Mount Pisgah, Part 1

Mount Pisgah · Part 1

p. 1MOƲNT PISGAH: OR, WORDS of COMFORT, OVER THE Death of our Gratious Relations.

1 Theſ. 4.18.

Wherefore, Comfort one another with theſe Words.

THeſe words! what words are theſe? Scripture words in their general Nature; more particularly, the Words of Comfort, conteyned in this Context from v. 13. I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren, &c. down to my Text.

For, therein doth the Apoſtle (by the dictate of the Holy Ghoſt) lay down a model or platforme of Conſolatory Arguments, as ſo many ſoveraign Antidotes againſt immoderate ſorrow for our pretious Relations which are departed: And with theſe words, the Apoſtle would have Chriſtians be able to comfort p. 2themſelves and one another. Comfort one another with theſe words.

For the handling of the Text, I will do theſe two things.

1. I will ſhew you what theſe words are, and open the ſenſe and meaning of them, as they lye in the order and method of the Context.

2. I will improve them for

1. Comfort

2. Counſel.

For the firſt of theſe,

The words of Comfort laid down by the Apoſtle in this model, 10 Words of Comfort.may be reduced unto 10 Heads, ſome of them very comprehenſive, and all of them like mother of Pearl (diſſolved) exceeding Cordial and Reſtorative.

The firſt word of Comfort is this, The firſt word of Comfort.namely, That our pretious Relations, over whoſe departure we ſtand mourning and weeping, are but fallen aſleep; I would not have you ignorant, Brethren, concerning them which are aſleep. We may ſay of departed Saints, as our Saviour ſaid concerning the Damſel, Math. 9.24. They are not dead but ſleep: the ſame phraſe he alſo uſed to his Diſciples concerning Lazarus, John 11.11.John 11:11our Friend Lazarus ſleepeth. A notion which the Diſciples at firſt underſtood not, becauſe their underſtandings were not yet inlightened; they dreamed of a natural ſleep ſaith the Text; of taking Reſt in ſleep. And yet, as men in their ſleep do ſomtimes dream true, ſo did they in this dream of theirs, ſpeak truer than they were aware of; they ſaid, Lord, if he ſleeps, he ſhall do well; it is true indeed, the Saints of God do but ſleep, when they lye down in the Grave; that, which we call death (in ſuch) is not death indeed; It is but the Image of Death, the ſhadow and metaphor of death, deaths younger Brother; a meer ſleep, and no more. The Holy Ghoſt, who beſt knoweth what things be, hath phraſed it ſo, and that, not ſo little as twenty times in Scripture, to ſhew, that it was not a ſudden expreſſion, incautelouſly dropt from the Pen of any one of the Secretaries of Holy Writ; but the true, proper, p. 3and genuine notion of death ſuggeſted to them by the infallible dictate of the Spirit of God; they do but ſleep; and if they ſleep, they ſhall do well: their ſleep ſhall be ſweet unto them; as ſweet as once the Prophets was, Jer. 31.26.

I ſhall not follow the Analogy that is between Death and Sleep, in the latitude of it, ſufficient to our purpoſe it will be, to take notice of two main properties of Death, which do carry in them a lively reſemblance of ſleep.

The firſt is, Iſ…. Ligath ſu….That ſleep is nothing elſe but the binding up of the ſenſes for a little time; a locking up of the Doores, and ſhutting of the Windows of the body for a ſeaſon, that ſo nature may take the ſweeter Reſt and Repoſe; being freed from all diſturbance and diſtractions: Sleep is but a meer Paerentheſis to the Labours and Travels of this preſent life.

Secondly, Sleep is but a partial privation, a privation of the Act only, not of the Habit of Reaſon. They that ſleep in the Night, do awake again in the Morning, then there is a regreſs or return of the habit to its Act again: The Soul returneth to the diſcharge of all her Offices again: In the internal faculties; to the act of Judging, and diſcourſe in the Intellect; to recalling things for the preſent, and recording things for future uſe in the memory; It returns to its Empire and command in the will, to its judicature in the Conſcience, Excuſing, Accuſing, Condemning, Et ſic in caeteris: So likewiſe the ſoul returns again to the execution of all her functions in the external ſenſes; to ſeeing in the eye, to hearing in the ear, to taſting in the pallate; as alſo to working in the hands, to walking in the feet, and ſo in the reſt. In a word, the whole man is Redivivus, reſtored again to its ſelf as it were by a new **Providentia eſt continuata Creatio.Creation; that which lay as ſenſeleſs, and uſeleſs, tantum non, dead all the night, is raiſed again more vive and freſh, and active in the morning, than it lay down at night.

Such a thing as this (for all the world) is that, which we commonly call Death, but with this conſiderable advantage, that in the interim of Death the ſoul acts more vigorouſly than before, as being releaſed from the weights and intanglements of the body.

p. 4Firſt, It is but a longer and cloſer binding up of the ſenſes; Nature's long vacation; The Grave is a bed, wherein the body is laid to Reſt, with its Curtains drawn cloſe about it, that it may not be diſturbed in its repoſe; ſo the Holy Ghoſt pleaſeth to phraſe it. Iſa. 57.2.Isa 57:2He ſhall enter into peace, they ſhall reſt in their beds, every one walking in their uprightneſs. Death is nothing elſe, but a Writ of eaſe to the poor weary Servants of Chriſt, a total Ceſſation from all their labour of nature, ſin, and affliction. Rev. 14.13.Rev 14:13Bleſſed are the dead that dye in the Lord, that they may reſt from their Labours, &c. While the Souls of the Saints do Reſt in Abrahams Boſome, their bodies do ſweetly ſleep in their Beds of duſt, as in a ſafe and Conſecrated Dormitory. Thus Death is but a ſleep.

Secondly, And then again, as they that ſleep in the night, do awake in the morning; ſo ſhall the Saints of God do: This heavineſs may endure for a night, (this night of mortality:) but joy cometh in the morning: In the morning of the Reſurrection they ſhall awake again; Pſal. 17.15.Ps 17:15it will not be an everlaſting night, an endleſs ſleep, but as ſure as we awake in the morning, when we have ſlept comfortably all night, ſo ſure ſhall the Saints then awake, and ſhall ſtand upon their feet, and we ſhall behold them again with exceeding joy.

Oh Bleſſed morning! How ſhould we long and wait for that morning, more than they that watch for the dawning of the day?

It is an errour in Philoſophy, to call Death a total privation of the habit, Divinity hath corrected that errour, while it hath taught us to call the diſſolution of Nature in the Saints, (at the moſt) but a ſleep; Mors iſta quam adeò perhorreſcimus adeò timemus non eſt exitus ſed tranſitus veni et eterum qui nos in lucem reponat dies. Sen.which in the Philoſophers own notion, is but a partial privation, and doth admit of a Regreſs or returning again to the habit, or former ſtate and capacity, more beautiful, active, and vigorous than ever; as hereafter ſhall appear.

A comfortable notion! which were it realized by Believing, would be able to ſilence our complaints, and to ſtill all our moan-makings over our departed Chriſtian friends and Relations; how ſweet and precious ſoever they have been to us.

p. 5For, do we indeed take on ſo, when any of the Family are gon to Bed before us, in the Evening? Do we, indeed, cry out, woe and alas, my Father is fallen aſleep, my Mother is laid to Reſt, my dear Yoak-fellow is gone to bed before me; my ſweet Child, the delight of mine eyes, the joy of my heart, his eyes are cloſed, the Curtains drawn cloſe about him, and I cannot awake him? Do we I ſay thus take on and afflict our ſelves in this caſe? no ſurely, he would be accounted little better than a Mad-man, or a Fool, that ſhould do ſo; Oh fie, then fie for ſhame, why do we ſo here? the caſe is the ſame; only if the night be a little longer (which yet no man can determine before hand) the morning will be infinitely more joyous, and make us more abundant compenſation for our patience and expectation: why are we ſo unlike our ſelves in one, and in the other? Surely, becauſe we either forget our notions, or believe them not; we call the abſence of our Friends by a wrong name. We ſay, my Father is dead, my Mother is dead, my Iſaack is dead, my dear Yoak-Fellow is not, and theſe be killing words: Dead! the Letter killeth. foreign.Death is the moſt terrible of all terrible things, the very name of it ſtrikes a chilneſs, and coldneſs into our hearts; enough to kill us before our time; (for even worldly ſorrow many times cauſeth death.) Call we then things, as God calls them; make we uſe of the notions, which God hath ſuggeſted to us: ſay we, my Parent is gone to bed, my Yoak-Fellow is at Reſt, my beloved Babe is fallen aſleep **So alſo in Scripture, is death tearmed a departure, 2 Tim. 4.6. an abſence from the body, a going from home, an uncloathing, 2 Cor. 5 4.8. Job. 15.11. An entring into peace, a going to reſt, Iſa. 57.2.2 Tim 4:62 Cor 5:42 Cor 5:8Job 15:11Isa 57:2, and behold, the terrour of death will ceaſe.

If God hath cloathed this horrid thing Death with ſofter notions for our comfort, let not the Conſolations of the Almighty be a ſmall thing with us. Oh how comfortable lives might we live, had we but the right notions of things, and Faith to realize them! Our Friends are not dead, but ſleep.

Comfort one another with this Word.

The ſecond Conſolatory Argument is,

The hopeful condition of theſe our ſleeping Relations, 2d. Word of Comfort.Bleſſed be God, we are not without hope of their happineſs, even while they thus ſleep.

p. 6There be indeed that dye, and neither carry away any hope with them, nor leave any hope behind them, to th… ſurviving Relations: but the Righteous hath hope in his …, Prov. 14.23. when our gratious Relations dye (we n… …ſe the word ſometimes, that we may be underſtood) there is hope; They are infinite gainers by their death. Sometimes, they dye full of hope in their own ſenſe; Job. 19.25 26, 27.Job 19:25I know ſaith J…b, that my Redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin, Worme, deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh I ſhall ſee God, &c. Oh Bleſſed hope…! And thus holy Paul, 2 Cor. 5.1.2 Cor 5:1We know that if the earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, Eternal in the Heavens; Glorious Triumph! And thus again, we may find him in his own name, and in the name of other of his Brethren, and Companions in Tribulation, and in the Kingdome, and patience of Jeſus Chriſt, marching out of the field of this world in a Victorious manner, with Colours flying, and Drums beating; and thus inſulting over Death as a Conqueror, 1 Cor. 15.56.57.1 Cor 15:561 Cor 15:57Oh Death where is thy Sting? Oh Grave where is thy Ʋictory? The Sting of Death is Sin, the ſtrength of ſin is the Law; but thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt! And thus 2 Pet. 1.11. An abundant entrance is adminiſtred unto them, into the everlaſting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; Oh the ſuperabundant Conſolation of the Heires of promiſe! And, if any of the Saints of God (at any time) their Sun have ſet under a Cloud, ſo, that they are not able to expreſs their own hopes; yet they leave behind them ſollid Scripture evidences of God's everlaſting Electing Love; and of their effectual vocation out of the world, into the Kingdome and Fellowſhip of his dear Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord; Evidences of ſaving vocation, Gal. 5.22, 23.Gal 5:22Gal 5:23ſuch as are, The Fruits of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-ſuffering, Gentleneſs, Goodneſs, Faith, Meekneſs, Temperance, Their Poverty of Spirit Holy Mourning For Their own and Other mens Sins.Math. 5.3.Matt 5:3

p. 7Their hungering and thirſting after Righteouſneſs.6. v. 8.

Their purity of heart, viſible in the holineſs of their lives.

Their peaceable and peace-making diſpoſitions.9.10, 11, 12. Ch. 5.8.

Their patient bearing of the Croſs.

Their keeping of the word of God in the precepts of it, and keeping cloſe to it in the Truth of it.

Their ſuperlative Love to Chriſt.Math. 10.37.Matt 10:37

Their Cordial Love to the Saints.1 Jo. 3.14.1 John 3:14

Their Contempt of the World.1 Jo. 2.15.1 John 2:15

Their Love of Chriſts appearance.2 Tim. 4.8.2 Tim 4:8

In a word, Their conformity to Chriſt their Head.Rom. 8.29.Rom 8:29

Theſe, and the like Divine Vertues, although not ſeldome more viſible to a judicious ſtander by, than to themſelves, and not to be weighed, but with ſome graines of allowance, in the ballance of the Sanctuary; theſe, I ſay, may adminiſter abundant matter of hope, and rejoycing to ſurviving Friends, that thoſe Relations, which are fallen aſleep, were a people whom God hath ſet apart for himſelf, pretious in his ſight, honourable and beloved of him; a people formed for himſelf, to ſhew forth his praiſe, Col ſ. 1.13.and made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.

Yea even in them, whoſe Sun goes down in the morning of their Youth.

A teachable Spirit,Math. 13.16. Iſa. 28.9. 71 Pſal. 5. Jo. 16.8. 1 John 2.13. John 17.3.Matt 13:16Isa 28:9Isa 28:71Ps 5John 16:81 John 2:13John 17:3

Pious Inclinations,

Senſe of a loſt Eſtate by Nature,

A Competent knowledge of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt in his Offices,

A real ſenſe of the need and uſe of Chriſt,1 Pet. 2.7. 2 Tim. 3.15. Pſ. 119.13.1 Pet 2:72 Tim 3:15Ps 119:13

An early acquaintance with the Scriptures,

A good underſtanding of the Word Preached, not without ſome ſavour of it.

Reſpects to Gods Sabbaths,

And in a word, 1 Kings 14.13.1 Kgs 14:13Any good thing toward the Lord God of Iſrael.

p. 8Theſe early Impreſſions (I ſay) where ever they are found, (though according to different ages and capacities more or leſs legible in them) are ſo many hopeful Indiciums that God hath been at work upon their hearts betimes, and that he doth not untimely take them away in judgment, but are poliſhed Jewels, which he hath, of ſpecial grace laid up, and ſecured from the violence, and prophanation of a reprobate world.

