirit It may seem strange that an Almighty Alwise Alpresent Spirit should be sent but this mission is not per imperium as from one more potent than himself commanding him he is as high in power and majesty as the other two persons are it is not per consilium as from one more wise than himself counselling him he is one of the Domus judicii as some Rabbins call the Trinity one of the Three who fit in counsel together in Heaven Here is no local motion which cannot be
the great Samplar of Holiness nay they are drawn by him by the finger of his own Spirit Again These Graces are tokens of the divine Presence and so import the Inhabitation of God in us these are tokens of the divine Presence When nature exceeds it self and rises above its own level as the Sea did when the waters were as a Wall to Israel on both hands it is a sure sign that God is there When poor lapsed men are lifted up above their natural self and elevated into a divine Life as it always is when the holy Graces are wrought in them it is a sure sign that God is there of a truth Humane nature cannot of it self ascend into the sphere of Grace only a supernatural power can do such a thing These Graces are such tokens of Presence that where-ever they are there God doth inhabit In the old Temple there were divers tokens of Presence such as the Vrim and Thummim the Ark with the Tables in it the Lamps the fire from Heaven and the Holy of Holies were Hence it is said that God did dwell in it but in Believers there are better tokens of Presence than those if we look to the intrinsecal value of things the breast-plate of Faith and Love is before the Vrim and Thummim the Law in the heart exceeds the Tables in the Ark an illuminated mind is more excellent than outward Lamps an holy ardor of affections is more valuable than the fire from Heaven a pure heart is above any outward Oracle those tokens in the Temple were material things a-kin in the matter of them to this lower world the Sanctuary it self was but a worldly Sanctuary but these Graces are spiritual things their birth are as high as Heaven Believers in whom they are are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual house for God to dwell in those were typical tokens made such by meer institution without which they would be but as other parts of matter but these are real tokens in their own nature bearing the very image and resemblance of God himself where these are there God dwells in an eminent manner the Shechinah or habitation of God in the Saints is a middle thing between the hypostatical dwelling of the Godhead in Christ and the typical dwelling of it in the Temple it is much higher than all types and shadows and in excellency next unto God in the flesh The next Operation of the Spirit in Believers is this He actuates their holy Graces he moves the new Creature by divine Influences there is an effectual working in every part of it Love in the Spirit as it is said Col. 1.8 and other Graces in the Spirit all of them go forth in the power of that Spirit which formed them at first As touching this Operation the Spirit may be considered either as the principle and first mover that actuates these Graces and this speaks union with Christ or else as the terminus or ultimate object of these Graces actuated and this speaks the Inhabitation of God in us The Spirit is the principle or first mover that actuates these Graces and this speaks union with Christ the Spirit which is upon him falls down upon believers to actuate the Graces in them Believers are all one body and as one body they have one spirit in them from Christ the Head they are all one new man in Christ Eph. 2.15 Though the Apostle there speak of Jews and Gentiles yet he saith not one people but which is more emphatical one new man in Christ they are one new man because as one man they are acted by one spirit they are one new man in Christ because the Holy Spirit which is upon him is that one Spirit which acts them the Sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are acted and moved by the Spirit Rom. 8.14 That Spirit which anointed the humane nature of Christ the natural Son falls down upon the adopted ones to act and move them Actuation by one spirit proves that they are in intimate union with him that they are indeed mystical parts and members of him who acts and moves them by his own Spirit This may be illustrated by that in the first Chapter of Ezekiel when the wheels went as the living creatures did and were lifted up as they were it was plain that there were some invisible bands between them the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels vers 21. In like manner when believers shew forth the virtues of Christ and walk as he walked it is very plain that they are in near conjunction with him the Spirit doth act them in ways of conformity to him who as an Head is joyned unto them That phrase of walking in Christ Col. 2.6 points out a walking not meerly after his pattern and command but in his power and spirit as becomes those who have received him and are united to him Again The Spirit is the terminus or ultimate object of these graces actuated and this speaks the Inhabitation of God in us As these Graces come from God as the fountain so they terminate in him as the ultimate object Holy fear terminates in his Majesty and Greatness Faith terminates in his Truth and Mercy Love terminates in his Goodness and Excellency Every Grace moves to him as its great Center Where these Graces are actuated there an Honour an inward Worship is done to him where that is in truth there he hath a Temple in the heart and objectively dwells there as in an holy place Hence Aquinas saith that God is in the Saints sicut cognitum in cognoscente amatum in amante 1. Pars q. 43. Art 3. as an object known is in the knower and an object loved is in the lover by knowledg and love a man attingit ad ipsum Deum reaches to God himself his heart becomes a Sanctuary for the Holy One. This is that inward Temple which the Primitive Christians gloried in Nonne meliùs in nostrâ dedicandus est mente in nostro imo consecrandus est pectore litabilis hostia bonus animus pura mens sinceraconscientia Min. Fel. When Pagans objected against them that they had no Temples no Altars no Sacrifices they made this answer That they had all within in themselves in mental Consecrations in a pure mind and heart What was said of the Temple that may be said of a Pious soul There is Gods Name there he is consecrated and sanctified there he dwells as in a sanctuary or holy place The next Operation of the Spirit in believers is this He preserves believers in their spiritual being he bears up their graces by continual influences that they fail not in the way to Heaven As touching this Operation Believers are preserved either as Members of Christ and this shews union or as Temples of God and this shews Inhabitation Believers are preserved as Members of Christ and this shews union Adam fell Angels fell but Believers are preserved in themselves they are but
noted that there is a double existence of things the one absolute which is coufined to time and place the other relative and objective which is not so The Sun in its absolute existence is in its orb but as an object it is present to the eye which sees not meerly the visible species but the Sun it self The Body of Christ in its absolute existence is in Heaven but as an object it is present to Faith which sees not meerly the outward figures and symbols in the Eucharist but Christ himself sweating bleeding dying on a Cross satisfying Divine justice for sin which is such a sight as makes the Soul hide in his wounds wash in his blood rest on his at onement and triumph in his salvation The phylact upon that passage Gal. 3.1 enquiring how Christ who was crucified at Jerusalem could be said to be crucified among the Galatians Answers thus Praedicationi fidem praebentes perinde ac praesentem vidistis believing the Gospel preached ye saw him as present with you St. Jerom upon that Text saith it was with you quasi apud nos omnia facta sint as if all things had been done with you as if you had seen Christ hanging on the Cross Thus Christ as an object is present to our Faith It 's true the Lutherans say this presence is not a real one but in fancy and imagination only but may that faith which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsistence of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 be called a fancy Was it a fancy by which Abel offered his excellent sacrifice Enoch was translated into Heaven Noah prepared an Ark Abraham offered up his beloved Isaac Moses saw him that is invisible Is it by a fancy that we are justified before God that we overcome the World that we are inserted and incorporated into Christ that we eat his flesh and drink his blood that we have him dwelling and living in our hearts These things are not done by fancy but by faith that spiritual presence which is to our faith is not imaginary but real no needless thing but simply necessary to the spiritual eating of Christ unto life eternal Without a presence there can be no eating without a spiritual presence there can be no spiritual eating that cannot be corporally eaten which is not present to sense that cannot be spiritually eaten which is not present to Faith the spiritual presence therefore is so far from being a fancy that it is necessary to that spiritual eating which is necessary to life eternal The other is this The Body of Christ is present virtually and in the Holy Spirit communicated to us St. Cyprian sets out Christ by the Sun the great Luminary of the world De Caenâ Domini Totum apud se manens totum se omnibus commodat remaining whole in himself he communicates himself whole to all his members His