The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, Direction 3
DIRECT. III.
The way to get holy. Endowments and Qualifications neceſſary to frame and enable us for the immediate Practice of the Law, is to receive them out of the fulneſs of Christ, by Fellowſhip with him; and that we may have this Fellowſhip, we must be in Christ, and have Christ himſelf in us, by a Myſtical Ʋnion with him.
EXPLICATION.
HEre, as much as any where, we have great cauſe to acknowledge with the Apoſtle, that without Controverſie great is the Myſtery of Godlineſs, even ſo great that it could not have entred into the Heart of Man to conceive it, if God had not made it known in the Goſpel by ſupernatural Revelation. Yea, tho' it be revealed clearly in the holy Scriptures, yet the Natural Man hath not Eyes to ſee it there, for it is fooliſhneſs to him; and if God expreſs it never ſo plainly and properly, he will think that God is ſpeaking Riddles and Parables. And I doubt not but it is ſtill a Riddle and Parable even to many truly Godly, that have received an holy Nature in this way: For the Apoſtles themſelves had the ſaving benefit of it before the Comforter diſcovered it clearly to them, John 14, 20. And they walked in Chriſt, as the way to the Father, before they clearly knew him to be the way, John 14.5. And the beſt of us know it but in part, and muſt wait for the perfect knowledge of it in another World. One great Myſtery is, that the holy frame and diſpoſition whereby our Souls are furniſhed and enabled for immediate Practice of the Law, muſt be gotten by receiving it out of Chriſt's fulneſs, as a thing already prepared and brought to an exiſtance for us in Chriſt, and treaſured up in him; and that as we are juſtified by a righteouſneſs wrought out in Chriſt, and imputed to us, ſo we are ſanctified by ſuch an holy frame and qualifications, as are firſt wrought out, and compleated in Chriſt for us, and then imparted to us: and as our natural corruption was produced originally in the firſt Adam, and propagated from him to us; ſo our new nature and holineſs is firſt produced in Chriſt, and derived from him to us, or as it were propagated. So that we are not at all to work together with Chriſt, in making or producing that holy frame in us, but only to take it to ourſelves, and uſe it in our holy Practice, as made ready to our hands. Thus we have fellowſhip with Chriſt in recovering that holy frame of Spirit that was originally in him: for fellowſhip is when ſeveral Perſons have the ſame things in common, 1 Jo. 1. This Myſtery is ſo great, that notwithſtanding all the Light of the Goſpel, we commonly think that we muſt get an holy frame by producing it a new in ourſelves, and by forming and working it out of our own Hearts. Therefore many that are ſeriouſly devout, take a great deal of pains to mortifie their corrupted Nature, and beget an holy frame of Heart in themſelves, by ſtriving earneſtly to maſter their ſinful luſts, and by preſſing vehemently upon their Hearts many motives to Godlineſs, labouring importunately to ſqueeze good qualifications out of them, as Oyl out of a Flint. They account that tho' they be juſtified by a righteouſneſs wrought out by Chriſt, yet they muſt be ſanctifi'd by a holineſs wrought out by themſelves. And thô out of humility they are willing to call it infuſed Grace, yet they think they muſt get the infuſion of it by the ſame manner of working, as if it were wholly acquired by their endeavours. On this account they acknowledge the entrance into a Godly Life to be harſh and unpleaſing, becauſe it coſts ſo much ſtrugling with their own Hearts and Affections to new frame them, if they knew that this way of entrance is not only harſh and unpleaſant, but altogether impoſſible, and that the true way of mortifying ſin, and quickning themſelves to holineſs, is by receiving a new nature out of the fulneſs of Chriſt, and that we do no more to the production of a new nature, than of original ſin, tho' we do more to the reception of it. If they knew this, they might ſave themſelves many a bitter agony, and a great deal of miſpent burdenſome labour, and employ their endeavours to enter in at the ſtrait Gate, in ſuch a way as would be more pleaſant and ſucceſsful.