Nay, once more: Thoſe very Babes and Sucklings, whom God is pleaſed to remove from us very early; ſnatched from their Mothers Breaſts: yea poſſibly, who paſs ſwiftly from the Womb of their Natural Mother, unto the belly of the Earth, their Original Mother; even theſe I ſay, they being

A Covenant ſeed;

Appendices of their believing Parents,

Children of promiſe, Act. 2.39.

Conſecrated unto God by their Baptiſme, or, by the Tears and Prayers of their holy Parents (in the want of it) having a right to the mercies, 1 Cor. 7.14. Rom. 9.11. Mar. 10.4. Luk. 1.44. Gal. 1.15. Renatiante quam nati. Aug.1 Cor 7:14Rom 9:11Mark 10:4Luke 1:44Gal 1:15priviledges of the Covenant, as well as to Baptiſme.

Among whom is diſperſed

God the Father's Election.

God the Son's purchaſe.

God the Holy Ghoſt's Influence and Operation.

Even theſe are not to be looked upon as a loſt Generation, but may in the warrantable judgment of Scripture Charity, be hopefully reputed for an Holy Seed, Gods adopted Children; owned by Chriſt, and in him heires, co-heires of the Kingdome of Heaven; by ſpecial prerogative advanced to their Inheritance, (as it were) before their time.

Upon this Foundation ſtands our hope, concerning our Godly Relations, which are fallen aſleep, of what age, or ſtate ſoever; we are not to mourn for them even as others, which have no hope. Let them mourn exceſſively, who know not the Scriptures, nor the power of God in raiſing the Dead; who bury their Relations and their hopes together in one p. 9Grave: but you, that (upon theſe Scripture evidences) have good hope through grace, concerning your deceaſed Friends, that while you are mourning on Earth, they are rejoycing in Heaven; that whiles you are Cloathed with black, they are Cloathed in white, even in the long white Robes of Chriſts Righteouſneſs; while you are rooling your ſelves in the Dunghil, they are ſitting with Chriſt upon his Throne. Do not, (I beſeech you,) profane your Scriptural hope, with an unſcriptural mourning; give not the world occaſion to judge, either your ſelves to live without Faith, or your Relations to dye without hope: but let your Chriſtian moderation be known to all men, that it may be a viſible Teſtimony to all the world, of God's grace in them, and of your hopes of their glory with God. Therefore comfort one another with this word alſo.

A third word of comfort followeth, and that is,A third word of Comfort

Our gratious Relations are not alone in their Death; The Captain of their Salvation did march before them, through thoſe black Regions of Death and the Grave, Jeſus died; this is implied in the following words, If we believe that Jeſus died: This is a third conſolatory Argument, and it carryeth in it ſtrong conſolation. Our ſweet Relations in dying, run no other hazard, than Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob did, no other hazard, than all the Patriarchs. and Prophets, and Apoſtles did, in their generations, they all died, and were reſolved into their firſt duſt.

Yea, what ſhall I ſay? They run no other hazard, than the Lord of all the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apoſtles did, Jeſus died; this is wonderful indeed, the Lord of Life died! The eternal Son of God was laid in the Grave!

If our Children die, we know we begot them mortal: The Son of God had no principle of mortality in him **i.e. No ſin in him to deſerve it, nor diſeaſe to cauſe it.and yet he died.

Be our Children never ſo precious to us, they cannot be ſo pretious to us (God forbid they ſhould) as the Lord Jeſus was to His Father, who teſtifies concerning him from Heaven with a loud voyce, This is my well-beloved Son, Math. 3.17.Matt 3:17in whom p. 10my Soul is well pleaſed: And yet God gave up this well beloved of his Soul to the death, Jeſus died!

And we indeed juſtly: Death is but our wages, wages as truly earned, as ever was a penny by the poor hireling for his days labour; both we, and our Off-ſpring have forfeited our lives over, and over again by continual reiterated Treaſons againſt the ſupreme Majeſty of Heaven and Earth: yea the beſt blood which runs in our veins is Traytors blood by ſucceſſion from our firſt Rebellious Parents, for which God might juſtly have executed the ſentence (at firſt impoſed) even as ſoon as ever we draw our firſt breath, Thou ſhalt dye the death, Gen. 3.

But He! what evil had he done? He was holy, harmleſs, undefiled, Heb. 7.26. Iſa. 53.61.71. Heb. Ho hath made the iniquity of us all to meet in him.Heb 7:26Isa 53:61Isa 53:71ſeparate from ſinners — He did no ſin, neither was there guile found in his mouth; He fulfilled all Righteouſneſs; and yet Jeſus dyed! And why ſo! Surely he was wounded for our Tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our Iniquities, the Chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and by his ſtripes we are healed; we all like Sheep have gone aſtray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid upon him the Iniquity of us all! Jeſus Chriſt was the Center, in whom the ſins of all the Elect of God did meet, and unite together, to make Him, as it were the common ſinner. For God made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be made the Righteouſneſs of God in him; and under the inſupportable burthen of our ſin, he ſwet, and wept, and bled, and groaned, and gave up the Ghoſt.

Behold! Rom. 8.31.Rom 8:31So God the Father Loved us, that he ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up to the death for us all; and ſhall we think much to give up the deareſt Treaſures of our blood, in death, to Him?

So much did God the Son love us, that, He died for love of us; he died the firſt death, that we might not die the ſecond death; he died for us, that we might live with him; And ſhall we count our lives, or the lives of our deareſt Relations too dear for him? eſpecially, when no ſuch advantage can accrue to the Lord Jeſus by our death, as did accrue to us by his death? alſo, in as much as neither we nor ours, are in any capacity p. 11to reap the fruit, and advantage of his death, until we dye alſo! and the ſooner we dye, the ſooner ſhall we reap thoſe fruits.

Behold! God's Firſt-borne was laid in the Sepulchre; and ſhall we think God deals hardly with us, if we follow our firſt-born to the Grave, and leave them there, till our Lord himſelf come to awaken them?

Eſpecially, ſince therefore Jeſus died, and was buried, that he might ſanctifie death to us by his death, and by his being buried, might perfume the Grave, and make it a ſweet Dormitory, or bed of ſpices for his members to reſt in, until the Morning of the Reſurrection.

Oh Chriſtians, Let us comfort our ſelves, and one another with theſe words alſo, Jeſus dyed.

The fourth word is yet more Cordial, A fourth word of Comfort.and that is, although Jeſus dyed, yet He roſe again. He died indeed, but he roſe again from the dead. God ſuffered his dear Son to be laid in the Sepulchre, but he did not leave him there, nor ſuffer any taint of Corruption to ſeize upon his precious Body. And to that end, Chriſt made haſt to riſe again out of the Grave, he roſe the third day, and that very early in the Morning (ſaith the Text) as ſoon, as ever it could be called day: The Alarm no ſooner went off (as it were) but the Lord Jeſus did lift up his Royal head, and put on his Glorious Apparel, and came forth out of his Grave, as a Bridegroom out of his Chamber, in State and Triumph.

And this was the Cordial, which our Lord himſelf took before his paſſion. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, Pſal. 16.10.Ps 16:10neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy one to ſee Corruption: Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoyceth, &c. This was his Triumphant Song: And it may be ours, as well as his; yea therefore ours, becauſe his (whether in reference to our ſelves, or to our gratious Relations.) For therefore was not Chriſt left in Hell (i. e. in the ſtate of the dead) that he might lift up us alſo out of the pit, and therefore his body ſaw (i. e. ſuſtained) no corruption or putrefaction (no not for the leaſt particle of time) that our mortal bodies might not inherit Rottenneſs and Oblivion in the duſt, for ever. And p. 12indeed, in this phraſe in the Text, Jeſus aroſe again, there be three things implied, which intereſt every believer in this Triumph of Chriſts Reſurrection, &c.Jeſus roſe again, implieth three things.

Firſt, Power.

Secondly, Right.

Thirdly, Office.

Firſt, 1ſt. Power. …Jeſus Roſe again, it implieth Chriſts power, Viz. That Jeſus Chriſt roſe by his own power. It is not ſaid, Jeſus was raiſed, which might have ſpoken Him paſſive onelyonly in his Reſurrection, but Jeſus roſe, which ſpeaketh Him active; namely, that he roſe as a Conquerour by his own ſtrength; as Himſelf profeſſeth, I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again. Joh: 10.18.What power that was Rom. 1.4. will tell us, declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the ſpirit of holineſs, by the Reſurrection from the dead. It is true, it is elſewhere ſaid that Chriſt was raiſed from the dead by the Glory of the Father, Rom. 6.4. And likewiſe that he was quickned by the Spirit, Pet. 3.18. To ſhew that neither the Father nor the Holy Ghoſt were excluded from a joynt ſhare and concurrence in his Reſurrection, but here as elſewhere it is ſaid alſo, that Chriſt roſe, to ſhew that he was not merely paſſive in his Reſurrection, as the Children of the Reſurrection are, but that he roſe alſo by the mighty power that was ſeated in his own Royal perſon.

The divine Nature in Chriſt, to which the humane nature was perſonally united, Alteram Chriſti naturam intelligamus, nempe foreign. Verbi incarnati potentiâ.was that Spirit of Holineſs, by which the Lord Jeſus did riſe Triumphantly from the dead. In the ſame language, ſpeaks another Apoſtle; he was put to death in the fleſh, but quickned by the Spirit, i.e. by the Divine eſſence which was in Chriſt. Death and the Grave had ſwallowed a morſel, which they could not keep: but as the Whale, when it had ſwallowed Jonas (in this, the Type of Chriſt) was forced to vomit him up again, foreign.it being impoſſible Chriſt ſhould be holden by death: The power of the word incarnate, looſed or diſſolved the bonds of Death, as a thread of Tow is p. 13broken, when it is touched with the fire. Yea (Sampſon-like, herein alſo another type of his) Jeſus Chriſt did break in ſunder the bars of the Grave, and carried away the Gates of death upon his ſhoulders, making a ſhew of them openly.

Thus Jeſus roſe again, as a Conquerour by his own power, and this is our Triumph, and Rejoycing: For ſurely, He, that thus raiſed up himſelf, can raiſe up us alſo, and will indeed raiſe us up by the ſame power, Phil 3 21.Phil 3:21whereby he is able to ſubdue even all things unto himſelf.

Secondly, Jeſus roſe again; it implieth his Office; Second. Office.he roſe as a Jeſus, a Saviour, the Mediator of our peace; who having finiſhed the work he came about, namely to ſatisfie divine Juſtice, and to bring in everlaſting Rightcouſneſs, ſo making peace by the blood of his Croſs; God the Father ſent a publique Officer from Heaven, to open the Priſon doores; Math. 28.2.Matt 28:2an Angel to rool away the ſtone from the mouth of the Sepulchre; thereby proclaiming to all the world, that the debt was paid, and, that God had received full ſatisfaction for the ſins of the Elect, ſaying as it were, Deliver him, for I have received a Ranſom.

This is another ground of our Triumph, that Jeſus roſe, that is, he roſe, as our Jeſus, our Saviour, and ſo by dying, hath delivered us from death, and from him, Heb. 2.14. 1 Theſ. 1.10.Heb 2:141 Thess 1:10that had the power of death, which is the Devil. — Jeſus who delivered us from the wrath to come.

Thirdly, Jeſus roſe again, it implieth his right to us, 3ly. His right and intereſt.and intereſt in us. He roſe as our Jeſus, i. e. as a publick Head, in whom all believers are conſidered. Jeſus Chriſt as he died not in a private capacity (for he had no ſin of his own, Goel in the Hebr. ſignifies both a Redeemer and the next of Kin, becauſe the right of Redemption belonged to the next of Kin.for which death might have any dominion over him) ſo neither did he riſe again in a private capacity, but in a publick capacity, as he was our Goel, our next of kin, unto whom the right of Redemption did belong: He roſe as our ſponſor and ſurety, yea as our Husband and Bridegroom having eſpouſed us to himſelf on the Croſs; He roſe as the Captain of our Salvation, the publick Head, and Repreſentative of all the Elect of God.

p. 14And this conſideration layeth another foundation for our Triumph in Chriſt his Reſurrection.Chriſts Reſurrection our Triumph, On a two ſold accompt. 1. Account, all the Saints are riſen in Chriſt already judicially, legally.

And that upon a twofold account.

1. In as much as Chriſt being a publique perſon, all the Saints of God are riſen already in Chriſts Reſurrection, that is to ſay, judicially, legally, as in their Sponſor, and in their ſtead. In the ſenſe of the Law, what the ſponſor or ſurety doth, the principle debtor is ſaid to do alſo: when the ſurety is laid in priſon, the principle is laid in priſon alſo; when the ſurety payeth the debt, the principle is accounted as if he had paid the debt himſelf; when the ſurety is diſcharged, the debtor is diſcharged alſo, becauſe in the ſence of the Law, the principle and ſurety are but one perſon.

Thus the Lord Jeſus as our Sponſor and Repreſentative, having paid the debt, we are reputed, as if we had paid it our ſelves; he being diſcharged, we are diſcharged; he riſing from the dead, we alſo riſe in him, and with him: So ſpeak the Scriptures.

Dead with Chriſt,R…m. 66. Epheſ. 2.5.Eph 2:5

Quickned together with Chriſt, raiſed up together, and made to ſit together in Heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus.

Whatſoever he doth, as our Mediator, we are ſaid to do the ſame in a juridical ſence.

Hence our Bleſſed Saviour calls Himſelf, Iohn. 11.25.John 11:25the Reſurrection: I am the Reſurrection and the Life, &c. He doth not ſay, egoreſuſcito &c. (It is Tertullian his obſervation) but ego ſum Reſurrectio; not I raiſe the Dead, but I am the Reſurrection; to ſhew, that, as in Adam all dye, ſo in Chriſt (the ſecond Adam) all (his ſpiritual ſeed) ſhall be made alive; that, as the firſt Adam was puteus mortis, a pit of ſin and death, to all his natural poſterity; ſo the ſecond Adam is fons vitae, a Well-ſpring of Righteouſneſs & Life to all his believing ſeed. So again, He ſaith, not, I give Life, but I am the Life, to ſhew that it is but one and the ſame Life, which Chriſt and Believers Live, Col. 3.3.Col 3:3that his Life (he being their Repreſentative) is their Life. When Chriſt who is our Life, &c.