Sacred Body which is locally in Heaven comes down to us in healing and quickening beams in the special presence and operations of the Spirit there goes out from it a divine virtue which reaches down to all the Believers in the world and upon every touch of Faith is present to heal them Evigilet fides praestò est Christus let Faith awake and Christ is at hand Aquinas a great man among the Papists asserts that the passion of Christ operates per spiritualem contactum by a spiritual contact Scheckius 3. Pars. q. 48. art 6. a learned Lutheran saith that the Body of Christ is present with us not locally and corporally but spiritually and in Energy But here it will be said that thus the body of Christ is present in its effect only To which I answer there is more in it than so the Spirit communicated is not a meer effect but a copula or unitive bond it operates not meerly upon believers as objects but in them as parts of Christ When the Sun lets down his rays to the earth those rays are effects and operate upon the earth as an object but when the head lets down the animal spirits to the feet those spirits are an unitive bond and operate in them as parts of the body Thus it is between Christ and Believers the Spirit is not a meer effect but an unitive bond it joins them intimately to Christ it makes them members of his body of his flesh and of his bones mystical parts of him and a kind of appendants of his humane nature not indeed hypostatically but spiritually joined to it the distance between Heaven and Earth can no more impede this conjunction than the distance between the head and feet can impede that union which is between them The Immense Spirit can more easily unite at a vast distance then finite spirits can at a less the humane nature of Christ cannot by local distance be separated from the Divine because the Divine is Immense Believers cannot by local distance be separated from Christ because the uniting Spirit is Immense Again The Spirit operates not meerly upon Believers as objects but in them as parts of Christ first it makes them parts and then it operates in them as such ' Two things eminently shew them to be parts of him that is his Satisfaction is imputatively derived down upon them his Spirit doth by a special presence operate in them in the one they are as parts covered in the other as parts acted That the curse of the Law doth not seize upon them it is because the Head covers them with his satisfaction that they walk in holiness and obedience it is because the Head moves and acts them by his Spirit Thus we are in intimate conjunction with him and so as St. Chrysostom speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In 1 Cor. cap. 10. by union we partake of him his body which is united to him hypostatically is united to us mystically we have his flesh in the uniting and operating Spirit We know his fiesh saith St. Austin Non secundum carnem De Verb. Domini ser. 60. sed secundum spiritum not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit his corporal presence being gone from us there succeeds a spiritual one in the room of it The next thing is the eating of Christ The Papists and Lutherans who stand for a corporal presence are for an eating sutable that is an oral one but this is a great mistake In the Eucharist there is an earthly part before our sense and an heavenly one before our faith in the one an oral eating is proper in the other it is impossible vain nay a very horrible thing It is impossible the body of Christ cannot be eaten orally without suffering neither can it suffer while it is in glory it would not if torn into pieces serve all the communicants in the Church neither can it being finite be received intirely by all It is also vain could we take the body of Christ into our mouths how should it spiritually profit us which way should it
nourish our Souls to life eternal The Throat is the road of corruptible food Faith is the only organ that takes in the incorruptible a Capernatical eating is to no purpose It is also a very horrible thing In Joh. cap. 6. Theophylact speaking of eating Christs flesh saith Christians are not devoratores carnis devourers of humane flesh but our Saviours words are to be understood spiritually The Ancient Fathers were not for an oral eating De Caenâ Domini but a spiritual one Non dentes ad mordendum acuimus sed fide sincerâ panem sanctum frangimus saith St. Cyprian We do not sharpen our teeth to bite but we break the Holy Bread with a sincere Faith The Fathers in the first Council of Nice say That we receive the Body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly but they mean spiritually for they call upon us to lift up our minds in Faith St. Austin saith That the true eater who never dies Manducat intùs non foris In Joh. tract 26. manducat in corde non premit dente eats within not without eats with the heart presses not with the tooth This spiritual eating stands in two or three things it imports intimate union with Christ the Bread is united to the Body Christ is united to the Soul Hence St. Austin Ad fratr in Erem Ser. 28. Sacramentum illud ideò hominibus datur ut corpus in terris capiti coadunetur This Sacrament is therefore given to men that the body on earth may be united to the head It 's true Believers before they receive the Eucharist are united to Christ but in the use of it their union is increased their faith comes to have more life and activity they grow up into the head in a further conjunction with and assimilation to him Again It imports a derivation of strength and life from Christ Bread strengthens the outward man Christ the inward one his Satisfaction strengthens it against the fears of wrath his Spirit strengthens it unto all duties and sufferings Believers have some strength before but here they renew their strength they have fresh tasts and savours of Christs precious blood high and rich anointings of the Holy Spirit they do not only eat Christ but feast upon him his flesh is as spiritual marrow his blood is as celestial wine to cheer their inner man his Spirit comes down upon them in further communications of grace and comfort in pure discoveries of the love and kindness of God which cannot but put life and vigor into their Souls Further It imports that this derivation of strength from Christ is continued we eat not once or twice but often to repair the frail body Believers daily feed upon Christ daily derive strength from him to keep up their Souls in a state of Grace Some of the Ancient Fathers interpret the daily Bread in the Lords Prayer to be no other than Christ the supersubstantial Bread which we daily feed on by Faith De Orat. Dom. Tertullian saith That in begging daily Bread we beg Perpetuitatem in Christo a perpetuity in Christ St. Cyprian saith That in it we beg Vt a corpore Christi non recedamus that we may not depart from his body Every day we stand in need of Christ we are not always at the Lords Table feeding on the elements but upon Christ the spiritual substance of the Sacrament we are daily to feed that we may receive such a Divine vigor from him as may preserve our union with him Thus much touching the Seals of this union Baptism and the Lords Supper CHAP. VIII The Priviledges of those that are in Christ are great Christs righteousness is imputatively derived upon them to deliver them from wrath to intitle them to life eternal Christ is their Advocate above he pleads for them that they may have pardon the spirit access to God They are adopted in him as sons they have a freedom in holy things a continual indulgence from God an heavenly inheritance They have the Holy Spirit in them it lives breathes moves operates in them They have communion with God their services answer to his call his communications answer to their services They are happy in every condition in prosperity their mercies are pure in adversity they have God with them and admirably appearing to them Our great work is Vnion with Christ HAving treated of the Seals of the mystical Union I now come to the Priviledges of it which are great enough if seen to attract all men unto Christ St. Paul was very illustrious in Jewish Priviledges he was Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law a Pharisee Concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless Phil. 3.5 6. Yet he counted all these but loss and dung that he might win Christ and be found in him vers 7 8 9. There was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excellency of priviledges above all other to be had in Christ by union with him the Apostle had an inward circumcision made without hands he became one of the spiritual stock and tribe of Christ a Christian so named from Christ his Head and Master an heavenly Pharisee separated to the Gospel a right zealot for the Faith which before he destroyed a person invested with a better righteousness than his own even with the righteousness of Christ in comparison of such things as these all other things were but as dross in his eyes To be in union with Christ is to be a subject spouse building branch member of his to have the priviledges of union is to have all the good things which the spiritual King Husband Foundation Root Head affords to those that are joined to him Christ gives himself to us and with himself all other good things Memorable are the Words of Dr. Reynolds touching the crucified body of Christ (a) Medit on the Lords Supper fol. 28. It was his body by his hypostatical and real but it is ours by a spiritual and mystical union whatsoever fulness is in him of it have we all received (b) Scivit Latro quod illa in corpore Christi vulnera non essent Christi vulnera sed Latronis Ambr. de Sancto Latrone Ser. 44. Whatsoever graces and merits flow from him as the Head they trickle down as far as the skirts of his garment the meanest of his chosen The pains of his wounds were his but ours is the benefit the sufferings of his death were his but ours is the mercy the stripes on his back were his but the balm that issued from them ours the thorns on his head were his but the crown is ours the holes in his hands and side were his but the blood that ran out was ours in a word the price was his but the purchase ours Thus that excellent man The excellency of these priviledges will best appear by particulars I
