out unto God to increase their faith to help their unbelief they never think their faith strong enough nor their union with Christ near enough They would be more grounded and setled in faith they would be in more close and intimate conjunction with Christ This is the temper of those that are in him Also they have a tender respect to the holy Spirit the other bond of union It is the holy Spirit which first takes hold on them which works faith and other graces in them which is the very life of their souls and graces which makes them breathe in prayer melt in charity move in obedience act like mystical parts of Christ in conformity to him such operations as these endear the Spirit to them They would not grieve him for a world they will not wallow in sensual pleasures that they may be filled with him They put away all bitterness envy malice hatred out of their hearts that the good Spirit may dwell in them They will not suffer worldly things to throng and make a noise in their minds that the Holy One who hath a Temple there may not be disturbed They would do nothing to cause him to withdraw his Presence from them it being more tolerable in their eyes to have their own souls part from their bodies than to have him depart from their souls He cannot depart but their light life grace peace will be all gone It 's a grievous thing to them to quench him The light which he lets in is to them more precious than that of the Sun Moon and Stars The motions which he inspires are to them more dear than the breath in their nostrils The still voice which he utters is to them more sweet than all the charms of the world It is one of their great cares to walk in his light yield to his motions and obey his voice He comes velut imber sanctificationis as a shower of Sanctification from Christ their Head he comes to inlighten strengthen quicken actuate comfort guide them to the blessed region above and how welcome do they make him All the dews and distillations of grace find their hearts open every gale and inspiration meets with a compliance in them When they have most of him they still desire more of him that corruptions may be more subdued Ordinances more filled Truths more illustrated Holiness more imprinted Promises more sealed the love of God more shed abroad in their hearts They never think themselves to have enough of him This is the right temper of those that are in Christ Another mark of this Union is conformity to Christ A wicked man while such cannot be in union with him What communion hath light with darkness What concord hath Christ with Belial Can his blood save those that are void of his Spirit May his Promises comfort those that trample his Laws under their feet No surely such are indeed not members of Christ but of Satan not heirs of Salvation but children of wrath All that are in union with Christ are conformed to his Image Every branch in him answers to the root Every member suits to the Head in Heaven all that are in him do in a measure resemble him In this Conformity three things may be noted The first is this There is a Conformity in graces Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 We have here the two bonds of Union faith set forth by a transformative view of Christ and the Spirit called the Spirit of the Lord. And withal we have here mention of a change into the Divine Image which ever accompanies the Unionâ— and is a sure mark of it In this Conformity two things may be observed There is a conformity of their graces in the rise of them to the conception of Christ his humane nature was not brought forth generatione sed jussione not in an ordinary way by knowing a man but in an extrordinary by the power of the Highest and the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost iâ— conformity to this the new Creature with its graces is not born of blood nor of thâ— will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 It is not by an humane but by a Divine power It is not froâ— mans Spirit but from Gods overshadowinâ— the heart The same Spirit which forme Christ in the womb forms him in the hear All the graces of believers are produced like their Saviours flesh in a pure supernatural way Again there is a conformity of their graces in the kinds of them to the graces in Christ the same holy Spirit which anointed his humane nature in an Hypostatical union anoints believers in the Mystical one Of his fulness they receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 Grace in a measure answering to the grace in him Was he meek and lowly they have a measure of those lovely graces Did he burn with zeal for the glory of God some of the same holy fire is in their hearts Was he full of love to God and man their love inflamed by his goes out towards both Was he holy in perfection they are so in sincerity Had he large bowels of mercy and compassion unto men in misery their hearts also melt with the same graces Was he perfectly obedient to his Fathers will they are upright and endeavour to do it their graces answer to those in him this is an infallible sign of union If a man would know whether he be in Christ or not he must look within and ask his own heart what is there hath the holy Spirit been there Is there any thing above nature wrought Are there any pieces of the new Creature or Divine Image What is there of humility zeal or holy love What of purity mercy or obedience See how it is within if a meer vacuum be there if the heart be void of these graces it is a vain presumption to think that he is in union with Christ that there should be humility in the Head and pride in the members zeal and love in the Head and coldness and hatred in the members purity mercy and obedience in the Head and uncleanness cruelty and rebellion in the members is a thing too absurd to be imagined by any considering man That Christ should be an Head and not communicate his Spirit or men should be members and not receive it that he should be Head and not rule his members or they should be members and of a contrary temper to the Head is utterly impossible The beams of the Sun may sooner be dark than the members of Christ be unlike him The streams of a sweet fountain may sooner be bitter than those that are united to the fountain of Grace can want it All that are in him have grace answering to his This is the first Conformity The second is this there is a conformity in sufferings they that are in Christ