This is a word of Comfort indeed; The Saints of God are p. 15riſen already in Chriſt their Head; thoſe precious pieces of beauty and delight, the loſs of whom we lament with briniſh tears and ſighs dipt in blood; they are riſen, they are not here, they are quickned together with Chriſt, raiſed up together, and made to ſit together with Chriſt in Heavenly places: I ſay, (in a forenſical or Court-ſence) reputed ſo in Chriſt their Head and Surety. This is much: but this is not all, there is yet a ſecond accompt, and that is,

Secondly, Second Accompt. The Saints ſhall uſe with Chriſt really. The Saints ſhall ariſe again in their own perſons.Jeſus his riſing again gives us infallible aſſurance of their, and our future Reſurrection: As they are riſen with Chriſt legally, ſo they ſhall riſe with Chriſt really and perſonally.

God, in the Reſurrection of Chriſt, hath given to the world an inſtance and a pledge of the Saints Reſurrection in the laſt day.

There is an inſeparable connexion between the Reſurrection of Chriſt and the Reſurrection of the Saints, and it is fourfold: ſcil.

A Connexion of

1. Merit.A ſour-fold Connexion between Chriſt's Reſurrection and the Saints Reſurrection, &c 1. Connex. of Merit.

2. Influence.

3. Deſign.

4. Union.

The firſt Connexion that is between Chriſt's Reſurrection and the Saints Reſurrection, is a Connexion of Merit.

The Lord Jeſus by his Death purchaſed both the Perſons and the Priviledges of the Elect of God. Rom. 14.9.Rom 14:9To this end Chriſt both died and roſe again, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and the living: In the former verſe the Apoſtle aſſerts the abſolute dominion which the Lord Jeſus hath. over us; whether we live or dye, we are the Lords: Here, he tells us what right or title that is, whereby he holds that dominion, ſcil. by the right of purchaſe; For this end Chriſt both died, and roſe, and revived [Roſe and Revived] that is, riſing again he did revive; by his death he merited of the Father, that both in death and in life, both dying and riſing again, he might diſpoſe of the Saints to his own advantage. Why, now p. 16the Lord Jeſus having bought his Elect at ſo dear a rate, if the Saints ſhould not riſe again, he ſhould loſe his purchaſe; there were no more Merit in the death of Chriſt, than in the death of any of the Sons of Adam; and even in this reſpect Chriſt had died in vain, and riſen in vain.

A ſecond Connexion between Chriſts Reſurrection, 2 Connexion of Influence.and the Reſurrection of Believers, is a Connexion of Power, and Influence. There is power in the Reſurrection of Chriſt, for the quickning of the dead; Pſal. 110.2.Ps 110:2This is that which the Pſalmiſt calleth the dew of Chriſts Youth; from the womb of the morning, thou haſt the dew of thy Youth. In the Hebrew it is more than the dew of the morning, thou ſhalt have the dew of thy Youth: The Reſurrection of Chriſt is called his Youth, wherein he did as it were ſpring and grow forth again: and the quickening influence of his Reſurrection is compared to the morning dew, to ſhew, that what vertue there is in the dew of the morning, to cauſe the languiſhing plants of the Earth to revive and flouriſh, that (and much more) power and efficacy there is in the Reſurrection of Jeſus, to quicken and revive all his Saints, after they have lyen all the night of their ſeparated ſtate, in the Grave: So the Prophet Iſaiah interprets it in words at length, Iſa. 26.19.Isa 26:19thy dew is as the dew of herbs; to what end? it follows; and the Earth ſhall caſt forth her dead: The dead ſhall ariſe by vertue of this dew; the warm animating influence of Chriſts Reſurrection. Hence it is, (as I have hinted before) that our Lord calls himſelf the Reſurrection and the Life, namely to intimate to us, that by the ſame ſpirit of holineſs, whereby he raiſed himſelf from the dead, he will alſo quicken their mortal bodies. This is a ſecond Connexion, which inſeparably links in the Reſurrection of the Saints with the Reſurrection of Chriſt: For ſurely, were it not ſo, the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt would ſignifie no more, than the Reſurrection of Lazarus, or any other of the Saints mentioned, Math. 27.52, 53. Yea, the Reſurrection of Chriſt would not be of ſo great vertue, and influence, as the dry bones of the Prophet, the very touch whereof raiſed the dead man, 2 King. 12.21.2 Kgs 12:21which was caſt into his Grave.

p. 17Thirdly, There is between the Reſurrection of Chriſt, Third Connexion of Deſign.and the Reſurrection of the Saints (at the laſt day) a Connexion of Deſign. The Lord Jeſus had a deſign upon the Saints in his riſing again from the Dead: and what that was; he tells us in the laſt paſſionate prayer before his paſſion, John 17.24. Father, I will that all thoſe, whom thou haſt given me, be with me, that where I am, they might be alſo: Therefore Chriſt aroſe and aſcended, that he might come again and awake them out of their Graves, and take them home to himſelf into Manſions of Glory: So he comforted his Diſciples before his departure, Joh. 14.3. If I go, and prepare a place for you, I will come, and receive you unto my ſelf, that where I am, there you may be alſo.

Chriſt counts not himſelf full, Eph. 1.23. The Head is not compleat without the Members. Although: I thus ſence the words, yet I would not be thought to exclude every other meaning, as knowing that foreign ſignifies as well quod impletur as quod implet.Eph 1:23till he hath all his Members with him; therefore is the Church called, the fullneſs of him that filleth all things: marke it, Chriſt is the fulneſs of all things, and yet the Church is called, the fulneſs of Chriſt: how ſo? Chriſt is the fulneſs of the Church, as the Head is the fulneſs of the Members (ſupplying them with Life and Influence) and the Church is the fulneſs of Chriſt, as the Members are the fulneſs of the Head, making of it a compleat and perfect man; Chriſt is the fulneſs of the Church for internal animation, and the Church is the fulneſs of Chriſt for external conſummation. The Church is Chriſts outward not inward fulneſs, ſee Jeans on Coloſ. 1.19. page 19.

This is then a third inſeparable Connexion, between Jeſus riſing again from the Dead, and the Saints riſing again; becauſe without this, Chriſt ſhould looſe the very plot and project of his own Reſurrection, and be defective even in his ſtate of Glory, as an Head without his Members. This muſt not be, it cannot be.

And this caſts us upon the fourth Connexion, Fourth Connexion of Ʋ nion.(before we are aware of it) ſc. A Connexion of Ʋnion. The Connexion, which is between Chriſt his Reſurrection, and the Saints Reſurrection; is that very Connexion, which is between him and them, namely the Union which is between the Head, and p. 18Members; The wicked riſe not by vertue of Chriſts Reſurrection, there being no ſuch. Ʋnion between Chriſt & them, they are raiſed by a general power of Chriſt as a Judge.Chriſt is the Head, Eph. 1.22. and the Saints are the Members of his body, v. 23. his Myſtical body.

It would not be proper here to diſcourſe largely concerning the nature of this Ʋnion, eſpecially, in as much, as I ſhall have occaſion to meet with it again in the proceſs of this diſcourſe, ſufficient to my deſign it is to ſhew you how this ſpiritual Ʋnion that is between Chriſt and Believers, is one of the **In Nature we ſee that the Winter Trees which ſeem to be dead, revive again in the Spring; becauſe the Body, Armes, and Graines of the Tree are joyned to the Root, where the Sap lies all the Winter, and by means of its Conjunction, it conveys vegetation to all parts of the Tree: Even ſo our life is hid with Chriſt in God; And in the day of the Reſurrection, by reaſon of this myſtical Conjunction, Divine and quickening Vertue ſhall ſtream from Chriſt to his Elect, and cauſe them to riſe again, &c.Foundations whence the Reſurrection of the Saints is neceſſarily inferr'd upon the Reſurrection of Chriſt himſelf. For if the Head be riſen, the Members cannot be long behind; witneſs the Word of Chriſt to his Diſciples, (and in them to all Believers, a word more precious than the whole Creation) Becauſe I live, ye ſhall live alſo. The Reſurrection of the Saints is bound up in the Reſurrection of Chriſt, as the effect is bound up in the cauſe, becauſe I live, you ſhall live; becauſe Jeſus roſe again, Saints ſhall riſe again. Chriſt is our life; and therefore, when Chriſt ſhall appear, we ſhall appear with him in Glory.

Can the cauſe be without the effect? can the Head live, and the Members remain dead? Yea, can the Saints life live, and they themſelves continue in a ſtate of death? This is an happy contradiction, a bleſſed impoſſibility! Oh write this comfortable word upon your hearts Chriſtians, Chriſt is our life: Chriſt is your Life, and the Life of your Chriſtian Relations; and as ſure as Chriſt as riſen, they ſhall riſe, and becauſe he lives, thoſe Members of his, for whom you weep and bleed, (as dead) ſhall live alſo with him. Surely if the Devil, and all the powers of darkneſs were not able to keep Chriſt in the Grave, neither ſhall they be able to hold one of his Members p. 19there for ever! Hence you ſhall find the holy Apoſtle diſputing from the Reſurrection of Chriſt, to the Reſurrection of Chriſtians; If Chriſt roſe from the Dead, 1 Cor. 15.12.1 Cor 15:12how ſay ſome that there is no Reſurrection of the Dead? and back again from the Reſurrection of Chriſtians, ver. 13.to the Reſurrection of Chriſt; if there be no Reſurrection of the Dead, then Chriſt is not riſen. Indeed the form of words is Negative, but the ſenſe is Affirmative; and for the greater aſſurance, it is repeated over and over in the following verſes; backward and forward as Convertibles; grant one, and ye grant the other; deny one, and ye deny the other. And the reſult is this, But now is Chriſt riſen from the Dead, ver. 20.and become the firſt Fruits of them that ſleep; Chriſt is riſen, Chriſt roſe as the firſt fruits, in which the whole Harveſt is conſidered.and riſen as our firſt Fruits, as a pledge and part of the whole Harveſt; for if the firſt Fruits be holy, the Lump is alſo holy; if the firſt Fruits be laid up ſafe in Gods Barns, the whole Harveſt ſhall (in due time) be ſafely brought in thither alſo, onelyonly it muſt ſtay its time appointed by the great Husband-man, whoſe method is this, firſt, Chriſt the firſt Fruits, and afterward, they that are Chriſts at his coming.

Be of good cheer Chriſtians, weep not; it is the Fathers good pleaſure, that not a Sheaf, not an Ear, not one grain be l…ſt; ſo witneſſeth the Truth, and the Life; the Truth to teſtifie it, and the Life to make it good; John 6.39.John 6:39this is the Fathers will which hath ſent me, that of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up again at the laſt day. foreign.nothing of all that, &c. i.e. not the leaſt Perſon, nor the leaſt Member of the leaſt perſon, how mean, and contemptible ſoever.

Will this content thee, Chriſtian? Thy ſweet Relation is not loſt, but ſowen, and that which is ſowen, is not quickned, unleſs it dye. At the Harveſt time, thou ſhalt have thy ſeed again; revera faenore interitu, injuria uſura, lucro damno: Tertul. de Reſur.when that, which thou calleſt periſhing, ſhall be thy improvement; thy treaſure is not caſt away, but put to uſe; and thy loſs ſhall be thy gain.

Chriſtians, This believed, is a word of Comfort indeed, ſo p. 20the Text tells us; If we believe that Jeſus died, and roſe again: thy dead men ſhall live, Together with his dead body ſhall they ariſe.

Obj. But what, not elſe?

Anſw. Oh not ſo! not our Reſurrection, or the Reſurrection of our gracious Friends, depend upon our Faith, but our aſſurance and comfort of their Reſurrection depends upon our Faith.

The Reſurrection of the Saints ſtands upon a ſurer foundation than our Faith, it ſtands upon a four-fold foundation, as you have heard.

Sc. The

Merit.

Influence.

Deſign.

Ʋnion, which is between Chriſt & his Saints;

A Foundation which ſtands ſurer than Heaven and Earth: Heaven and Earth may paſs away, but not one of theſe Foundations ſhall ever paſs away, or faile; The Foundation of the Lord, ſtands ſure, 2 Tim. 2.19. So then not their Reſurrection, but our comfort in their Reſurrection, is that, which depends upon our Faith. Sence ſtands blubbering and crying, my Parent is dead, my Yoke-fellow is loſt, my dear Child is periſhed: No ſaith Faith, no ſuch matter, they are alive, they are ſafe, they are happy. And all this, Faith inferreth upon Chriſt His Reſurrection: So that whoſoever hath Faith enough to put Chriſt's Reſurrection into the premiſes, may by the ſame act of Faith, put the Saints Reſurrection into the concluſion. He that by an eye of Faith, can look upon Chriſt's Reſurrection, as paſt, may by the ſame eye of Faith, ſee the Reſurrection of the Saints as to come: he that by Faith can ſay, Chriſt is riſen; may with the ſame breath of Faith, ſay alſo, The Saints ſhall riſe: becauſe I live, you ſhall live alſo: as a pledge and inſtance whereof, when Chriſt aroſe, many of the Saints which ſlept, were enlarged out of the Priſon of the Grave (the heart ſtrings whereof were now broken) to attend the Solemnity of their Lord's Reſurrection, Math. 27.52, 53.Matt 27:52Matt 27:53and were as an other kind of firſt fruits of the laſt Reſurrection of all Believers.

p. 21By all theſe evidences, and demonſtrations, Jeſus Chriſt now in Heaven, ſpeaks to his mourners, as once he did (in the days of his fleſh) to Martha, thy Brother ſhall riſe again; ſo he ſpeaks to us, man, woman, thy Yoak-fellow ſhall riſe again, thine Iſaac whom thou loved'ſt, ſhall riſe again. And oh, that we had but Faith enough to anſwer with Martha! I know he ſhall riſe again in the Reſurrection at the laſt day: This would be a ſoveraign Cordial to keep our hearts from fainting under our ſorrows. If indeed we have not Faith to realize this comfortable truth, our dear Relations, if they could ſpeak, would cry to us out of their Graves in ſome ſuch language, as that, in which our Saviour rebuked the women which followed him to his Croſs, Daughters of Jeruſalem weep not for me, &c. So ours; Son, Daughter, Husband, Wife, Father, Mother, (and whatever other dear Relations) weep not for us, but weep for your ſelves, and for the unbelief of your own hearts.