now lives to perfect the work to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 7.25 not by halves but altogether to give our Salvation its last act and complement he is a Priest for ever his Sacrifice but once offered up is in his Intercession virtually continued to perfect for ever them that are sanctified Here believers have a tree of life bearing as many excellent fruits as Christ paid for in his Death To instance in some of them Here 's a pardon for them He that on earth made satisfaction for sin in Heaven pleads for the pardon of it his Blood crys That the sin which is satisfied for in the head may not be charged upon the members If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 John 2.1 He pleads that righteousness which being put into the opposite ballance outweighs all the sins of his people Here 's the supply of the Holy Spirit given to them he that here below dyed to merit the communication of the Spirit lives and intercedes above to have it done I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14.16 Our Saviour prays in the force of an infinite price therefore the Spirit is given to them he lives for ever and continues praying therefore the Spirit abides with them that which he by Prayer obtains for us by Power he confers upon us therefore as Dr. Reynolds observes in the Psalm he is said to receive gifts for men noting the fruit of his Intercession On the 110 Psalm fol. 438. Psal 68.18 And in the Apostle to give gifts to men noting the power and fulness of his Person Ephes 4.8 Having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and hear Acts 2.33 The Intercession of Christ never fails to communicate the Spirit to his members Here 's an access to God a free ingress for them unto the Mercy-seat whilest he is at Gods right hand none can bar them out from the divine Presence The Apostle tells us That we have a great High Priest passed into the Heavens one no less than the very Son of God and withal one as man touched with the feeling of our infirmities no less willing and compassionate than able to help us And from thence he concludes Let us therefore come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with boldness with a liberty to speak all our mind unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Hebr. 4.14 15 16. Believers need not fear to approach unto the great God his Glory will not swallow them up his Justice will not be a devouring fire to them they may freely open their wants before him their regular prayers shall surely speed in Heaven Christ intercedes there for them and which is the Eccho of that Intercession the Spirit makes intercession in their hearts the success therefore cannot fail though their prayers as they are in their bosoms have much weakness and imperfections yet as soon as they are put into the hand of Christ and perfumed with the sweet incense of his Merits they are glorified prayers and have power with God to procure the thing desired Another priviledg is Adoption All men in a sense are the off-spring of God the immortal Spirit in them had in the very make of it the natural Image of God which was a nobler print of the Deity than that which was upon all the material world besides Adam in Innocency was in an higher way the Son of God the holy Graces in him which made up the Moral Image had more of the divine Beauty shining in them than that which was to be found in the Essence of the Soul but Believers are the Sons of God in a more excellent manner To as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God John 1.12 By conjunction with Christ the natural Son they become adopted ones Adam was a Son only by Creation his Soul had in the Essence of it a natural Image of God and in the holy Graces of it a Moral one but Believers are sons by mystical union with Christ the natural Son neither is this a meer empty title but they are born of God they are of the seed-royal of Heaven the Blood of God runs in their consciences the divine Spirit which formed Christ in the womb doth by a supernatural overshadowing form him in their heart in their adoptive Sonship there is a shadow of the eternal one the splendor of grace in them resembling God in a measure is a little picture of Christ who is the brightness of his Fathers glory This priviledg as it is from God is a piece of admirable love Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 John 3.1 The Apostle stands and wonders at it as an object of glorious and amazing Eminence Also as it is upon Believers it is a piece of incomparable Dignity such as doth far outshine all that lustre which is upon the Potentates of this world all the glory of earthly Princes is but fumus seculi the smoak of this lower Region their titles glitter only in carnal eyes but adoption is radius coeli a ray of heavenly glory making believers though but worms in themselves shine to the eyes of Angels who look upon them as mystical parts of Christ Touching this priviledg I shall only touch on two or three things Believers as Sons have an heavenly freedom in the ways of God They are not drag'd to holy things by the cords of Hell and Death they do not bring forth their duties meerly under the pressure of the Law-letter or in the power of fallen nature in a dead carnal servile manner no they are spirited for holy things the Law is in their hearts the rectitude of the commands attracts them the Love of Christ constrains them the great rewards in Heaven ravish them the Holy Spirit inspires obedience into them Holiness becomes natural to them Duties are brought forth in the easiness of the new creature they can walk run fly on in the pure ways towards eternal happiness this is a very choice priviledg indeed they are no longer in the straits of sin and earth but in a divine amplitude and liberty their hearts rest not in * Liber ab infinito ad infinitum super infinitum movetur finite things but go out to the infinite One their thoughts are upon the first Good their aims at the last End their liberty is joyned to its great fountain their motion is to the true center this is a right noble royal posture of Soul towards God in whom all our happiness is Believers as Sons live under the continual Indulgences of God in temptations he bears them up upon the wings of grace in a world of snares he plucks their
Goodness every thing calls upon them to fall down and adore him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fountain and Principle of all things Further They know the right use of blessings they do not take Creature-comforts into their heart which is an holy place for God but bid them stand without and minister to the body they do not rest and center in them but as Pilgrims and Strangers march on to the heavenly Countrey in the fullest affluence of outward things still they cry out Dulcius ex ipso fonte a single God is sweeter than all they look upon them not as fuel to lust but as incentives to holy Love and Obedience they do not as absolute Proprietors ingross all to themselves but as faithful Stewards distribute to others they know they receive outward things not to have and to hold but to communicate Mercies in their hands are as blood in the Veins or water in the Conduit for publick use the goodness of God to them makes them good to others the open hand of the great Donor makes them ashamed to shut their own Also they are happy in times of adversity If a storm of persecution come their happiness is not diminished but increased they never had their Souls in such a posture they never had such appearances of God as at such a time they melt in fresh acts of repentance God draws their pardon afresh and more legible than ever they sigh and cry for the abominations in the Land God sets a mark and a seal of distinction upon them their hearts tremble for the Ark his bowels are moved for them their care is for his interest and great name his care is to make up his Jewels their Faith ascends up and fixes it self upon him his Power Wisdom Goodness Mercy come down and command Salvation for them they cry and wrestle with him in their prayers that that Gospel the glory may not depart away from them he hears them in one measure of grace or other the Gospel it may be shall not depart from the Land at least not from their hearts they are tossed in a Sea of troubles but there is a calm within and an Haven of rest to which every wave gives them a lift near at hand they may look to Heaven and sing as the Martyr Babylas did Return unto thy rest O my soul They are poor weak creatures but the power of Christ rests upon them that divine Power which bore up his humane nature in his Sufferings bears up them in theirs being in the true Immanuel they are sure to have God with them how heavy soever the Cross be his everlasting Arms are under them how bloody soever the Persecutor be his rich Mercies are towards them when great men leave them naked to their Enemies he covers them with his wings when outward comforts depart from them he will never never leave them no more than Christs Divinity did forsake his Humanity the joy of the Holy Ghost is their cordial in the greatest troubles the Love of God shed abroad in their hearts is able to sweeten Prisons and fiery Furnaces to them