Jewels and attire If Adam had a world Eve did participate with him Thus it is in the earthly marriage much more is it so in the spiritual one When such an one as Christ is joined to Believers what and how great must the communications be The earthly Husband according to his state and degree doth communicate to his Wife what then doth Christ who hath a Deity and unfearchable riches in him communicate to those who are in conjunction with him Want they cannot while he hath a Deity or be without a supply till his riches be exhausted They go no longer in the rags of their own unworthiness but are covered with the robe of his pure righteousness guilt can no longer abide on them because they are sprinkled with his aroning blood while he hath an Holy Spirit they cannot want the Jewels and ornaments of Grace their love meekness obedience patience shew that he hath put some of his beauty upon them his wine-cellar of Scriptures and Ordinances stands open to them that they may taste and drink of Divine Consolations at last they shall enter into the palace of Heaven and there partake of his glory No Husband but himself can so communicate The other is this That in Marriage there is a due propagation of mankind individuals dye but mankind is preserved generation supplies what death devours Also in the spiritual marriage there is a double propagation one of Believers another of good works First in the Church there is a propagation of Believers such an one as Christ could not but have a seed his name was to be continued as long as the Sun Psal 72.17 In the original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his name shall be sonned or childed in a succession of Believers The Church at first was in a Believer or two but being Christs Spouse she becomes Mother of thousands a spiritual Eve to bring forth Sons unto God In the power of the Word and Spirit which are as the seed and formative virtue in this heavenly generation multitudes of Believers come forth as the dew from the womb of the morning not in the Jewish Church only but in the Gentile world also the wilderness buds and blossoms the barren sing for joy the tent is enlarged the curtains are stretched forth the Church breaks out on the right hand and on the left in an admirable fertility this is the fruit of this Divine Marriage between Christ and his Church Again In particular Believers there is a propagation of good works as we are in conjunction with Adam we are impotent and barren but as soon as we are in conjunction with Christ we have power and holy fruits To open this it will be worth while to consider the words of the Apostle Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God For when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter Rom. 7.4 5 6. Here we have two sorts of persons the unregenerate who are in the flesh of corrupt nature and the regenerate who have a new spirit or principle in them Two sorts of Marriage one unto the Law in the unregenerate and another unto Christ in the regenerate Two sorts of fruit one unto death in sinful actions another unto God in good works The unregenerate are married to the Law they are under the curse of it as sinners they have but the naked letter of it which commands but helps not Nay their corruption is accidentally irritated by it their inward malignity swells and rises against the holy commands which stand in Scripture as so many dams and bars to their impetuous lusts Hence they bring forth nothing but fruit unto death what they seem to do in Gods service they do only in the oldness of the letter in the external work without a spirit or principle for it The regenerate are dead to the Law and married to Christ they are not under the curse of the Law but pardoned in Christ they have not the meer outward letter only but the quickning spirit they are not irritated by the command but delight in it as in their joy and treasure Hence they bring forth fruit unto God they serve him in newness of spirit in the suavity of internal holy principles their good works are not brought forth in bondage and servility but by a free spirit and in the easiness of the new creature We see here that the progeny of good works issues not out of nature or the letter of the Law but out of a conjunction and spiritual marriage with Christ who by his Holy Spirit quickens Believers to bear holy fruits The conjugal union in the earthly pattern not being enough the Holy Ghost goes on to set forth the mystical union by that which is between the foundation and the building Christ in Scripture is called a foundation upon a double account he is the foundation of Doctrine Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Here the Apostle speaks of a foundation of Doctrine the consequent words make this appear the gold silver and precious stones are pure and solid Doctrines the wood hay and stubble are vain and frivolous ones both are called mans work which the fire shall try He is also the foundation of Believers They are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Ephes 2.20 It 's true the Apostles and Prophets are here called a foundation but they are only a doctrinal foundation Christ is the personal one they are a foundation metonymically only Christ is so properly upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets is no other than upon Christ whom they in their Preaching laid as the foundation of the Church The Foundation and the Corner-stone are both one and the same Christ as a Foundation he bears up and sustains the Church as a Corner-stone he joins and holds together the two walls of it made up of Jews and Gentiles In this resemblance three or four things may be considered The Foundation and the Building are both framed by Art First the pattern is in the mind of the Builder and then the thing is set up In the Spiritual Foundation and Building the Art was not humane but Divine the Idea of them was not in mans mind but in Gods man falling off from his bottom of primitive integrity could not have a foundation in himself God in infinite wisdom contrived that he might have one in another the way was admirable the eternal Word was made flesh two natures met in one person an humane in