I, Chriſtians, there is the ſpring-head of all our miſery, Hinc illae Lacrymae!our unbelief; It is unbelief which robs us firſt of our ſweet Relations, and afterwards of our comfort in their gains: and, if we look not to it the better, it will keep us and them aſunder to all Eternity: we cannot enter in, (to their reſt) if we continue in our unbelief: Mark 9.24.Mark 9:24cry we then with the Father of the Child, I believe, Lord, help my unbelief. If we believe, that Jeſus roſe again, even ſo them alſo, which ſleep in Jeſus, will God bring with him, which brings me to the fifth word of Comfort.

Them that ſleep in Jeſus.

The firſt word of Comfort in this model was, Fifth word of Comfort, the Saints ſleep in Jeſus.that our Chriſtian Relations departed this life, are not dead, but fallen aſleep.—Here followeth a word of Comfort, of a richer import, which tells us, that as they do but ſleep, ſo they ſleep in Jeſus.

This expreſſion noteth to us, that bleſſed and admirable Ʋnion, which is between Jeſus Chriſt, and his Saints, 1 Cor. 15.18. They who are fallen a ſleep in Chriſt.1 Cor 15:18an Union frequently ſet out to us in Scripture under a twofold notion.

p. 22Scil.

1. Chriſt in the Believer.

2. The Believer in Chriſt.

Firſt, Chriſt in the Believer, Rom. 8.10. If Chriſt be in you, the body is dead, &c. Coloſ. 1.27. Chriſt in you the hope of Glory; and here in the Text, they are ſaid to be in Jeſus.

Secondly, The Believer in Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.30. of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus; who of God is made, &c. 2 Cor. 5.14. If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature, Coloſ. 1.2. the Saints in Chriſt. See both together,

John 14.20. You in me, and I in you.

15.4. Abide in me, and I in you.

5. He that abideth in me, and I in him.

Theſe expreſſions are the ſame for ſubſtance, both ſetting forth to us the Ʋnion it ſelf, a mutual intimate in-dwelling, or in-being between Chriſt and his Saints; He in them, and they in him, ſo making one.

They differ ſomewhat in the notion and import of the phraſe, hinting to us a different mode and fruit of this mutual In-being, viz.

Chriſt is in the Believer, by his Spirit, 1 Jo. 4.13. and 1 Cor. 12, 13.

The Believer in Chriſt, by Faith, John 1.12.

Chriſt in the Believer, by Inhabitation, Rom. 3.17.

The Believer in Chriſt, by Implantation, Jo. 15.2. Rom. 6 35.

Chriſt in the Believer, as the Head in the Body, Col. 1.18. as the root in the branches, Jo. 15 5. Believers are in Chriſt, as the Members are in the Head, Epheſ. 1.23. as the Branches in the Root, John 15.1.7.

Chriſt in the Believer, implieth Life and Influence from Chriſt, Col. 3.4. 1 Pet. 2.5.

p. 23The Believer in Chriſt, implieth Communion and fellowſhip with Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.30.

When Chriſt is ſaid to be in the Believer, we are to underſtand it in reference to ſanctification.

When the Believer is ſaid to be in Chriſt, it is in order to juſtification. It is Chriſt without us, 1 Cor. 1.30. Righteouſneſs.1 Cor 1:30that juſtifieth; it is Chriſt within us, that ſanctifieth. Grace (in the Apoſtles phraſe) is Chriſt formed in the heart.Gal 4.19.Gal 4:19

Theſe and the like expreſſions, hold forth that tranſcendent, and myſterious Ʋnion which is between Chriſt and the Believing Soul, whereby they are not only joyned together; but in a ſober Goſpel-ſenſe united, oned as it were; Chriſt becomes one with them, and they one with Chriſt.

This Union with Chriſt, for the clearer and ſafer underſtanding of ſo great and precious a myſtery, Six or ſeven properties of this Union.I ſhall endeavour more fully to open in theſe ſix or ſeaven diſtinguiſhing properties,

It is a 1 Spiritual, Union.

It is a 2 Real, Union.

It is a 3 Operative, Union.

It is a 4 Enriching, Union.

It is a 5 Intimous, Union.

It is a 6 Total, Union.

It is a 7 Indiſſoluble, Union.

The firſt property. It is a Spiritual Ʋnion. Firſt property, It is Spiritual.When we ſpeak of this Union, we muſt abſtract from all that is groſs and fleſhy; there is nothing in it obvious to ſenſe, perceptible by the eye, or by the ear, or by the touch, or taſt; it is not effected by any corporeal contact: Chriſt, and the Believer are not tied together by any material bonds, and fleſhy ſinews, but their Union is a pure, immaterial, ſublime Ʋnion; altogether Spiritual; and that upon a double accompt.

Firſt, partly in as much as by this Union, Chriſt, 1 Cor. 6.17.1 Cor 6:17and the Believer are made one Spirit; He that is joyned to the Lord, p. 24is one Spirit: not onelyonly, one Spiritually, but one Spirit: not as excluſive to the body it ſelf, Epheſ. 2.29.Eph 2:29for we are Members of his Body, of his Fleſh, and of his Bones; but expreſſing to us the top and perfection of this Union. He, that is joyned to an Harlot; is one fleſh, in an impure, and carnal ſenſe. Man and Wife, 1 Cor. 6 16.1 Cor 6:16though their conjunction be more honourable, yet are but one fleſh alſo, in a conjugal ſenſe: For two, ſaith he, ſhall be one fleſh; I, but he that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit; an Union infinitely more honourable, than that in Marriage; the Believer is joyned to Chriſt, into one, and the ſame Spirit; he is animated, and acted by one and the ſame Spirit with Chriſt, though in a different degree and meaſure, for God gave not the Spirit by meaſure unto him. Jo. 3.34. foreign.John 3:34Chriſt as Mediator (for in that capacity Believers are United unto him, and not merely as ſecond perſon) received the Spirit without meaſure **Chriſt was anointed with the oyl of gladneſs above his fellows, Pſal. 15.…. … he had a larger effuſion of the Spirit poured out upon him, than all other Kings and Prieſts and Prophets.Ps 15.

Believers have but their ſtinted meaſure and proportion, and yet notwithſtanding the Spirit of God dwelling as truly in them, as it did in Chriſt himſelf; (though not eſſentially) they thereby become one Spirit with Chriſt.

And then again, It is a ſpiritual Union.

2. Partly, becauſe the bones and ligaments of this Union, are not Carnal, but Spiritual; Scil. the Spirit whereby Chriſt Unites himſelf to the Believer on Chriſts part; The preſence of the Spirit maketh this Union, by vertue of which God communicates with us, as with his Sons, and we communicate with God, as with our Heavenly Father: The exerciſes of Communion on both ſides, are managed by the Spirit of Chriſt, Gal. 4.6.—And the bond of Faith on the Believers part, whereby the Believer is Ʋnited to Chriſt, as the Cion is engraffed into the Stock, and thereby grows up to be one with the Stock: So is the Believer implanted into Chriſt by Faith, Epheſ. 3.17. grows up in him, receiveth life and nouriſhment from him, and is preſerved in him to life eternal; kept by the power of God, through Faith, unto Salvation, 1 Pet. 1. Behold! …here is the ſubordination of theſe two bonds; Faith keeps the Believer, and the power of God keeps his Faith; p. 25‖‖Per organum …lei & Sp…ritus Chriſti virtu….now the Spirit of God, is that power. Upon this twofold account then, is this Union a ſpiritual Ʋnion, viz. 1. Becauſe an Union of Spirit. 2. Becauſe effected by ſpiritual bonds.

A ſecond property of this Union. It is a real Ʋnion, A ſecond Property. Real in a tenfold oppoſition. Entia Rationis.and that in a tenfold diſtinction.

Firſt, In oppoſition to an imaginary Union, it is no metaphyſical notion, or like thoſe things which Logicians call Intellectual beings; or your Mathematical Lines, which have their exiſtence only in the underſtanding and fancy.

Secondly; Nor is it a Relative Ʋnion only; as Father and Child, Maſter and Servant are united: ſuch an Union there is between Chriſt and Believers; but that is not all.

Thirdly; Neither is it a legal Ʋnion only. Chriſt and the Believer are not one only, as the Debtor and the Surety are one in Law, in a forinſecal ſence, i.e. in the interpretation and judgment of the Court. In this ſence they are one indeed, viz. in the judgment of God, as a Judge, (as I have formerly ſhewed) but not only ſo.

Fourthly; Nor is it an Union only of aſſent in point of doctrine and judgment, though ſo much it is, for ſaith the Apoſtle in the name of all Believers. We have the mind of Chriſt. 2 Cor. 2.16. foreign.2 Cor 2:16The Believer, (ſo far as he is a Believer) is of the ſame mind, judgment, and opinion with Jeſus Chriſt in all things. And this truly gives them a kind of oneneſs; whence a firm and ſtedfaſt continuance in the Faith, i.e. in the doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt, Fides quae creditur.is called an in being in Chriſt, John 15.4.6. and an abiding in Chriſt, 1 John 2.24.28. Scil. a profeſſional or doctrinal Union with Chriſt. This the Saints of God have, but neither is this all.

Fifthly; Nor yet is it merely an Union of conſent; The Believer is not one with Chriſt, only by conſent of wills. The Arrians whilſt they blaſphemouſly deny the Deity of the Son, betray a double ignorance (and if but ignorance, there ſin is the leſs) the one in the doctrine, or aſſertion it ſelf; the other in the ground, which they alledge for it, which is Chriſts own words, praying to his Father for Believers, John 17.22. p. 26that they may be one, even as we are one; whence they (ſuppoſing Believers to be one with the Father and the Son, only by conſent of wills) do infer, neither are the Father and the Son one in any other ſence. But ſay we, they err in the very foundation: we acknowledg indeed Believers to be ſo far one with Chriſt, Idem velle, Idem nolle vera eſt amicitia.and that is a very ſweet and precious union: to will and nill the ſame things, is an high degree of love and oneneſs; but to ſay no more of the Union betwixt Chriſt and his Saints, is to ſay too little.

Sixthly; Neither is this Union barely a Sacramental Ʋnion; whereby Chriſtians (in either of the Sacraments, or any other Evangelical inſtitution) are in an Elemental profeſſional way joyned to Chriſt, and Chriſt to them. Thus all, good and bad, Elect and Reprobate, Simon Magus as well as any of the Believing Samaritans, Acts 8.12, 13. Judas as well as Peter: all I ſay, are made one with Chriſt in an external profeſſional uſe of thoſe Goſpel-inſtitutions; while in the mean time a real Believer, in a true, living, ſpiritual, ſaving way, is made partaker of Chriſt, and of all his benefits in all Goſpel-Ordinances.

Seaventhly; In contradiſtinction to the Union which we have with Chriſt, by vertue of his aſſuming our humane nature. Chriſt was incarnate in the Womb of the Virgin, and thereby was perſonally united to our fleſh; which is the higheſt advancement of the humane nature, that can be conceived, Heb. 2.16. For verily he took not upon him the nature of Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham; Chriſt aſſumed mans nature, being God from all Eternity; he took on him the one, to the other; and ſo made of thoſe two natures, one perſon: by this we have a kind of Union with Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 11. He which Sanctifieth, and they which are Sanctified, are both of one, i.e. of one God, ſay ſome; the Son of God, and Saints are all of one God the Father: others underſtand it of Adam; Chriſt as concerning the fleſh, and all the ſanctified, are of one common root and Father, though, by a different generation. But [of one] here is to be referred principally to the nature, whereof p. 27both the ſanctifier and ſanctified are partakers, i.e. Acts 17.26. foreign.Acts 17:26they are of the ſame blood and kindred, of the ſame mould & conſtitution, of the ſame humane nature. This is a near and an honourable Conjunction; for by this means Jeſus Chriſt is become our Immanuel, God with us, bone of our bone, and fleſh of our fleſh: but yet this Conjunction is common to all, ſanctified and unſanctified, prophane and holy; and verily it will be found an high aggravation of ſin in the great day, that ſinners ſhould dare to profane and proſtitute that nature to ſinful purpoſes, Heb. 2.11.Heb 2:11which the Son of God hath ſanctified by ſo wonderful an aſſumption of it into one and the ſame perſonality with the divine nature. Thus the ſanctified are one with him that ſanctifieth, but that's not all.

Eighthly; It is real in contradiſtinction to that contemplative Ʋnion which the Saints have with Chriſt in their holy Meditations. Meditation doth bring the object and the faculty together, and makes them one: And thus the Saints are (often) united to Jeſus Chriſt in holy contemplation, whereby they let in Chriſt into their Souls, and their Souls into Chriſt, and become as it were One Spirit, or one in Spirit, with him: but neither is this all, for even common gifts and parts may produce this Conjunction, as well, as Grace; Art may thus Unite Chriſt, and the underſtanding, as well, as Faith. One may be thus United to Chriſt for a time, and yet be ſeparated from Chriſt for ever.

Again, Ninethly; It is a real Union in contradiſtinction to Reconciliatory Ʋnion. Falling out ſeparates between perſon and perſon; Reconciliation makes them one again; Reconciliation is the Attonement of Enemies: and thus indeed, God and Sinners are Reconciled by Chriſt; by him we have received the Attonement; thoſe whom ſin made two, Rom. 5.11. foreign. Reconciliation.Rom 5:11Chriſt makes one. This is a choyce fruit of Chriſt's death, a concomitant of our Union with Chriſt, yet not the very Ʋnion it ſelf, or not the whole of this Union: there is between Chriſt and Believers the Union of Friendſhip, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. But neither is that all.