when they have least of Earth then they have most of Heaven there are some sparkles of glory let down into their hearts they taste some drops of the pure Rivers of pleasure which are above Valeat vita vileart faculltates inquit Julitta Mart. Cent. 4. Magdeb. This makes them able to bid farewel to life and all things here that they may go though through the greatest losses and sufferings to be with Christ Thus much touching the Priviledges of union with Christ It is a notable passage in Antoninus Every thing saith he is designed for some work Beasts and Plants and Sun and Stars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what are you for what is your great business It is a shame for a man much more for a Christian not to know the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great work he is to do Our Saviour tells us that it is Faith in himself John 6.29 St. Paul made it his chief business to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 Sit down O Christian and consider where thy interest lies Is it not thy interest to be delivered from the wrath to come and to enjoy the blessed God in Heaven Do not the pangs in conscience and the sense of a Deity tell thee that it is so To be saved for ever must needs be a great thing and how canst thou be saved but by Christ the only Saviour or whom doth he save but those that are in conjunction with him Is it not thy interest to have such an Advocate as Christ to appear in the Presence of God and to plead for all good things for thee Art thou not at a vast distance from God and are not thy Righteousnesses as a filthy rag before him Sure it must be well for thee to have a Mediator to plead and intercede for thee that thou mayest have the returns of his Blood in Pardons and Graces And how can this be unless thou art joyned to him For whom doth he so intercede but for those that come unto God by him Is it not thy interest to be made a Son of God to have the Holy Spirit living and breathing in thee How desirable must Adoption be to a Child of wrath how much doth thy natural spirit want a better one to new-frame and actuate it and how canst thou be adopted unless thou art united to the natural Son or which way canst thou expect to have the Holy Spirit moving and dwelling in thee unless thou become a Member of Christ Is it not thy interest to have communion with the great God how excellent a thing is it to have thy Services answer to Gods call and his divine Communications answer to thy Services This is a little Heaven here below but without union with Christ it cannot be Is it not thy interest to be happy in every condition how admirable is it to have pure Mercies and comfortable Sufferings to have the love and gracious Presence of God in every estate This is a choice benefit but not to be attained but in and through Christ to have him is to have all things to want him is a misery worse than nothing Union with him therefore is the great work of all How earnest should our pursuits of it be how ardent our prayers for it how constant our endeavours after it how should we gad up and down from Ordinance to Ordinance seeking of Christ breathing after union with him running sweating striving with all our might to be joyned to him This is totum hominis the All of man a matter of that consequence that it infinitely out-ballances all things here below it being the only thing that raises up our nature to its utmost perfection Let us by no means suffer a vanity or a lust or indeed a world to stop us in our pursuit after it without it we cannot be happy with it we cannot
are incorporated into him there is a kind of spiritual continuity between him and them that holy Spirit which resides in him falls down in a measure upon them The Scripture signally sets forth this Union He dwells in believers and they in him Joh. 6.56 He abides in them and they in him Joh. 15.4 He is in them the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 And they are in him that is true in Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 5.20 He lives in them and they live by the faith of him Gal. 2.20 He partakes with them Heb. 2.14 And they partake of him Heb. 3.14 Eternal life is in him and they having the Son have life 1 Joh. 5.11 12. He is one flesh with them and they are one spirit with him These things shew that there is a real union between them This real union which is what I aim at is by Divines stiled a mystical one and that upon very good reason the Holy Ghost in Scripture calls it a mystery that is it is a Divine Secret or holy Arcanam above humane reason and only conceivable by a supernatural light De Eccles visib 464. The Learned Whitaker saith of this union that it is mystica plane mirifica mystical and plainly wonderful The noble Sadeel calls it De spirit Mand. 226. magnum adorandum mysterium a mystery great and to be adored as being above nature and all humane bonds Life of Christ 462. Dr. Reynolds stiles it one of the deep things of God which are not discernable without the Spirit There are three admirable Unions the essential union of three persons in the Sacred Trinity These three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 That is one in essence The hypostatical Union of the Divine and Humane natures in the person of Christ Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 The mystical union which is between Christ and his Church We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones this is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church saith the Apostle Ephes 5.30 and 32. Touching these three unions * Christus habet in se Patrem cum quo est unâ substantia habet assumptum hominem cum quo est una persona habet adhaerentem sibifidelem animam cum quâ est spiritus unus Bern. de Verb. Psal 23. fol. 415. an Ancient hath observed That all three may be seen in Christ he hath a Father I may add and a Spirit with whom he is one substance he hath an humane nature with which he is one person he hath adhering Believers with whom he is one Spirit Unto this observation I shall add another the mystical Union which is the last of the three bears a respect to the two former Two or three things will manifest this First The mystical union depends upon the two former a hint of this we have in the words of our Saviour who speaking of himself as God-man and of giving his flesh for the life of the World saith As the living father hath sent me and I live by the father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me Joh. 6.57 Here are tres viveatis three livers one under another the Father who is fons Trinitatis the fountain of the Trinity lives of himself Christ lives by the Father as he is the Word he hath life from him by the eternal generation as he is man he hath it by the hypostatical union The believer who spiritually eats Christ lives by him Conjunction with the Father is that by which Christ lives conjunction with Christ is that by which the Believer lives were there no essential union there could be no hypostatical one which supposes that the second Person in the Trinity doth assume an humane nature made by all three Incarnation say the Schoolmen is effectivè belonging to the whole Trinity but terminativè it is peculiar to the Son who is the alone term unto which the humane nature is assumed were there no hypostatical union there could be no mystical one which imports that belivers are united unto God-man Were he only God how should we fallen creatures ever have an immediate approach unto him or if we could what use would there be of a Mediator It is through him as Mediator that we have access to the Father Eph. 2.18 The way into the holy of holies lies through the vail of his flesh Were he only man to what purpose should we be united to a meer creature or how should we dare to fix our faith on such an one To trust in a meer man is a curse to worship a meer creature a piece of Idolatry Believers therefore are united to God-man the mystical union depends upon the hypostatical and the hypostatical upon the essential Without a Sacred Trinity there would be no God-man without God-man there would be no fit person for Blievers to be united unto Again There is in the mystical union a shadow or dark resemblance of the two other unions There is a resemblance of the essential union This is hinted in our Saviours Prayer As thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Joh. 17.21 From which words St. Hilary concludes De Trinit Lib. 8. That the union between Christ and Believers is not meerly a moral union of will and affections for then our Saviour who is the eternal Word and knew how to speak would have prayed thus Pater sicut nos unum volumus ita illi unum velint unum per concordiam simus omnes Father as we will one and the same thing so let them also do and let us all be one by concord But instead thereof our Saviour prays thus As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us The particle as notes some kind of similitude the words thou father art in me and I in thee note out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or mutual inexistence of the Father and Son a resemblance of which we have in the mystical union which in Scripture is expressed by the mutual inexistence of Christ and Believers he is in them and they in him he dwells in them and they in him Very remarkable are the words of our Saviour I am in the father and you in me and I in you Joh. 14.20 We have here in one Text mentioned the high mystery of the Sacred Trinity and the mystical union together First The inexistence of the Son in the Father and which is implied and to be understood of the Father in the Son is signified and then immediately follows the mutual inexistence of Christ and Believers which shews that in this latter there is a resemblance of the former Again there is in the mystical union a resemblance of the hypostatical one this I gather from the likeness of those Scripture-phrases which express both the unions Christ was conceived of the Holy Ghost