that it might be but as a prostrate pinioned enemy to them that they through his Spirit communicated to them might also overcome it he did not gather them up out of the corrupt world to himself that they might return thither again their union with him is so near and strong that the world cannot take them back to it self again its flatteries cannot allure its fears cannot fright them away from him Satan overthrew Adam but he cannot do so with Believers in assaulting him he had only to do with a man but in assaulting them he sets upon those who are mystical parts and members of Christ he hath to do with Christ himself who is God as well as man his hand is too strong for Satan to pluck them away from him his Love is too great to lose his own members whom he hath purchased at no less price than his own blood It 's true they do sometimes fall under the temptation but then they do not fall as Adam did they do not as he lose the very state of Grace or all the power of a recovery no the habits or vital principles of Grace are not extinct the Spirit and Grace of Christ will raise them up again Satans conquest is not a total or final one at last he shall be bruised under their feet Christ who in his own person conquered the Tempter conquers him in his members also Thus Believers are supported because they are in union with Christ 4thly The union between Christ and Believers is such that he doth influence into them The resemblances of the Vine and the Head do naturally teach this A Vine communicates to the branches an Head influences into the members Christ could not be what the Scripture calls him a Vine or an Head unless he did influence into his branches and members There are two sorts of influences some are first and fundamental to our union with Christ others do in order of nature follow after The first fundamental influences are those which work the unitive Grace of Faith Men are not native branches or members of Christ but insititious ones Faith which implants and incorporates them into him is not from Nature but Grace The ancient Council tells us Conc. Arans Can. 6. that it is per infusionem inspirationem Spiritûs Sancti by the infusion and inspiration of the holy Spirit Christ therefore sends out the Spirit with its inward teachings and tractions to work faith in men to gather them into union with himself thus the union begins from him Faith the first Grace that touches upon him is wrought by his Spirit and upon account of his Merits To you it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Christs sake to believe Phil. 1.29 Were it not for this influence there could be no union no branches or members in him The after-influences are those which serve to perfect the Believer as in the Old Creation Light was the first-born and then the other parts of the world were made so in the New the first thing is the Light of Faith and then follow those Graces which make up the new Creature Love Mercy Meekness Zeal Obedience Patience are the fruits of the influencing Spirit the Rivers of living water in the Believer all of them are derived from Christ the Head through faith which is called the Churches Neck Cant. 4.4 into the mystical body after this manner are all Graces formed without these influences there would be in Believers no Graces or Conformity to Christ no fit Temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell in Again there are influences not only to form these Graces but to actuate them As natural Agents live and move in the God of Nature so Believers who are spiritual Agents live and move in Christ their Head the gracious Principles in them do not go alone but the Holy Spirit stirs them up and then the spices flow out Love and Joy and all other Graces shew forth themselves in suitable Operations St. Paul excellently describes this I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me saith he Gal. 2.20 Take a Believer burning in Zeal or melting in Charity or sweating in Obedience or doing ought in an holy manner still Christ lives in him the effectual working is from the Head in Heaven without these influences Graces do but sleep in the principle and not go forth into act Further There are not only influences to actuate Graces in Believers but to make them grow up into Christ in all things the Believer doth not stand at a stay no the first little dawn in his heart increases into a morning the small grain of mustard-seed becomes a tree the little Embrio or Babe in Christ grows to be a man of spiritual stature his humility is every day lower his holy desires rise higher than before the vitals of Faith and Love become warmer than ever and all this increase is from the effectual working it is no other than the growing up of the members into their influencing Head the flourishing and spreading of the new Creature under the dews of the Spirit Without these influences Believers would be at a stand and never arrive at any statures in Grace Thus it appears that these influences are excellent and necessary Were it not for the first influences Christ would have no members and so not be what he was ordained to be an Head to the Church Were it not for the after-influences he would not carry himself as becomes an Head neither would his members be such as they ought to be in the point of holy graces 5thly The union between Christ and believers is a very intimate one The resemblance of food doth notably set forth this food is very intimately united to the body and so is Christ to believers Our Saviour takes notice of this He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him Joh. 6.56 The words import a very near union St. Cyprian speaking of this De Caenâ Domini saith Mansio nosira in ipso est manducatio potus quasi quaedam incorporatio Our eating of him is mansion our drinking a kind of incorporation we are spiritually incorporated into him Of the Sacr Hom. 1. Our Church calls it a marvellous incorporation wrought by the operation of the Holy Ghost Accipientes virtutem caelestis cibi in carnem ipsius qui caro nostra factus est transeamus Leo 1. Epist 22 ad Cler. Const we do as it were pass into his flesh who was made flesh with us we dwell in him and he in us and what can be nearer though he be not as ordinary food inferior to the body is turned into our substance yet as spiritual food more excellent than our souls he turns us into his Divine image We live by him Joh. 6.57 He is our life Col. 3.4 The very fountain and principle of it therefore he must needs be nearly and intimately united to us Nemo vivit vitâ extra se
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