Tenthly and laſtly; This Ʋnion is real in contradiſtinction p. 28to affectionate Ʋnion. Crederes unam animam in duobus eſſe diviſam. Min. Fel. Oct.Love is as an uniting affection, it makes the lover and the beloved one; as if two perſons had but one Soul between them: thus Chriſt loves the Saints, Rev. 1.5. and the Saints love Chriſt again, 1 Pet. 1.8. Chriſt's love to them is the cauſe; their love to Chriſt, is the effect, 1 Jo. 4.19. Yet this Union is, rather a fruit of that Union (we are now ſpeaking of) than the Ʋnion it ſelf; as in Marriage, the conjugal bond, and conjugal love are diſtinct things: Indeed Love doth Unite Chriſt and the Saints, but Love is rather the fruit of this Union, than the Union it ſelf; there is ſomewhat more real in this Union, than the Love it ſelf.

None of all theſe, reach the nature of this Union. The Scripture deſcribes it to be a real and a ſolid Union; as real as that beween Head and Members, Root, and Branches; for, although it be a Spiritual Union, yet doth it not therefore ceaſe to be real; things are not therefore leſs real, becauſe Spiritual, yea therefore more. God, who is the moſt abſolute, and real Being (a Being which gives Being to every thing which hath a being) is moſt ſpiritual: John 4.24.John 4:24God is a Spirit; and the nearer any being or excellency approximates unto God, the more real it is, the more it ſelf; as we ſee in Angels, and the Souls of men.

Our Saviour his giving of us his Fleſh to eat, is not, as the Papiſts believe (or rather, as they would make us believe, they do believe) literal and carnal, the truth it ſelf bearing witneſs, John 6.63. The Fleſh profiteth nothing, q. d. If you could literally tear my Fleſh with your teeth, and pour my Blood down your throats, this would not profit you at all in point of Salvation. What then will? Why, the words which I ſpeak, are Spirit and Life, i. e. they are to be underſtood in a Sacramental and ſpiritual ſenſe, &c.

And yet although Chriſts Body be not food in a fleſhly, but in a ſpiritual ſenſe, Jo. ….55. foreign. Truly or Verily.it is not therefore leſs real; no, my fleſh is meat indeed, and my Blood is drink indeed, it is neither painted nor Enchanted meat, but real and ſubſtantial; yet not corporal but ſpiritual; yea, it is ſo real, that in compariſon of that, all other corporal food is but imaginary and metaphorical: p. 29it is but like bread, it is but like wine, painted bread, Quaſi food.and painted wine; not ſo indeed, and in truth, compared with Chriſt in the holy Supper.

Such is this Union, although, yea, becauſe, it is not a corporal, but a ſpiritual Union; therefore it is ſo true and real, that in compariſon of it, all Unions and Conjunctions in nature, are nothing elſe but ſo many figures and ſhadows: It is as real as the Believer himſelf, as real as Chriſt himſelf; Chriſt, and the Believer are not more really one in themſelves, than they are in, and with one another **1 Cor. 6.16.1 Cor 6:16ſpiritually. Yea our Lord carryeth us one ſtep higher; It is an Union as real, as that eſſential Union between the Father and the Son. John 17.21.John 17:21As thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they alſo may be one in us, as i. e. as truly, as verily, though not ſubſtantially; It notes (I ſay) the reality of the Union, though not the kind and manner of it.

Third Property.

Thirdly; This Ʋnion is an operative Ʋnion. Third Property, operative. Gal. 2.20. Coloſ. 3.4.Gal 2:20Col 3:4Chriſt is in the Believer, as the ſoul is in the body a principle of life and operation. I Live ſaith the Apoſtle; but as if he had ſaid too much, he recals what he had ſaid, yet not I; but, Chriſt liveth in me; q. d. It is not ſo much I that live, as Chriſt in me. Chriſt is my life, it is he that animates me, he, that acts me, it is he, that doth all his work in me, and my works for me; It is he that believes in me, that deſireth in me, (whatſoever is good, and ſpiritual) it is he that repents in me, and loveth in me, and prayeth in me. My meaning is not to gratifie the Antinomians; for though the Acts be efficiently from Chriſt, yet formally they are wholly ours; Chriſt is the next Efficient Cauſe, but not the next Formal Cauſe: though he be the immediate cauſe in reſpect of the vertue and power by which we act; yet he is only a mediate Cauſe in reſpect of the Order of acting; and therefore properly the act only denominates us, and not him. Though the act be mine, the ſtrength is his; I can do all things through him that ſtrengtheneth p. 30me; I am but the inſtrument only, which his hand manageth; it is his Finger that toucheth me, his skill that makes the Muſick. It is ſuch an Union as from whence the Believer, by Faith draws life, and vertue from Jeſus Chriſt to all ſpiritual and ſaving intents, and purpoſes.

The influence of his Death, for the mortifying of his Corruptions; they that are Chriſt's (by vertue of this bleſſed Union) have Crucified the fleſh with the Affections and Luſts, ſc. Gal. 6.14.Gal 6:14by vertue derived from his Croſs, The power of his Reſurrection, for the quickening and ſtrengthening of them to all the Acts and Operations of Grace; Phil. 3.10.Phil 3:10yea, whereby all the Offices of the holy Life, become ſweet, facile, and complacential; thoſe duties, and imployments, which unto the Ʋnregenerate man are hard, 1 Jo. 5.4.1 John 5:4and grievous, and even ſo many impoſſibles, by Faith, improving its Union with Chriſt, are made light, eaſie, and Connatural, even as the operations of another nature: All this the Apoſtle would have us to underſtand, when he ſaith, his Commandements are not grievous **There is a foreign in the words, more is underſtood than expreſt..

A Fourth Property is like unto this, Fourth Property, enniching.and that is

4. This Union is a Soul-enriching Union. By vertue of this bleſſed Union, the Saints are inveſted into all the unſearchable Riches of Jeſus Chriſt; as by vertue of the Marriageknot, the Wife is enſtated into all the Reveneues, and Priviledges of her Husband.1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor 1:30

Of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption. Obſerve Chriſtians!

In Chriſt Jeſus: ther's the Union, and thence flowes Communion, and Fellowſhip with him in all his priviledges, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption. Here you have the very Epitome, and ſumma totalis of the Goſpel; Chriſt in four words.the whole Chriſt in four words; the benefit, and fruit of all his Offices, ſuitable and ſufficient to ſupply all the defects and indigences of the Creature: For behold! here is Wiſdom for our Folly; Righteouſneſs for our guilt; Sanctification for our impure natures, and Redemption for our p. 31(every way) loſt and undone condition: wiſdome to make us wiſe to ſalvation, there is the fruit of his prophetical Office; they ſhall all know me, Jerem. 31.34. Righteouſneſs for our juſtification; Rom. 10.4.Rom 10:4Chriſt is the end (or complement) of the Law for Righteouſneſs to every one that believeth **Finis impletionis; or if you will, rather fints intentionis: The ſcope of the Law; He to whom the Law leads and directs us for juſtification, Gal. 3 24. It equally anſwers my deſigne.Gal 3:24, there is the fruit of his Prieſtly Office; Sanctification, to begin holineſs where it is wanting, and to encreaſe it where it is begun, (Chriſt is a Fountain of holineſs, as well as a Fountain of happineſs) there is the fruit of his Kingly Office; he ſets up his Kingdome in the Soul, Rom. 14.17. Redemption, fully, and finally to deliver us from the powr of darkneſs, from wrath to come, from all the remainders of ſin, and miſery; and to tranſlate us into the Kingdome of Grace and Glory; there is the joynt-fruit of all his Offices.

Behold Chriſtians! This is the rich and precious fruit which grows upon the Offices of Jeſus Chriſt, and all made ours by means of this glorious Ʋnion. Firſt, in Chriſt, then follows Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption.

Yea, one ſtep higher yet: By vertue of this Union with Chriſt, Believers are madeBelievers are not only made partakers of the fruits of Chriſt's Offices, but are inveſted into the very Offices themſelves. Was he anointed to be a King? ſo are they: he hath made us Kings, &c. Rev. 1.6. Kings,was Chriſt anointed to be a Prophet? Believers alſo partake of the ſame unction. 1 Jo. Prophets,2.20. Ye have an unction of the holy one, and ye know all things. Was Chriſt anointed to be a Prieſt? ſo are they, Prieſts.ye are a choſen Generation, a Royal Prieſthood. 1 Pet. 2.9.1 Pet 2:9Here are two Offices twiſted together, Royal, ther's their Kingly Office; Prieſthood, ther's their Sacerdotal; a Kingdome of Prieſts, Exod. 19.6. 1 Pet. 2.5.Exod 19:61 Pet 2:5as Moſes phraſeth it; Prieſts, as they ſtand in relation to God, to offer up ſpiritual Sacrifice to God, acceptable by Jeſus Chriſt: and Kings in reſpect of men, to rule over others, and themſelves too.

This is much, and yet this is not all;

By vertue of this Union, Believers ſhare with Chriſt in all his (communicable) titles and dignities. Is he a Son? Gal. 4, 5.Gal 4:5ſo are they; Chriſt, the Son of God by Nature; they the Sons of p. 32God by Adoption. Was Chriſt the Heir of all things, Heb. 1.3? Believers are Heirs alſo in him, and with him. If Children, Rom. 8.17.Rom 8:17then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joynt-Heirs with Jeſus Chriſt; though they are not joynt-Purchaſers (by their good works) as the Papiſt would make them, yet they are joynt-Heirs (by grace), as God hath made them; ſc. by vertue of their Union with Jeſus Chriſt.

Doth Chriſt call God his Father, and his God? behold! He, Heb. 2.11.Heb 2:11(being not aſhamed to call them Brethren) lets them know that he is their God, and Father. God to my Brethren, and ſay to them, John 20.17.John 20:17I aſcend to my Father, and your Father, to my God and your God.

Once more: Hath the Father appointed him a Kingdom? ſo doth he appoint unto them a Kingdom, Luk. 22.29. Hath the Father aſſigned him a Throne? ſo doth Chriſt aſſigne unto his Saints a Throne alſo. To him that overcometh, will I grant to ſit with me, Rev. 3.21.Rev 3:21in my Throne, even as I alſo overcame, and am ſet down with my Father in his Throne.

My Brethren! what a Soul-enriching, beatifical Union is this! There be Unions in nature, which convey nothing, communicate nothing, but empty, and inſignificant titles, which make the perſon admitted into them, not a whit the richer, the better, not a jot the more noble or happy: but this Union (as that divine eſſential Union between the Father, and the Son doth inveſt Chriſt into all divine properties and prerogatives with the Father, ſo this between Chriſt and the Believer) inveſts the Believer into the whole Chriſt, and all his riches, and all his glory, in ſo much as the Spouſe gives in the whole accompt in this vaſt and invaluable ſum. Cant. 2.16.Song 2:16My Beloved is mine, and I am his; he is mine; the whole Chriſt is mine in his natures, offices, excellencies, prerogatives, and inheritance; In all he is, and in all he hath, it is all mine, for my good, and for my glory: This is the voice of her Faith, and then I am his, this is the voice of her love, I am his, in all I am, in all I have, in all I can make by my intereſt in the world; and if it were a thouſand times more, he ſhould have it all, and all too little for him, who hath loved me, and waſhed one in his own p. 33Blood, and hath taken me into ſo rich and glorious an Ʋnion with his own ſelf. To him be glory for ever, Amen. This is the fourth Property.

I proceed to a fifth property of the Union, Fifth Property, an intimous Ʋ nion.and it is a near, inward, intimous Union. To hint the intimateneſs of this Union, the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture, carries us through the climax of all Unions under Heaven, and compares it with them, of what nature and kind ſoever,

Whether Artificial,

Whether Political,

Whether Natural,

Wherein, although you may find different degrees, one exceeding another, yet all falling ſhort of this bleſſed Ʋnion, in reſpect of cloſeneſs, and intimacy; It tells you that, look how the houſe and foundation are one, ſo are Chriſt and Believers, 1 Pet. 2.4, 5, 6. yea higher.

It tells you, that; look how Husband and Wife are one, ſo is Chriſt and his Saints, Hoſ. 2.19. Eph. 5.30. only with this incomparable difference, Husband and Wife make but one fleſh; 1 Cor 6.16, 17.1 Cor 6:161 Cor 6:17but Chriſt and the Believer make one Spirit ut ſupra.

It tells us (yet higher) that look how the Head and Members are one, ſo is Chriſt and his Church, 1 Cor. 12.12. how root and branches are one, John 15.1.6. ſo Chriſt, and Believers; and cloſer yer, the Scripture tells us, that, look how Food, and the body are one, ſo alſo is Chriſt, and the Believer one; hence we hear of eating his Fleſh, and drinking his Blood, John 6.51, 53, 54, 55, 56. and nearer yet (if nearer can be.)

It …, that look how the Soul and Body are one, how Life, and the ſubject wherein it reſides are one, ſo is Chriſt and the Believer, Coloſ. 3.4. when Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, &c.

Behold, here (Chriſtians) is an Union which amounts tantum non to an identity; ſay only with Cyprian, it is not ſuch p. 34an Union as is between the two natures in Chriſt, Non miſcet perſonas nec unit ſubſtantias. Cypr. It is indeed an Union of perſons, but not a perſonal Union Myſtici Theologi. A Believer tranſ-eſſentiated into God, and Bread and Wine tranſſubſtantiated into Chriſt, are much of a Language. So they call the Holy Ghoſt, auram zephyri caeleſtis and pardon of ſin, Deos ſuperos, maneſque pacare. Card. de Bemb.which makes them but one perſon; not ſuch an Union as is between the three glorious Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity, who notwithſtanding the diſtinction of their perſonality, are but one nature and eſſence, and you cannot ſay or think too highly of this Ʋnion; yea whatſoever you can ſay, or think, will be ſhort of the intimacy and excellency of this Union.