could make it It s satisfactory and meritorious blood did operate before it was shed upon the account of it Pardons and the Holy Spirit were communicated unto the ancient believers That presence which made them capable of the bonds of union made them capable of the union it self There is a difference between the natural body and the mystical in the natural body the members are simultaneous but in the mystical one they are successive Some members are before others yet they are all but one body some were before Christ incarnate yet were they united unto him as their Head St. Austin elegantly sets forth this from Jacob whose hand came out first and then his head De Catech. rud cap. 3. and 19. in Psal 61. Manus a capite praemitti potest connexio tamen ejus sub capite est the hand may be first sent forth by the head yet is it united to the head all the ancient Saints were but as it were manus Christi the hand of Christ though they came forth before he the Head came in the flesh yet they were united to him and had a virtue and Divine Spirit from him though they were first in time yet he was first in dignity and power Had these not been members of him there would have been after the fall some holy flesh not in conjunction with him which to imagine is to render him useless as if the forfeited sanctity in man might have been recovered without him The sum of all is this That Union which no distance of place or time can break or dissolve must needs have a great deal of mystery in it 7thly The Union between Christ and Believers is lasting and durable were it not so very black consequences must needs ensue There might possibly be no Church at all that Article of our Creed which concerns the Holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints might cease and become no object of Faith the death of Christ might be in vain his precious sufferings might be without fruit the great Promises as well those which are made to Christ touching a seed as those which are made to Christians touching perseverance might utterly fail and come to nothing These are very momentous things yet passing them over it will suffice to consider what a King Husband Foundation Vine Head Food Christ is the excellency of him above all the earthly patterns will evidently prove the perpetuity of this Union He is such a King as never was his Kingdom stands upon foundations that cannot be shaken Earthly kingdoms may be dissolved by a defection of Subjects the Prince cannot command their minds and wills the outward Thrones and Laws may be too weak to keep them in due order a jealousie of yokes and burdens may blow the coal a fancy of being better under a change may kindle a fatal Rebellion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the present Government is ever grievous But it is not thus in Christs Kingdom his Subjects never fall off he inspires obedience into their wills and hearts his Throne and Law are within there are no blots or errata's in his government all is meer rectitude and Grace they cannot be better than under him in such circumstances no room is left for a revolt The kingdoms of this world may be broken by a foreign invasion one earthly power may eat up another the great Empire rowl'd about from the Chaldean to the Persian from thence to the Grecian from thence to the Roman but in the Kingdom of Christ it is not so his Kingdom shall not be left to other people Dan. 2.44 No invasion can be upon him who hath all the power in Heaven and Earth he sits at Gods right hand till his enemies be made his footstool Psal 110.1 till Sin Satan the World Death Hell be subdued under him no foreign power therefore can overturn his Kingdom who is universal Conqueror Earthly kingdoms have their periods there is a mene wrote upon each of them the Gold Silver Brass Iron Clay in the great Image must at last be all broken to pieces and become like the chaff of the Summer threshing-floor Dan. 2.35 But it is not so with Christ his Throne is as the Sun and as the faithful witness in Heaven Psal 89.36 37. Of his Kingdom there is no end Luke 1.33 It is a thing of perpetuity But if his Subjects might fall off where what would his Kingdom be A Kingdom without Subjects is but an umbra a meer shadow It may be therefore noted that in that 89th Psalm there is not only a Throne continuing but a seed enduring for ever And in that first of St. Luke there is not only an endless Kingdom but an House of Jacob a Church for him to regin over for ever without this his Kingdom would soon be at an end for want of Subjects If then his Kingdom be as it is perpetual then there must needs be a continuance of Subjects under him He is such an Husband as never was his conjunction with his Spouse is never dissolved the earthly marriage may be dissolved by Adultery but in the spiritual Marriage between Christ and Believers no such thing falls out truth and faithfulness are found on all hands he will never forsake them they will not forsake him his fear in their heart keeps them from a departure his love is towards them their love is towards him if it cool or slack his love which is the fountain and first mover will come and inflame theirs afresh nay there is not only love or a likeness of temper between them but they are so joined to him as to be one spirit two spirits may vary and go different ways but one spirit must needs keep them together here is no room for spiritual fornication or departure from Christ Further Death parts man and wife but not Christ and Believers he died but it was that he might purchase a Church that a Spouse might come out of his bleeding side they dye but their death is a sleep in Jesus their union to him continues in Death there is a separation of body and soul but as in Christ it did not break the hypostatical union so in Christians it doth not break the mystical one his body in the grave was not separate from his Divine person their bodies there are not separate from Christ the Head his Spirit will not leave them in the dust but raise them up to a glorious life as a sure token that they are in conjunction with him The perpetuity of this conjunction is excellently set forth by the Prophet I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord Hos 2.19 20. In this famous Text which as I take it respects the spiritual Marriage between Christ and the Church two or three things may be noted Here we have
I will betroth I will betroth I will betroth thrice repeated to note out the fureness of the Promise here it is said in express terms That the espousal is not for a time but for ever here Christ engages his Righteousness Truth Love Mercy Faithfulness to make good the perpetual espousal In the close it is added Thou shalt know the Lord the espoused shall know that their Lord Christ hath effected this great work He is such a Foundation as never was all those who are builded upon him shall stand he is that Rock upon which the Church is built The gates of hell that is the powers of darkness shall not prevail against it Matt. 16.18 This excellent Promise doth signifie the perpetuity of the union between Christ and Believers if they were severed from him then the Gates of Hell would prevail but if as the Promise is the Gates of Hell shall not prevail then the union shall be perpetual It may possibly be here objected That this Promise concerns not particular Believers but the Church in general I answer This Promise reaches to all that are built on the Rock by Faith and so are particular Believers if some particular Believers may fall off from the Rock so may all and then where is the Church what is that but a body made up of particular Believers All Believers failing the Church must needs do so It may yet be objected That the meaning of that Promise is That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against Believers without their own consent But I answer It is not possible they should prevail in any other way than that of consent a temptation may come but without a consent it prevails not to say that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail without a consent is to say That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail in any other way than that which is possible and this being true without any Promise at all the Promise thus interpreted signifies just nothing as being only of that which was so before We are not then to take it so but in the plain sense which gives us an high assurance that those who are built upon the Rock shall never be removed from thence no not by all the powers of darkness St. Paul speaking of Christ the Corner-stone saith In him all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the-Lord The apt and harmonious framing of the building shews the firmness of it the growing of it tells us That it is not as corruptible buildings bore up by dead matter but by that which is much more durable the everliving Spirit of Christ St. Peter speaking of the same Corner-stone saith He that believeth on him shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2.6 If Believers who are built upon him might be severed from him they must be confounded but if they shall not be confounded they shall not be severed in union with him is salvation but in separation from him is nothing but confusion such a Foundation is he that he bears up all that are built upon him and prevents their confusion by maintaining their union with him None of the lively Stones shall totally finally fall off from him He is such a Vine and Head as never was his juice never ceases his vital influences never fail Hence the Branches and Members ever remain in union with him To make this appear I shall offer two or three things There is a supply of the Holy Spirit from Christ unto Believers he is made sanctification to them he lives in them there is an effectual working in every one of them and all this is by the Spirit communicated from him the Root and Head of all Grace Hence he tells us that the rivers of living water flow in the Believer Joh. 7.38 The supply of the Spirit from Christ unto Believers In Sanctorum cordibus secundum quasdam virtutes semper manet spiritus secundum quasdam recessurus venit venturus recedit in his virtutibus sine quibus ad vitam non pervenitur in electorum suorum cordibus permanct Greg. Mor. doth ever continue in some measure it 's true it doth not ever continue as to the accessaries of Grace but it ever continues as to the vitals and essentials of it it doth not keep them from all acts of sin but under their greatest falls it ever upholds a state of grace and spiritual life in them They may fall and that grievously yet still there is a lamp the habits and principles of Grace are not extinct in them He that is born of God cannot sin 1 Joh. 3.9 That is he cannot sin so as to unframe the new creature he cannot sin so as to lose the remaining seed in him the Reason is because the Spirit continues to bear him up in a state of Grace This continuance of the Spirit is upon a double account the one is the durable foundation of it the communication of the Spirit is founded upon the satisfactory and meritorious sufferings of Christ there is an endless life of merit in him his blood is of an eternal efficacy Hence the supplies of the Spirit procured thereby never fail Very remarkable is the difference between the case of Adam and the case of Believers in him one act of sin drove out a stock of pure holiness in them many sins do not drive out their imperfect graces the Reason is their graces respect a great foundation an infinite treasure of merit which moves the Spirit to bear them up in being but his holiness doth not do so For them as under the second Covenant there is a ransom a satisfaction of immense value to interpose that the forfeiture of their habitual graces made by sin may not be taken but for him as under the first Covenant there was nothing to interpose nothing to bear off justice from taking the forfeiture The other thing is the office of Christ a Vine is to communicate juice to the Branches an Head is to communicate vital influences to the Members the rich anointing of the Spirit was upon Christ not as a meer private person but as a Trustee and a Treasurer for Believers that out of his fulness they might have grace for grace It lies upon his truth and faithfulness to perform his trust and office if he did not communicate the Spirit to his Branches and Members he should cease to act like a Root and Head but because he never does what unbecomes him the communication must continue as long as he is a Root or Head Upon these sure grounds doth stand the continuance of the Spirit in its supplies it may be sometimes grieved by the sins of Believers yet it doth not depart from them because Christ is a Priest after the power of an endless life and it is his trust and office to communicate the Spirit to them The supply of the Spirit unto Believers ever continuing their union with Christ must needs continue also The Spirit is the primary
bond of the Union where the Spirit is there is the Union where the Spirit is continued there is the Union continued Our Saviour speaking of the water given to Believers saith that it is in them a Well of water springing up to everlasting life Joh. 4.14 The Spirit is a Well that is never dried up it is a Spring of water whose waters fail not it springs and never leaves springing till the Believer be in Heaven the union therefore which depends upon such an excellent communication of the Spirit must needs be perpetual I conclude with the judgment of St. Austin speaking of Christ and Believers he saith Illius capitis membra sumus In Psal 88. non potest hoc corpus decollari si in aeternum caput in aeternum gloriantur membra ut sit ille Christus integer in aeternum We are members of him the Head this body cannot be beheaded if the head be for ever the members also glory for ever that Christ may be entire for ever In another place reproving the rule of Ticonius touching the bipartite body of Christ he saith De Doct. Christ lib. 3. cap. 32. Non reverâ Domini corpus est quod cum illo non erit in aeternum It is not truly the body of Christ which shall not be with him for ever In the last place Christ is most excellent food he is so in union with believers that he nourishes them in their very souls This union is so set forth in the 6th chapter of St. John that it appears to be perpetual He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him vers 56. These words point out not only the intimacy of the union but the perpetuity of it Here is not meerly an inbeing but an indwelling which imports duration In a former verse the perpetuity is more plainly set down He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life verse 54. Christ nourisheth him not to a temporal life but to an eternal one and how is this done but by an union with him All food nourishes by union earthly food by union with the body Christ the spiritual food by union with the soul without union can be no nutrition he therefore who nourishes Believers not to a temporal but to an eternal life must needs be united to them not for a time but perpetually There is in that Chapter one thing more to be noted we have in it both the bonds of union Faith is included in the eating and drinking there often repeated the quickening Spirit is mentioned verse 63. Faith cannot fail because the Spirit continues to uphold it the supplies of the Spirit cannot fail because the flesh and blood of Christ hath in it an endless life of merit to procure the same It remains therefore that the union is perpetual because the bonds of it are so Thus far touching the resemblances of the mystical union and the conclusions drawn from them CHAP. VI. There are two Bonds of this Vnion Faith and the Holy Spirit Faith sees and presentiates Christ to the Believer it puts the soul into an apt posture for him it gives a right to him it intimately unites to him The Spirit it self is in some sort communicated to Believers he is sent to them he is given to them he dwells in them his special operative immediate presence is with them he forms Holy Graces in them he actuates and preserves those Graces he sheds abroad Gods Love in their heart In all these Operations two things are noted viz. somewhat of Vnion with Christ and somewhat of the Inhabitation of the Spirit HAving treated of the Resemblances of the Mystical Union I now proceed to the Bonds of it which as the Reverend Vsher hath it are on Christs part the quickning Spirit Immanuel p. 50. and on ours Faith Christus saith one of the Ancients per fidem ingreditur in vos Cyril in Joh. per Spiritum Sanctum inhabitat Christ enters into us by Faith and inhabits in us by his Holy Spirit Of these two Bonds the Spirit is the primary one as being the Author of the other it begins the union by operating Faith and carries it on by turning the Believer into a Temple for himself to dwell in I shall first speak of the Bond of Faith and then of that of the Spirit Faith doth in an admirable manner unite unto Christ the Scripture sets it forth as if it had all motions postures and sensations spiritually in it self to take in Christ with his incomparable benefits into the soul it is there called a seeing a coming to a receiving of a leaning on a putting on a feeding upon Christ it sees and looks to him as a Saviour it comes to him as a center of rest it receives him as a precious gift it leans on him as a sure foundation it puts him on as an heavenly covering it feeds on him as the very food and life of the soul In St. Ambrose speaking of the Woman who had an Issue of blood Faith is called a touching of Christ In Luc. lib. 6. Non credunt qui comprimunt credunt qui tangunt fide tangitur Christus Many press upon Christ in outward Ordinances but Believers touch him it is by Faith that he is touched so as to have virtue from him In St. Austin it is not meerly a touching but a taking hold of Christ In Joh. Tract 50. Quomodo in coelum manum mittam ut ibi sedentem teneam fidem mitte tenuisti How may I put up my hand into Heaven that I may take hold of Christ sitting there send up thy Faith and thou holdest him In St. Basil it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an intellectual mouth in the inner man whereby we feed upon Christ the bread of life In St. Chrysostom Faith is that by which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are begotten and consubstantiated with Christ In Hebr. cap. 3. In Theophylact it is that by which a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a part of Christ the root united to and incorporated in him The import of all these various expressions in Scriptures and Fathers is this That Faith is the great capacity which takes in Christ into the Soul Touching this Bond of Faith I shall offer three or four things 1st Faith doth see Christ in a spiritual manner Humane reason with the Gospel before it may gather up a notion of Christ but it doth not of it self spiritually discern him A notion may be gathered up out of the words and sentences in Scripture but a spiritual discerning there is not This is clear upon a double account The one is this In fallen man no natural faculty unless elevated by a grace proper to it doth act spiritually the Understanding the supreme faculty in man unless inlightned by the Spirit doth not do so it acts upon Christ as upon other objects in a natural way only The other is this