OnelyOnly we muſt tell the world, that thoſe myſtical divines (amongſt the Papiſts) as they call themſelves, who talk of the Saints being tranſ-eſſentiated into God; and thoſe Seraphicks amongſt us (as they would be called) but Phanatiques more truly and properly, who rant at the ſame rate [Chriſted with Chriſt, and Godded with God,] theſe ſpeak as men ſo ambitious of being accounted ſublime, and Angelical in compariſon of all other men, whom they ſcorn as illiterate Literatiſts, that they think it a leſſening to them to ſpeak in a common and ſober Dialect; and rather, then not ſpeak bigger words then other men, they fear not to ſpeak Blaſphemy; The Lord convince them.

Notwithſtanding, I muſt add this to what I have ſaid, that becauſe no Union under Heaven was cloſe enough to expreſs the oneneſs which is betwixt Chriſt and the Believer; therefore our Lord Jeſus himſelf carries us up to Heaven, there to contemplate the eſſential Union, which is between the Father and the Son, Jo. 17.John 17and puts them into the ſame parallel; As thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us; yet ſtill we muſt be careful to underſtand the words of Chriſt in a ſober ſenſe, leſt, whil'ſt our Lord doth honour our Union with himſelf, by comparing it to divine Union in the Trinity, we do in the leaſt diſhonour that Union by levelling it with ours; we muſt duly remember, that this comparative particle as, doth not here intend equality, but likeneſs o…y; the truth of the intimacy, and not the nature, or the degree of it; to lift up this myſtical Union above all other Unions in nature; but we muſt ſtill keep the divine Union in its own place. This is the fifth property.

p. 35The ſixth property.Sixth property total.

It is a total Union. The whole Chriſt is United to the whole Chriſtian; as the whole humane nature in Chriſt, is joyned to the whole divine nature; ſo the whole perſon of a Believer, is joyned to the whole perſon of Chriſt; yet not ſo as to make Chriſt and the Believer but one perſon; but as (in the conjugal Union between Man and Wife) making up one (myſtical) body; or, as in the body natural, every Member is joyned to the head, and the head to every member: ſo is Chriſt and the Believer.

Yea, once more. By vertue of this Union with Chriſt, the Believer is likewiſe united to the whole divine nature and eſſence in the Deity, though not eſſentially; and he is likewiſe united to each perſon in the Trinity, the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, as well as to the Son, John 17.21. Behold, that thus it is done to the man, whom God will honour! Thanks be to God for this unſpeakable Grace.

This is the ſixth Property.

The Seaventh and laſt Property.

This Union is an indiſſoluble Ʋnion. Seventh property, Indiſſoluble.This Union between Chriſt and the Believer, is not capable of any ſeparation. They are ſo one, that all the violence of the world, or all the powers of darkneſs, can never be able to make them two again.

Hence the Apoſtle's Triumph Challenge, Rom. 8.35.Rom 8:35who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? If the queſtion did not imply a ſtrong negation, ver. 38, 39.the Apoſtle himſelf doth give us a negation in words at length, neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, ſhall be able to ſeparate us, &c.

A long Catalogue, conſiſting of a large induction of various particulars! but in all theſe 'tis obſervable; he only inſtanceth p. 36in the creature, nor any other creature, — he leaveth out God, and why? becauſe God himſelf is the Author of this Union; 1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor 1:30of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus; It is of God, and that

Upon a three-fold Account,

1. It is of God's Preordination. This Union of Chriſt and his Saints, was the deſign of God's everlaſting, Electing Love. Epheſ. 14.He hath choſen us in him, before the Foundation of the World. As the Ʋnion, ſo the very purpoſe of it, was founded in **Tanquam in capite, though not tanquam in cauſâ; not as the cauſe of Election, but as the cauſe of the good of Election; for it is not ſaid for him, but in him. Vid. Twiſs. vindic. grattae, lib. 1. part 2. Digreſ Prim. Secund. Tert.Chriſt, He hath choſen us in him.

2. It is of God the Fathers efficiency: the Father tyeth this Marriage knot between his Son and his Spouſe; for, we are his Workmanſhip, Created in Chriſt Jeſus, &c. The new Creation, it is God's work, and it is founded on Chriſt, or in Chriſt, created in Chriſt Jeſus, &c.

3. It is of Gods ſupport. As in the firſt Creation, when God had finiſhed the world, he took not his hand off; but upholds it ſtill by the word of his power, Heb. 1.3. So in this ſecond and new Creation; when he hath wrought it, he takes not off his hand; if he ſhould, it would quickly collapſe into its firſt nothing. How comes it then to paſs it doth not? why ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 1.5. you are kept by the power of God, through Faith to Salvation: Faith keeps the Believer in this Union; but the power of God keeps Faith. Why now, if after all this, God ſhould at any time ſuſpend the influence of this power; or, by any malice, or fraud of men, or Devils, ſuffer this Union to miſcarry, he ſhould fail and croſs his own project, he ſhould deſert his own deſign; this cannot be.

Here is the Foundation then, upon which the Apoſtle erecteth this Triumph: God who only can diſſolve this Union will not; the Creature, which only would diſſolve this Union, cannot; ſo it ſtands on a ſurer bottom then Heaven and Earth, our life is hid with Chriſt in God. The Believer is in Chriſt, as Chriſt is in God, hence the unſeparableneſs of this Union: John 10.28, 29.John 10:28John 10:29There is no more pulling the Believer out of the boſome of Chriſt, then there is of Chriſt out of the boſome of his Father.

p. 37And therefore once more, upon this account it is, that our Lord compareth this bleſſed Ʋnion to that ſubſtantial Ʋnion between the Father and the Son, that they may be one, as we are one, namely to expreſs, as the reality and inwardneſs, ſo alſo, the indeficiency of this ſpiritual Ʋnion, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee. As, i.e. as fixedly, as inſeparably, as immutably.

This is the tranſcendent excellency of this Union above all others, it is Eternal. Indeed it had a beginning, but it ſhall never have an end. All other Unions may ſuffer a diſſolution; a Whirl-wind may throw the houſe off from its foundation, Job. 1.18, 19.Job 1:18Job 1:19as we ſee in the caſe of Job's Children; a Bill of Divorce may diſſolve the Union betwixt Man and Wife: in caſe of the violation of the Marriage Bed. Math. 5.31, 32.Matt 5:31Matt 5:32An Axe may diſſolve the Union between the Head and Members.

Death diſſolves the Union between the Soul and body, &c.

I, but nothing can diſſolve the Union between Chriſt and the Believers; nothing ſhall be able to ſeparate us, &c.

My Text gives us a further inſtance of this; the Saints ſleep in Jeſus; The Union ceaſeth not, no not in the Grave. The Saints ſleep in Jeſus.Obſerve the progreſs of it, it began in their Regeneration; then they received their firſt Implantation into Chriſt, Rom. 6.3 4, 5. whence the Apoſtle makes Regeneration, and being in Chriſt ſynonimous, Rom. 6.3, 4.

Next, they are ſaid to live in Chriſt, and Chriſt in them, Gal. 2.20.

Then to ſhew there is no in and out; **In to day, and out to morrow,in this Union (as ſome fondly dream) we read of their abiding in Chriſt, not only by way of precept (which might (poſſibly) imply duty only, as John 15.4, 5.) but by way of promiſe alſo, as 1 John 2.27. Ye ſhall abide in me; which certainly doth expreſs aſſurance, and eſtabliſhment for ever, Rom. 4.16.

Therefore they are ſaid in the next place, to dye in Chriſt; Bleſſed are the dead that dye in the Lord: ſo verſe 16. after the Text, makes mention of the dead in Chriſt; ſo that, that which diſſolves all other Unions, diſſolves not this, death it ſelf; when the Union between body and Soul is diſſolved, p. 38the Union between Chriſt and Believers diſſolveth not.

Yea, ſee one ſtrain higher yet; not only in death, but even after death, The Soul ſleeps not. Heb. 12.23.Heb 12:23this Ʋnion holds; the Saints are ſaid to ſleep in Jeſus; that part of the Saints, which is capable of ſleep, is not capable of ſeparation from Chriſt; while their more noble part is united to Chriſt in Heaven, amongſt the Spirits of juſt men made perfect; Chriſt is United to their Inferiours and more ignoble part in the Grave, their very duſt; they ſleep in Jeſus.

Thus I have opened unto you the bleſſed and admirable Union which is between Chriſt and his Saints, and it's moſt excellent, and tranſcendent properties, ſcil. as it is

1. Spiritual.

2. Real.

3. Operative.

4. Enriching.

5. Intimous.

6. Total.

7. Indiſſoluble.

Opened, did I ſay? Alas it is impoſſible! This Union is a myſtery; a great myſtery, Epheſ. 5.32. next to that Union betwixt the three glorious perſons in Trinity, and that other (like unto it) between the two natures in Chriſt, profound and ineffable! 1 Cor. 2.14. Quia nihil animal animali ſuperius, cogitare poteſt.1 Cor 2:14the heart of man is not able to conceive it, nor the tongue of an Angel to expreſs it: the natural man knows it not at all, no more of it, than a Swine knows what the Union is between the Soul and body in man; it is above his principle, 1 Cor. 2.14. The ſpiritual man underſtandeth it very imperfectly; all we know is rather, that it is, than what it is; the full and perfect knowledg of it, is reſerved for the future ſtate; ſo our Lord hath told us, John 14.20. At that day ye ſhall know, that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you; then, and not till then: we ſhall never perfectly underſtand this Union, until we come fully to enjoy it.

p. 39In the mean time, if a ſhort improvement of ſuch a rich point might not be judged too much improper in ſuch a contemplative diſcourſe, as this is; a few things might be hinted from hence, by way of Uſe.

Uſe

Firſt; Here we may diſcover the main Foundation, 1 Perſeverance ſtands not in the nature of Grace.and Reaſon of the Saints perſeverance; ſurely it conſiſts not in the nature of Grace, infuſed in their Regeneration; this differs not ſpecifically from the Grace which Adam received in his firſt Creation; that was the Image of God, Gen. 1.26, 27. and ſo is this, Coloſ. 3.10. and therefore of it ſelf, cannot produce any higher or more noble effects under the one Covenant, then it did under the other.

Secondly; 2. Nor in freedom of will.Nor doth it conſiſt in the liberty and rectitude of their own Wills, though Regenerate; for if Adams free will did him ſo little ſervice in his perfect ſtate, when it was entire, free, without any mixture of ſervility, how little ſecurity (think you) can the liberty, Ex nolentibus facit volentes. Aug.wherewith Chriſt maketh the will free in the new Creation, afford the Saints, wherein the ſtate of Grace is yet imperfect? and the freedom of their wills mixt with ſo much bondage, that it made the holy Apoſtle look upon it, little different (for the preſent) from a captivity, Rom. 7.24.Rom 7:24and to cry out (to aſtoniſhment) for a Redeemer to come in and make a reſcue? O Wretch that I am, who ſhall deliver me? &c. He found by experience, that if it were not more for a Chriſt, than for the freedom of his own will, that body of death, which he carried about him, would infallibly prove his total and final ruine: but [I thank God for Jeſus Chriſt our Lord] there was his ſecurity.But, 1. In the Covenant of Grace.

Where then ſhall we bottom the ſtability and fixedneſs of the Saints? ſurely upon a two-fold Foundation.

Firſt; Divine Compact. Grace in the Saints is under a Covenant; God the Father hath Aſtipulated with the Mediator for his ſpiritual believing ſeed; not only to repair the Ruines of the firſt Creation (his Image) in them, but to uphold and ſecure it from ever diſſolving & decaying again totally p. 40or finally partial, temporary decays and recidivations there may be; but ſaith the word of the Covenant, to the Redeemer (in Reference to his divine off-ſpring) my Spirit which is upon thee, Iſa. 59.21.Isa 59:21and my words which I have put into thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

Adams grace was under no ſuch Covenant, and therefore left to it ſelf; it was expoſed to the power of Temptation, and periſhed. This is one account of the Saints perſeverance. But

Secondly; Secondly, Union with Chriſt.The next and immediate Foundation of it, is, this bleſſed Ʋnion whereof we are now ſpeaking; by vertue whereof the true Believer is ſo made one with Chriſt, as Chriſt is one with his Father, ut ſupr.—As we are one, as, that is (as it hath been expounded) ſpiritually, really, operatively, enrichingly, intimouſly, indiſſolubly;—in a word infallibly, and availeably to all ſaving intents and purpoſes. Here is the ground and foundation of the Saints perſeverance; Rev. 3.1.Rev 3:1They are not only fixt Stars in Chriſts right hand (if no more, it would be hard pulling them thence.) But their lives are bound up in the ſame bundle with Chriſts own life; Jo. 14.19.John 14:19our life is hid with Chriſt in God. Chriſt and his Saints have, as it were, but one life between them, and that life is Chriſts; whence Chriſt himſelf makes the inference; becauſe I live, Col. 3.3.Col 3:3you ſhall live alſo. Upon ſuch an inſtance, it may be queſtioned, and (poſſibly) without breach of charity, whether they who deny the infallible perſeverance of the Saints, did ever truly ſtudy or believe the notion and nature of the happy and glorious Ʋnion which is betwixt Chriſt and them **The inſeparableneſs of the Union, is given as the account of the Saints perſeverance. Nothing can ſeparate us. Rom. 8 39.Rom 8:39.

If we ſhould form what hath been ſaid unto ſuch a Syllogiſm as this, namely,

They that are United to Chriſt by a ſpiritual, real, operative, enriching, intimate, inſeparable Union, can never totally or finally fall away; But all true Believers are ſo United.

p. 41Therefore they can never ſo fall away.

I ſay, caſt all into ſuch a form, and we find that both the Premiſſes and the Concluſion, are of Chriſt's own making; Becauſe I live, ye ſhall live alſo. And therefore, until I hear that Chriſt is dead the ſecond time (which I am ſure I ſhall never do, for Chriſt being raiſed, dieth no more, Rom. 6.9.Rom 6:9death hath no more dominion over him, &c.) I dare not believe this doctrine; The poſſibility of the Saints total and final Apoſtacy.