Believer in this posture is sure to hear of him he shall be more and more led into holy Truths his ear is opened and his mind in a readiness for further instruction The Spirit will make deeper impressions and seal divine Truths upon his heart The rich Mines of Precepts and Promises shall lye more open before his eyes Again Christ is a great King higher than the Kings of the Earth he was anointed with the Holy Ghost he hath all the power in Heaven and Earth his Laws are all rectitude and grace his Throne must be set up in the hearts and spirits of men Unto this Faith answers by that obediential temper which is in it It owns his Soveraignty it kisses his Scepter it chuses him as a Lord â—t loves to live in his Dominions if he come forth in his Royal Command it opens the everlasting doors that he may reign within This is a fit posture it is called receiving Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.6 Christ will own such as his Subjects he will more and more lift up his Throne in their hearts he will let them see more of his power and glory he will make them taste the fruits of his Government in protection and excellent rewards This is the second step of union between Christ and Believers There is that in Faith which answers to all his Offices there is satisfaction in him and recumbency in them instruction in him and docibleness in them Royalty in him and obedientialness in them 3ly There is by faith a right unto Christ God did not only send his Son in the flesh to satisfie and merit for us but he hath let down from Heaven a Charter of Promises that we might see upon what terms we may have a title to Christ By that Charter sealed with his blood the believer who also seals to it by faith hath a clear right unto him My beloved is mine saith the Church Cant. 2.16 Believers have a right to claim him as their own though he be an infinite person one who is a center of Perfections a treasury of merits having in himself enough to satisfie the heart of God and supply the wants of men yet may they claim him as their own His blood is theirs it is the blood of their Sponsor and Head it was shed on purpose to justifie them as to the Law to cleanse away their sins His Spirit is theirs it is upon him as an Head and Trustee accordingly it is to be communicated to them it is to flow in their hearts in rivers of living graces They have also a right to become the sons of God It 's true they are not as he is natural Sons but they are adopted ones In their adoptive Sonship there is as Aquinas observes a shadow of the Eternal One. He is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sum. 3. part q. 23. Ar. 2. or brightness of his Father and in them there is a splendor of grace resembling God in a measure at last they shall as sons enter into his joy and sit down with him in his Throne and there not only behold his glory but have a share in the blessed region and all this is made good by the Gospel one jot or tittle of which can no more fail than God can forfeit his truth and faithfulness This is another step there is by faith a true right unto Christ 4thly There is by faith more than a meer right to Christ there is an intimate union with him believers are built upon him as a foundation inserted into him as a Vine incorporated with him as an Head To understand which of a meer right is utterly to evacuate these Metaphors which were planted in Scripture on purpose to signifie a very near union with him It is said in Scripture That we are in him and he is in us We dwell in him and he dwells in us We abide in him and he abides in us To interpret these phrases of a meer right as if all the meaning were but this We have a right to him and he hath a right to us is to dispirit those expressions which do as Emphatically speak a very near union as any words can possibly do No man ever used such words to express a right no man can use higher to express an union In those phrases therefore we have an intimate union set forth unto us so also we have in that of the Apostle We are made partakers of Christ Heb. 3.14 Not meerly of his benefits but of himself When the same Apostle would set forth the Hypostatical union of our nature to Christ he saith That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did partake of our flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 When in this place he would set forth the Mystical union of believers to him he saith That we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of him we do in a sort possess him we partake of him as members do of their head His satisfaction reaches down to us to make us stand before God his Spirit is communicated to us to make us a fit Temple for himself By faith we come to be in intimate union with him and in a spiritual manner possessed of him Thus much touching Faith as a bond of union with Christ The other bond is the holy Spirit The Scripture speaks of it negatively and positively Negatively If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 The Spirit of Christ is that which just before is called the Spirit of God which quickens our mortal bodies ver 11. which leads the sons of God ver 14. which makes them cry Abba Father ver 15. which bears witness with their spirit ver 16. He that hath not this Spirit in such measure as is necessary to Salvation he is none of Christs he is not united to him as a member none of his members are void of the Spirit Positively He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he is in us because he hath given us of his spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 The same holy Spirit which is upon Christ the Head falls down upon believers as members of him though Christ an infinite person assumed an humane nature though his humane nature was in the same person with his Divine yet which is admirable to consider the holy Spirit had a special hand in uniting the humane nature to his person and in sanctifying it the holy Spirit came upon the Virgin Luk. 1.35 The holy Spirit descended like a Dove and lighted upon him Mat. 3.16 His Divine Nature was alsufficient and near enough to the humane yet was he anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power Act. 10.38 The sanctifying of his humane nature is in a peculiar manner attributed to the holy Spirit The reason I take it is this God in his wise counsel would have it to be so that the same Spirit which united the two Natures in the Person of Christ
in an immense one but an excellent manifestation The Spirit as St. Austin observes De Trin. lib. 2. c. 5. illuc mittitur ubi erat is sent thither where it was but being sent he is there in such sort as he was not he is present there novo modo in a new manner where he was not so present he appears there in gracious operations where he did not so appear he is raising up a new creature or actuating the graces or letting out his glory in some supernatural work but this is not all that is in mission this may be in a coming the Father is said to come but never said to be sent there is therefore somewhat more in mission the Spirit doth not only operate but it operates secundum originem as he subsists from the Father and the Son so he operates from them as he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the manner of subsisting so he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the manner of operating He is therefore said to be sent by the Father and Son because he subsists and operates from them The second expression is the giving of the Spirit This in some respect differs from the former mission imports a procession of the person sent from the Sender giving imports the free bounty of the donor in communicating something The Spirit did not send himself for he did not proceed from himself but he may and doth give himself because he is sui juris and may communicate himself as he pleaseth In giving a thing is communicated ad utendum vel fruendum to be used or enjoyed The Spirit is communicated to Believers in his graces and in himself in his graces he is communicated to be used in himself he is communicated to be enjoyed he is now had as he was not before in knowledg and love by these the Believer doth in mind and heart possess him as an object able to make every one who hath him happy for ever The third expression is the dwelling or inhabiting of the Spirit he is in Believers as in his House or Temple he is there in the tokens of his special presence the love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance that is there shew him to be the inhabitant he hath not a more proper place here below than an heart furnished with those graces Also he is there as an object of inward Worship there is a mind which knows him a will which subjects to him a love which embraces him a fear which reverences him there without question is a Sanctuary an holy place for him there it is that his Honour dwelleth But I shall here add no more touching this inhabitation only it must be remembred that where the Spirit dwells there the Father and the Son dwell also the blessed Three are inseparable one of them cannot be separated from the other where the Spirit dwells there dwell also the Father and the Son with him Besides these three expressions there is one more that is the operation of the Spirit All these worketh one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 Touching this I shall at present only observe that this operation doth in several respects fall in with the other three as it is the operation of the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son so it falls in with mission as it concerns the using the Spirit in its graces or enjoying him in himself it falls in with giving as it relates to the tokens of his presence or the inward worship done to him it falls in with inhabitation Further In answer to the Quaere it is to be considered that there is a double presence of God one universal in all things another special in the Saints the first is in respect of his essence which is immense and every where the second is in respect of his operations which are peculiarly here and not there Those special operations are not every where where the essence is for the there could be no special presence but the essence is wherever those are else the universal presence would fail When Vorstius said That God was in the Saints per gratiosam praesentiam by a gracious presence Piscator notes That there is another ther presence namely a substantial one Operatio Dei a substantiâ divelli non potest the operation of God cannot be divided from his essence When Crellius saith that we live and move not in the Divine substance but in his virtue and efficacy the Learned Maresius answers him Inepta est oppositio inter virtutem substantiam illa hanc praesentem supponit Deus nusquam operatur visi essentialiter praesens It is a foolish thing to oppose the Virtue of God to his Substance that supposeth this present God no where operates unless he be essentially present Thus he To me it is plain that wherever there is a work of God there he is essentially present for his Immensity hath no stint we cannot say it goes hither and no further His Power which reaches every work is not distinct from his Essence nor can no more reach beyond it than a thing can exceed it self These things may give some light to the point in hand the Spirit is very God his special presence is not every where where his essential one is but his essential presence is every where where his special one is his essential presence is that without which there could be no special one at all his special presence is that in which the essential one appears in some excellent operation When the Spirit is communicated to Believers Est Spiritus Sanctus in regeneratis non tantùm ut in omnibus rebus Immensitate essentiae sed prasentiâ gratiae effectorum Par. in Rom. cap. 8. there is not meerly an essential presence but an essential presence and a special operation waiting on it such as He who is every where puts forth no where but in Believers there is not a meer simple presence but an actuous vigorous one such as discovers it self in excellent supernatural operations he is not here moving upon the waters to bring forth an outward sensible world but he is moving upon the heart to bring forth a spiritual one a glorious new creature in which more of himself appears than in all other things besides and when it is brought forth he sweetly presses in upon it by motions impulses and influences to actuate the holy principles to make the spicy graces flow out to quicken strengthen and enlarge the soul to every good work and all this against the bias and contradiction of the corrupt flesh which however cross and repugnant it be is potently overborn and overset by his excellent presence At last he seals up the Believer marks him out for his own irradiates him with the beams of his favour and sheds the sweetness of his incomparable love in his heart and which is much to be observed he doth in
this never is or can be though the divine nature be where the humane is not yet the union remains it being made cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non cum loco with the word not with place the Divine nature being immense cannot possibly by distance be separated from any thing if in the least point it were separated it should cease to be immense or else thus The Divine Nature is not shut up in the limits of the flesh but doth transcendently exceed them and thus the Divine Nature is not so properly out of the flesh as beyond it according to its Infinity it is where the humane is not Thus much touching the Doctrine of the Lutherans in this point But if there is not a corporal presence of the body of Christ in the Eucharist is there no presence at all Are the Sacraments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naked signs and empty figures of Christ crucified This indeed is charged upon us by the Papists and Lutherans When Calvin saith that the body of Christ is exhibited to us in the Sacrament De Euch. lib. 1. c. 1. Bellarmine cries out that it is but mera ludificatio When Wendilin speaks of the presence of Christs body in the Eucharist Wend. Ex. 103. the Lutherans cry out fucus est dolus est it is a colour a cheat Nevertheless we say that the body and blood of Christ are truly though spiritually present not as contained in the elements but as exhibited to our Faith Thus Reverend Calvin hath it Inst lib. 4. c. 17. s 11. Dico in coenae mysterio per symbola panis vini Christum verè nobis exhiberi in the mystery of the Supper by the Symbols of bread and wine Christ is truly exhibited to us Thus the excellent Vsher Serm before the Commons 1620. Of his precious body and blood we are really made partakers that is in truth and in deed and not in imagination only although in a spiritual and not a corporal manner Thus the Church of England Hom. 1st of the Sacrament In the Supper of the Lord there is no vain ceremony no bare sign no untrue figure of a thing absent but the Table of the Lord the bread and cup of the Lord the memory of Christ the annunciation of his death yea the communion of the body and blood of the Lord in a marvelous incorporation which by the operation of the Holy Ghost the very bond of our conjunction with Christ is through Faith wrought in the Souls of the faithful And again The body of Christ is given Art the 28. taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual manner It 's true the Papists and Lutherans make light of this spiritual presence Gregory de Valentiâ calls it merum somnium Calvinisticum a meer Calvinistical dream The Lutherans say that this is not a true presence of Christs body but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imago a spectrum or image In answer to this I shall offer two or three things The Papists and Lutherans who cast off this spiritual presence as a fancy do yet in explaining a corporal presence make the notion too fine to consist with the nature of a body De Euch. Lib. 1. c. 2. Lib. 3. c. 4. Bellarmine will not have the body of Christ in the Eucharist to be visible sensible tangible it exists after the manner of Spirits nay it is present after the manner of God The Lutherans will not have the body of Christ in the Eucharist to be visible palpable local circumscribed with place it exists in a supernatural manner it is present praesentiâ divinâ by a Divine presence Thus they who slight the spiritual presence do make the corporal one so fine that the body of Christ after they have stript it of its essential properties is more like a Spirit than a Body The presence of Christ in the Eucharist is a spiritual one This is clear the presence is such as the faculty is to which the thing is presented the Bread and Wine which are the outward symbols of the Sacrament are presented to our sense the Body and Blood of Christ which are the inward marrow of it are presented to our Faith In the former a corporal presence is necessary in the latter a spiritual one Again The presence is such as the eating is the eating of Christ is spiritual it is as appears in the sixth chapter of St. John from spiritual principles to a spiritual end from the quickening spirit to life eternal the presence therefore must be a spiritual one that it may sute to the eating Further The presence is as the union is the union between Christ and us is spiritual he dwells in us by Faith he lives in us by his Spirit the presence therefore must be a spiritual one that it may agree with the union The Fathers are not for a corporal but a spiritual presence St. Cyprian treating of the Eucharist saith (a) Non tà m corporali quà m spiritali transitione Christo nos uniri de Caenâ That we are united to Christ not by a corporal but spiritual transition St. Ambrose saith (b) In illo Sacramento Christus est quia corpus est Christi non ergò corporalis esca sed spiritalis est De iis qui initiantur cap. 9. In the Sacrament is Christ because it is the Body of Christ it is not therefore corporal food but spiritual St. Athanasius saith of the Body of Christ (c) Corpus meum in cibum dabitur ut spiritualitèr unicûique tribuatur In illud qui dixerit Verbum That it is given for food that it may be spiritually distributed to every one St. Austin saith (d) Habuit Christum Ecclesia secundum praesentiam carnis paucis diebus modò fide tenet Tract in Joh. 50. The Church had Christ according to the presence of flesh a few days now she holds him by faith St. Bernard saith (e) Eadem caro nobis sed spiritualitèr non carnalitèr exhibeatur in fest Mart. That the flesh of Christ is exhibited to us spiritually not carnally Thus the Ancients are not for a corporal presence but a spiritual one This spiritual presence is so great a mystery that reverend Calvin saith Instit lib. 4. c. 17. Nec mens plane cogitando nec linguà explicando par esse potest the mind cannot conceive it the tongue cannot utter it Where mysteries are deep to speak a little is enough I shall therefore only touch on two things The one is this the body of Christ is objectively present to our faith St. Paul tells the Galatians that before their eyes Jesus Christ had been evidently set forth crucified among them his Cross was at Jerusalem his glorious residence in Heaven yet he is before our faith in the Gospel and particularly in the Eucharist in which as in a sacred Crucifix we see him as it were a suffering for us It is here to be