Only, becauſe Satan can transform himſelf into an Angel of Light, and the heart is deceitful above all things, Caution.and deſperately wicked, my earneſt advice, and obſecration to all ſuch as do pretend to this bleſſed Ʋnion, (as to mine own Soul), is. To give all diligence, upon ſolid Scripture-evidence (that is to ſay) by the precious and powerful influences of this Ʋnion upon their Souls; and by the gracious Reciprocations of Faith and Love, and ſweet, holy communion with the Father and the Son, &c. by theſe. I ſay, and the like, to ſecure the Aſſumption, But I am thus Ʋnited to Chriſt,

And the Concluſion need not fear the gates of Rome, or Hell; but the Believer may boldly ſend forth St. Pauls challenge, Who ſhall condemn? What ſhall ſeparate? 1 Cor. 15.57.1 Cor 15:57Thanks be to God, who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

In the ſecond place.Second Uſe.

Hence we may take notice of the honour and dignity of the Saints, how meanly and baſely ſo ever reputed, in, The Dignity of the Saints. 1 Cor. 4.13. foreign.1 Cor 4:13and by a reprobate world, even as the filth of the world, and the off-ſcouring of all things, the ſcraping of their Shooes, or the common Town-Dung-cart, into which every one caſt's their ſoil and draught: I ſay, though the Saints of God are thus baſe and contemptible in the opinion of the ignorant World, yet they have another rate and value ſet upon them in Heaven: Heb. 11.6. Heb. 2.11. Cant. 4.8.11. Rev. 21.9.Heb 11:6Heb 2:11Song 4:8Song 4:11Rev 21:9God is not aſhamed to be called their God, nor Chriſt aſhamed to call them Brethren. Yea, he dignifies them with the ſtile of his Spouſe, the Bride, the Lambs Wife; and all this p. 42upon the account of that admirable, and inconceivable Ʋnion which is between Chriſt and them, that ſpiritual, real, operative, inriching, total, intimous, and indiſſoluble Ʋnion, by vertue whereof, 1 Cor. 6.17.15.19.1 Cor 6:171 Cor 6:151 Cor 6:19they are in Chriſt, and Chriſt in them; as to their more divine part, their Soul's, one ſpirit with the Lord; and even as to their terrene and corruptive part, their Bodies, Members of Chriſt, and Temples for the Holy Ghoſt to dwell in; yea, ſaith my Text, their very duſt is United to Chriſt: They ſleep in Jeſus.

Such Honour have all his Saints.

How ſhould the ſenſe of it engage them to Honour Chriſt, Third Uſe.who hath put ſo great honour upon them! (yea to honour themſelves whom Chriſt hath ſo highly honoured? to ſtand upon their advancement, and not to prophane themſelves by any thing that is common, or unclean, or upon the leaſt account unſutable to their glorious Union with Jeſus Chriſt; but to poſſeſs their Veſſels in Sanctification and Honour, 1 Theſ. 4.4. as under an holy awe of that tremendous Sentence;

If any man defile the Temple of God, 1 Cor. 3.17.1 Cor 3:17him will God deſtroy.

Surely the thought of ſo near and intimate an Union with the Son of God, ſhould make ſin become an impoſſibility; Upon all the Adulterous ſolicitations of the Fleſh, World, or Satan, to make holy Joſeph's quick reply; How can I do this great Wickedneſs, and ſin againſt my Ʋnion with Jeſus Chriſt?

Fourthly; Fourth Uſe.And oh that ſuch as have for many years together, Exhortation to ſuch as are yet out of Chriſt.ſitten under the Miniſtry of the Goſpel of Chriſt, and to this day are altogether ſtrangers to this bleſſed Union with Chriſt, would now, with all ſeriouſneſs and holy contention, apply themſelves to know it, and to know it experimentally; that they would (with holy Paul) account all things loſs and dung for the excellency of the knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 3.8, 9, even this, that they may be found in him, to know him with intereſt, to know him in this myſterious and beatifical Ʋ nion, Chriſt in them, and they in Chriſt; This only is the p. 43ſaving knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt, to be able to make out our Conjunction with him upon Scripture-evidence. Alas! this is the undoing Miſtake of thouſands, that are called Chriſtians; they know ſomewhat of the Hiſtory of Chriſt; they have ſome notions of a Chriſt in their heads, but this is the precipice, upon which they ruine themſelves, They think to be ſaved by a Chriſt without them, they hang upon the outſide of the Ark, they live upon bare notions, The Son of God took our nature upon him; died for ſins; roſe again, James 1.21. foreign.Jas 1:21and is gon up into Heaven, and ſits at God's right hand: and therefore conclude they ſhall be ſaved: Oh but what a paralogiſm and fallacy do they put upon their own Souls! They put more into the Concluſion, then there is in the Premiſſes, while they leave out this great, and indiſpenſible medium of Ʋnion, and Conjunction with Jeſus Chriſt! without which a Chriſt, and no Chriſt, is all one.

Men and Women generally take Faith to be nothing elſe, but a looſe conjectural application of Chriſt and his Merits to themſelves, not conſidering that the great ſaving Office of Faith, is, To unite the Soul to Jeſus Chriſt, Eph. 3.17. It is true, there is no Condemnation; but it is, only to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom 8.1.

Chriſt is the hope of Salvation; it is true; I, but it is not ſimply Chriſt in the Womb of the Ʋirgin, not ſimply Chriſt on the Croſs, not Chriſt in the Grave, no, not (alone) Chriſt on the Throne; but ſaith the Apoſtle, Chriſt in you, the hope of Glory, Coloſ. 1.27. It were an eaſie thing to be ſaved, if a Chriſt without us were all; and I know no reaſon why reprobate men and Devils might not get to Heaven on ſuch terms: No, but as there is no other name under Heaven, Acts 4.12.Acts 4:12given amongſt men, whereby we muſt be ſaved, but the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, i. e. his merit and influence: So, there is no other medium, whereby that merit and influence can be effectually applied to the Soul, but only this ſpiritual, real, operative, enriching, intimous, total, and inſeparable Union with Jeſus Chriſt.

Chriſt muſt be in us by his Spirit, and we muſt be in Chriſt p. 44by Faith, or elſe our perſons and our hope (as to the preſent ſtate) are both reprobate, 2 Cor. 13.15.—Of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption. 1 Cor. 3.22, 23.1 Cor 3:221 Cor 3:23All is yours, if you be Chriſt's, as Chriſt is God's. Appear before God's Tribunal in the great day, Math. 7.21, 22, 23. Luk. 13.26.27.Matt 7:21Matt 7:22Matt 7:23Luke 13:26Luke 13:27without this Ʋnion, and plead what you will, your anſwer will be, I never knew you; depart from me, &c.

Believe this, Oh all you carnal Chriſt-leſs Chriſtians, and tremble, and ſwim no longer down the ſtream of Security, leſt it empty you forth into the Lake of Perdition: but work out your Salvation with Fear and Trembling, and give all diligence to make this conjunction with Chriſt, ſure to your own Souls; Coloſ. 3.3, 4.Col 3:3Col 3:4that, when He ſhall appear, you may alſo appear with him in Glory.

Remember, All your true and ſolid comfort and rejoycing in life, in death, and at the day of Judgment, is all bound up in your Ʋnion with Jeſus Chriſt: Chriſt in you the hope of Glory.

Fifthly and Laſtly,Fourth and laſt Uſe. Conſolation.

The Doctrine of this glorious Union with Chriſt, is not more for the honour of the living, than for the comfort of the dying Saints, and of their ſurviving mourners; And for their ſakes it is here ſpecially calculated by the Holy Ghoſt; behold this Ʋnion is not diſſolved by death it ſelf; though it diſſolve the Union between Body and Soul, it cannot diſſolv… the Ʋnion which is between Chriſt and his Members. Hence you find even death it ſelf filling up the Apoſtle's Triumph; What can ſeparate? neither life, nor death, &c. Not life, for Chriſt (by vertue of this Union) is their life; Not death, for as terrible as it is, let death do its worſt, it cannot diſſolve this bleſſed Ʋnion. Neither life nor death can ſeparate, &c.

Why do ye tremble at the thoughts of death, O ye Saints of God! and why do you indeed, (what the Jews ſuppoſed Mary did, John 11.31.John 11:31) go (ſo oft) to the Sepulcher to weep there? behold, your beloved Lazarus, is not dead, but ſleepeth; yea, that which is of an infinitely higher conſideration, he ſleeps in p. 45Jeſus. Did he live in Chriſt? behold he died in Chriſt alſo; Did he dye in Chriſt? behold he ſleeps in Chriſt; Chriſt is nearly related to the Saints duſt; their aſhes are not laid up in the Grave, ſo much, as in Chriſt; yea, though (after death,) they ſhould paſs through never ſo many changes and revolutions, and ſhould be ſcattered at length into all quarters and corners of the world, Dormire in Chriſto, eſt conjunctionem retinere in morte, quam habemus cum Chriſto. Calv. in loc.he that calls the Stars by their own names, knows every duſt of their precious bodies; keeps them in his hand; and is as really united to them, as to his own humane nature in Heaven.

This may be as Jonathan's honey upon the top of the rod; taſte of it oh ye mourners of hope, and your eyes will be enlightned: look not on your pretious Relations, ſo much as they lye rotting in the Grave, or reſolved into duſt, as upon their duſt as it is laid up in a ſacred Ʋrn, in the hand and boſome as it were of Jeſus Chriſt; for which, he himſelf will be reſponſible, and bring it forth ſafely and entirely in the morning of the Reſurrection; there ſhall not be ſo much as a duſt wanting; for ſo it followeth, Them which ſleep in Jeſus, will God bring with him: which is a wider breach.

The ſixth Word of Comfort.Sixth word of Comfort. God will bring his Sleeping Saints with him.

God will come, and when he cometh, He will bring them with him, which ſleep in Jeſus.

God will, or God ſhall,] &c.

Some underſtand it of God the Father, others of God the Son; I know not why they ſhould be ſeparated; they that ſay God the Father, include God the Son, i. e. God the Father ſhall bring them with him, in Chriſt of by Chriſt, referring [he ſhall bring] unto the former clauſe in Jeſus.The Verb foreign. So Eraſmus and Tertul.

Or, by Jeſus; ſo reading it, God ſhall bring them by Jeſus.

And, they who underſtand here God the Son, exclude not God the Father. And verily, the order of working, which is between the three glorious Perſons in Trinity, will not allow us to ſeclude either in this place; For, as all the external p. 46works of the Trinity are common, Opera Trinitatis ad extrà, ſunt indiviſa.and undivided, ſo Divines obſerve this method or order in their working.

The Father worketh all things of himſelf, in the Son, by the Holy Ghoſt.

The Son worketh from the Father, by the Holy Ghoſt.

The Holy Ghoſt worketh from the Father, and from the Son by himſelf.

The Original of the action is aſcribed to the Father.

The Wiſdom and manner of working, to the Son;

The Efficacy of the operation to the Holy Ghoſt.

All external operation, begins in the Father, is continued in the Son, and terminated in the Holy Ghoſt. This is a myſtery rather to be adored, Pſal. 139.6.Ps 139:6than curiouſly to be pried into; ſuch knowledg is too wonderful for us; it is high, we cannot attain unto it.

But, as to the words of the Text, God will bring them with him, I conceive they relate more properly and peculiarly to the Son, foreignJeſus Chriſt the Lord. For ſo it follows, The Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend, &c. And when he cometh, he will bring them with him, that ſleep in him. The propriety of the work is aſcribed to Jeſus Chriſt, God-man, the Mediator between God and man; he ſhall bring them with him, when he deſcendeth from Heaven,

And that in a four-fold reſpect,

1. Their Spirit or Souls, from Heaven;

2. Their Bodies, from the Grave,

3. Body and Soul united, he ſhall take up to himſelf into the Clouds.

4. And then carry all his Saints back with him into Heaven.

Firſt, when the Lord ſhall deſcend, he will bring the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, with him from Heaven. The Souls of all his glorified Saints (whoſe bodies to this moment have ſlept in the Grave) ſhall follow Chriſt out of the gates of the New Jeruſalem, to attend that glorious ſolemnity: ſo it is p. 47propheſied, Behold, Jude v. 14.the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his Saints. When Chriſt cometh to judg the world, there ſhall not be a Saint left in Heaven ſaith Chryſoſtom. **foreign.Heaven ſhall as it were be left empty to attend the King of Glory going forth out of his Royal Palace, to finiſh the work of the great and laſt Judgment of the world; he ſhall come attended with all his Saints, they ſhall fill up his Train.

Secondly, As Chriſt will bring their Souls with him from Heaven, ſo he will bring their bodies from the Grave. It is noted how that in the Transfiguration, the body of Moſes which was hid in the Valley of Moab, appeared in the Mount of Tabor, which aſſures us that the bodies of the Saints, where-ever they be lodged, are not loſt, but laid up, to be raiſed to glory; the ſame numerical body that was laid down in duſt.Chriſt at his coming to Judgment, will firſt go to the Graves of the Saints, and cry to them aloud in ſome ſuch language as once he did to their Souls in the days of their unregeneracy (when dead in ſins and treſpaſſes,) in the Goſpel-call, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ſtand up from the dead, and I will give thee Life.

Or, as ſomtimes in the days of his fleſh, he did to Lazarus, John 11.41.John 11:41when he had lien four days rotting in the Grave, Veniet aliquando Chriſtus cum poteſtate et majeſtate carnem illam quaerere, & illud corpus cadaveroſum configurare corpors claritatis ſuae. Bern.(a lively Emblem and Type of the general Reſurrection) Lazarus come forth: and they that are dead ſhall come forth. It was the tenour of his own prediction, while yet in the world, The hour is coming, in the which all, that are in the Graves, ſhall hear the voyce of the Son of man, and ſhall come forth, &c.

I ſhall not ſtay here to inquire into the nature and properties of the Saints bodies, when Chriſt ſhall raiſe them up out of their Graves: that inquiry will be more proper and ſeaſonable in ſome of the following clauſes of this context.

Concerning the manner of it (for the help of our Infant-underſtandings) briefly, The manner of the Reſurrection.we may conceive it after this method.

Firſt, The holy Angels of God ſhall be ſent abroad, to gather together the ſcattered duſt of the Saints, though ſeparated one from the other at never ſo great a diſtance into all the quarters and extremities of the earth, Math. 24.31.Matt 24:31and ſhall bring them p. 48together, Math. 24.31. The incineration, & diſſipation of their duſt ſhall have a Recollection in the Reſurrection.Matt 24:31not ſo much as one duſt wanting (for he that numbers the Stars, doth number alſo the duſt and aſhes of his Redeemed): as not an hair of their heads, ſo not a duſt of their reſolved fleſh ſhall periſh.

Thus gathered together, Chriſt by his mighty power ſhall unite duſt to duſt, every duſt in its own proper place, and form it up into the ſame numerical body it was, when it was diſſolved and laid down in the Grave.

And thus made up into a beautiful Structure, (more beautiful than ever it was in its firſt Creation, as I ſhall ſhew hereafter); Chriſt will put each Soul into its own body again, and unite them together into the ſame ſweet conjugal ſociety and fellowſhip they poſſeſſed before their ſeparation; this friendly eſpouſed Pair, ſhall now be ſolemnly Married together, before God, and Men, and Angels, never to ſuffer Divorce any more, and they ſhall become one entire perſon, a totum compoſitum, as they were in the days of their firſt contract.

And this excellent perſon will Chriſt animate, and quicken with the influences of that bleſſed Union with himſelf, which during all this long interval of their ſleeping in the Grave, was not diſſolved, but hidden only, and ſuſpended.

Now ſhall the Saints know, and feel the meaning of that word which Chriſt ſpake to Martha, I am the Reſurrection, and the Life. Martha in the verſe immediately before, had profeſſed her Faith of a Reſurrection. — I know that my Brother ſhall riſe again, in the Reſurrection at the laſt day: Preſently Chriſt replieth, Jo. 11.25.John 11:25I am the Reſurrection and the Life: diſcovering to her the Fountain and Cauſe of that Reſurrection; namely, that Life and Vertue ſhall then go forth from himſelf to animate and quicken all his Members, and ſhall cauſe them to ſtand upon their feet again, as the Children of the Reſurrection.

Thirdly; Soul and body thus Ʋnited, Chriſt God-man, ſhall bring with him unto the place where the great Aſſizes of the quick and dead ſhall be ſolemnly kept, which the 17th. v. tells us will be in the Air (of which more diſtinctly when p. 49we come to that verſe.) Thither Chriſt will bring with him all his Elect (whoſe bodies to that moment have ſlept in him,) Chriſt will carry the riſen Saints with him to the Judgment.) when he hath awakened them;

And that upon a Twoſold Accompt.

Firſt; For the greater Honour of that Day.For the greater ſolemnity of that laſt and tremendous Judgment. The Saints ſhall be brought out of their Graves, to attend the Judge for his greater State and Grandeur, to ſtrike the greater Terrour into the hearts of Reprobate men and Angels, who then ſhall be brought forth in Chains to the Tribunal of Chriſt, to ſee, and ſuffer the ſeverity and impartiality of that laſt Tryal.

The Glory of a King, conſiſts in the multitude of his Nobles and Royal Attendants.

The Judge of Aſſize is brought in with the Poſſe Comitatus, the power and gallantry of the Country, for the ſtriking of the greater terror and aw into the hearts of offenders.

Angels and Saints ſhall be Chriſt's Life-guard, as it were; Chriſti Satellitium.or as his Troops and Legions which ſhall conduct him in State and Triumph to the Judgment Seat.

Secondly, when Chriſt ſhall have raiſed his ſleeping Saints out of their beds of duſt, he ſhall bring them with him from the Grave to the place of Judgment, That they may accompany him, and be with him throughout the whole carriage, and conduct of the laſt judicial proceſs, to hear and applaud his righteous proceedings. This is that which the Apoſtle calls, The Saints judging of the World, and judging of Angels; yea, 1 Cor. 6.2, 3.1 Cor 6:21 Cor 6:3it ſeems that is not all; our Saviour tells his Apoſtles, that in that day, Math. 19.28. foreign N…mpe ut Chriſti, vere & prop…è Judicis, Aſſ…ſſ…res. Bern. in …oe.Matt 19:28they ſhall ſit on twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes, &c. judging or condemning, how? certainly not as bare Spectators only, but as Aſſeſſors, to ſit with Him on the Bench to juſtifie and conſent to the judgment of Chriſt, the great and Supream Judg, giving in their full and free ſuffrages to the final ſentence, which he ſhall paſs upon the Reprobate world of Jews and Gentiles, of Men and Devils: probably in ſome ſuch language as we hear from the Saints upon the downfall of Antichriſt; Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God p. 50Almighty; And by that Doctrine they ſhall be judged alſo in the general judgment, Math. 13.18. Jo. 12.48. Heb. 117. foreign, He condemned the world partly, as the building of the Ark was a viſible prediction of the Flood; partly, as it was a witneſs and conviction of their infidelity.Matt 13:18John 12:48juſt, and true are thy waies, thou King of Saints: for thy judgments are made manifeſt.

Here, the Apoſtles and Miniſters of the Goſpel judged the Wicked of the world by their Doctrine, and both Miniſters and others of Gods faithful Servants judged them by their Holy lives, and patient bearing of the Croſs; as it is ſaid of Noah, that by his Faith in believing the warning, and obeying the Command of God, in preparing the Ark, he judged, or condemned the unbelieving World; The holineſs of the Saints is a tacit reproach and conviction upon the Conſciences of Wicked men, whereby they condemn them before hand; yea whereby wicked men become foreign Self-condemned.

But now the Preachers of the Goſpel, with the reſt of the Saints, ſhall Judge the world judicially, and (probably) by an audible Vote to, and with the Judgment of Jeſus Chriſt; **Rev. 16.5Rev 16:5Thou art Righteous, O Lord, which art, and waſt, and ſhalt be, becauſe thou haſt judged thus; This honour ſhall all the Saints have at that Day: Thus Chriſt ſhall bring the raiſed Saints with him to the place of Judgment.

But Fourthly; Fourthly. God ſhall bring them with him, i. e. (that laſt and ſolemn Judgment being finiſhed) Chriſt ſhall carry all his Saints back with him, from the place of Judgment, the neather Heavens, into the upper, the ſupreme Heavens, where the Throne of God is, and the ſeat of glorified Angels and Saints; All the Saints of God ſhall follow the Judg in a Triumphant manner, into the ſtreets of the New Jeruſalem, the gates whereof ſhall be ſet wide open to receive them; An abundant entrance ſhall be adminiſtred unto them into the everlaſting Kingdome of the Lord and Saivour Jeſus Chriſt, where they ſhall be welcomed home with lowd Acclamations of joy; Heaven will ring again with Triumphant ſhoutings. Thus alſo God ſhall bring them with him, that ſleep in Jeſus; he will bring them into the Glory of his Father: but of this I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more largely hereafter.

p. 51This is another Word of Comfort, and there is great need of it, Uſe. upon a two-fold Account.Comfort to living Saints Firſt, To the Saints yet living.

Firſt; In reference to the Saints of God yet living. You are now ſcorned and perſecuted, the ungodly world doth now judge you, and condemn you: the Pſalmiſt obſerved it in his time; Pſal. 94.6.Ps 94:6they gather themſelves together againſt the Souls of the Righteous, and condemn the Innocent blood. Innocence is no ſecurity againſt cruelty and oppreſſion; yea, it ſeems, no wine ſo ſweet to wicked men as Innocent blood; Jam. 5.6.Jas 5:6ye have condemned and killed the juſt: and yet, that open violence may not want a pretence of Juſtice, they act in the form of a legal proceſs, before they kill, they do condemn; but alas! thoſe Fig-leaves will not cover their nakedneſs. It is the juſt, foreign.whom they do unjuſtly Condenm and Murder; ſo it was in Davids time, and ſo it was in St. James his time, One ſaith, I ſhould ſuſpect him to be no Abel, who hath not a Cain to perſecute him, ver. 7, 8.and ſo it is now; the Reprobate world holds on its courſe to this day; and ſo it will be to the end of the World. God's Righteous Abels muſt expect no better juſtice at the Tribunals of theſe unrighteous Cains.

But be patient, my Brethren, till the Coming of the Lord, and ſtabliſh your hearts, for that coming of the Lord draweth nigh; and then the Scene ſhall be altered; you ſhall have the Law as it were (then) in your own hands; your turn ſhall be to ſit upon the Bench, and your Enemies ſhall ſtand at the Bar; They Judg and Condemn you now, but there is a day coming, when you ſhall Judg and condemn them; and they indeed Ʋnrighteouſly, but you ſhall Condemn them Righteouſly, becauſe your Judgment ſhall be according to the Judgment of that Righteous Judg of Heaven and Earth, the Searcher of the hearts; who will judg men by thoſe two impartial Books, the Book of his own Remembrance, and the Book of their Conſciences. Yea, you ſhall judge them for their Ʋnrighteous judging of you: So it was Propheſied of old.

Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his Saints to Execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly p. 52among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him; not in his perſon only, but in his Members alſo: Loq…untur lapides.all their ungodly deeds, and all their hard ſpeeches, wherewith they have unjuſtly judged the Saints of God, ſhall be judged over again. And this honour ſhall all the Saints have, they ſhall judg their Judges, and not be guilty. Pſal. 49.14.Ps 49:14The Righteous ſhall have the Dominion over them in the morning.

Surely, this is an advancement which the poor oppreſſed people of God could never have expected, were they not aſſured of it from the mouth of him that ſhall be the Judg at that day: Let this ſtay, and ſtabliſh your hearts.

Secondly; Secondly. In reference to the Saints departed.It is a word of comfort in reference to the Saints departed, our precious Relations; the ſenſe of whoſe loſs and abſence we are not able to bear, while we think of them as ſmothered, and extinguiſht in their own aſhes, ſilent in the land of forgetfulneſs, in whoſe ſweet converſe, we were wont to ſolace our ſelves with much delight, their ſouls having left the habitation of their bodies, and their bodies reſolved into duſt, and that duſt (poſſibly) mixt with the duſt of wicked men, or of the brute Creatures, it may be, diſperſed into the remoteſt part of the world. Ah theſe be ſome of the heart-dividing thoughts, wherewith we do afflict our Souls! But give check to your paſſions, Oh ye mourners of hope, and make uſe of the Cordials which your Heavenly Phyſitian hath preſcribed to keep you from fainting. Remember, that although their bodies are in the Grave, their Souls are with the Spirits of juſt men made perfect, beholding the face of their Father, which is in Heaven, from whence Jeſus Chriſt, Godman, when he ſhall come in the glory of his Father, attended with all his mighty Angels, will bring them with him.

And then ſhall he go to their Graves, and as he formerly ſaid unto them, Come my people, enter into thy Chambers, ſhut the doors about thee, go to bed in the Grave, and take thy reſt; ſo now he will awaken them out of their ſleep with a ſweet voyce, Awake, and ſing you that dwell in the duſt, Ariſe, p. 53ſhine, for thy light is come, the glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee, &c. yea, he will kiſs them awake, with the kiſſes of his mouth; and then as a Father, and a Prieſt, will give the Soul in Marriage to the Body again, and unite them one to another, and both to Himſelf in an indiſſoluble bond.

Oh Chriſtians! think with your ſelves what a joyful meeting that will be; when two ſuch ancient Friends, that have been parted ſo long, ſhall meet, and embrace, and kiſs one another, never to ſuffer any more Divorce, or fear of Divorce, to Eternity! How will the Soul bleſs God, when it ſhall receive its own body again, it's true Yoak-fellow and Fellow-labourer, which laboured with it much in the Lord, and which was wont to be its Oratory, and Temple, wherein the Soul performed all its Sacra, its holy devotions, in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon?

And how will the Body rejoyce to ſee the Soul again, to whom it was eſpouſed, which was the guide of its youth, that (in its capacity) which Chriſt is to the Soul, it's King, Prieſt, and Prophet, and by vertue of whoſe conjunction with it, the very body, as poor and mean as it was in its original extraction, was preferr'd and admitted into Fellowſhip, and Communion with the Son of God; and (upon that account) not forgotten all the while it ſlept in the land of forgetfulneſs, and thought not of it ſelf: I ſay, Solace your ſelves with the praeviſion of that Triumph and Exultation that will fill this bleſſed new-Married couple! eſpecially, when they ſhall receive one another ſo much more excellent than themſelves at their laſt parting; that the body ſhall ſeem to be Tranſeſſentiated into a Soul, and the Soul transformed into an Angel of Light; Rejoyce, O Chriſtian Soul, to think how theſe two morning Stars will ſing for joy, in this their new and for ever bleſſed Conjunction.

Thirdly; Thence follow them (in your Contemplations) following the Judg to the place, where the Thrones ſhall be erected for judgment, and there placed on Thrones, not as Spectators only, but as joynt-Commiſſioners. Where, the Saint of a day, ſhall judg the Sinner of an hundred years old; p. 54yea, they ſhall judg the Old Serpent himſelf, and all his infernal Angels; And as that Sentence leaves them, ſo ſhall they remain to all Eternity.

Fourthly, and in the laſt place; Chriſtians, think not ſo much on your precious Relations, as lying in the Grave, their Beauty turned into Rottenneſs and deformity; think not of them as (poſſibly) by a premature death (as you may think) ſnatcht from an earthly Inheritance before their time: but think on them as co-heirs with Jeſus Chriſt, riding now in Triumph with him, and with the whole general Aſſembly, and Church of the Firſt born, whoſe names are written in Heaven, to take poſſeſſion of their Inheritance with the Saints in Light. Thus behold them, not, as they are in the night of the ſhadow of death, but as they ſhall be in the morning of the Reſurrection, when God will bring them with him; and, I had almoſt ſaid, Mourn if you can.

So much for the Sixth word of Comfort.