Another greater myſtery in the way of Sanctification, is the glorious manner of our Fellowſhip with Chriſt in receiving an holy frame of heart from him. It is by our being in Chriſt, and having Chriſt himſelf in us, and that not meerly by his univerſal preſence, as he is God, but by ſuch a cloſe union as that we are one ſpirit, and one fleſh with him, which is a priviledge peculiar to thoſe that are truly ſanctified. I may well call this a myſtical union, becauſe the Apoſtle calleth it a great myſtery, in an Epiſtle full of Myſteries, Eph. 5.20. intimating, that it is great, eminently above many other Myſteries; it is one of the three Myſtical Unions that are the chief Myſteries in Religion: the other two are the Union of the Trinity of Perſons in One Godhead, and the Union of the Divine and Human Natures in One Perſon, Jeſus Chriſt, God and Man. Though we cannot frame an exact Idea of the manner of any of theſe Three Unions in our Imaginations, becauſe the depth of theſe Myſteries is beyond our Comprehenſion, yet we have cauſe to believe them all, becauſe they are clearly revealed in Scripture, and are a neceſſary Foundation for other Points of Chriſtian Doctrine, particularly this Union betwixt Chriſt and Believers, is plainly in ſeveral places of Scripture, affirming that Chriſt is, and dwelleth in believers, and they in him, Joh. 6.56. and 14.20. And that they are ſo joyned together as to become one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17. And that Believers are Members of Chriſt's Body, of his Fleſh, and of his Bones; and they two, Chriſt and the Church, are one fleſh, Eph. 5.30, 31. Furthermore, this Union is illuſtrated in Scripture by various reſemblances, which would be very much unlike the things which they are made uſe of to reſemble, and would rather ſeem to beguile us by obſcuring the Truth, than inſtruct us by illuſtrating of it, if there were no true proper Union betwixt Chriſt and Believers. It is reſembled by the Union betwixt God the Father and Chriſt, Jo. 14.20. and 17.21, 22, 23. betwixt the Vine and its Branches, Joh. 15.4, 5. betwixt the Head and Body, Epheſ. 1.22.23. betwixt Bread and the Eater, Joh. 6.51, 53, 54. It is not only reſembled but ſealed in the Lords Supper, where neither the Popiſh Tranſubſtantiation, nor the Lutherans Conſubſtantiation, nor the Proteſtants ſpiritual Preſence of Chriſt's Body and Blood to the true Receivers can ſtand without it, and if we can imagine that Chriſt's Body and Blood are not truely eaten and drunk by Believers either ſpiritually or corporally, we ſhall make the Bread and Wine joyned with the Words of Inſtitution, not only naked Signs, but ſuch Signs as are much more apt to breed falſe Notions in us, than to eſtabliſh us in the Truth. And there is nothing in this Union ſo impoſſible or repugnant to Reaſon, as may force us to depart from the plain and familiar ſence of thoſe Scriptures that expreſs and illuſtrate it. Though Chriſt be in Heaven and we on Earth, yet he can joyn our Souls and Bodies to his at ſuch a diſtance, without any ſubſtantial Change of either, by the ſame inſinite Spirit dwelling in him and us, and ſo our Fleſh will become his, when it is quickned by his Spirit, and his Fleſh ours as truly as if we did eat his Fleſh, and drink his Blood, and he will be in us himſelf by his Spirit who is one with him, and who can unite more cloſely to Chriſt than any material Subſtance can do, or who can make a more cloſe and intimate Union betwixt Chriſt and us. And it will not follow from hence that a Believer is one Perſon with Chriſt, any more than that Chriſt is one Perſon with the Father by that greater myſtical Union. Neither will a Believer be hereby made God's, but only the Temple of God, as Chriſt's Body and Soul is, and the Spirits lively Inſtrument, rather than the principal Cauſe? Neither will a Believer be neceſſarily perfectin Holineſs here by, or Chriſt made a Sinner, for Chriſt knoweth how to dwell in a Believer by certain meaſures and degrees, and to make them holy ſo far only as he dwelleth in them. And though this Union ſeem too high a Preferment for ſuch unworthy Creatures as we are, yet conſidering the preciouſneſs of the Blood of God whereby we are redeemed, we ſhould diſhonour God if we ſhould not expect a miraculous Advancement to the higheſt Dignity that Creatures are capable of through the Merits of that Blood. Neither is there any thing in this Union contrary to the Judgment of Senſe, becauſe the Bond of the Union being Spiritual, falleth not at all under the Judgment of Senſe.
Several learned Men of late acknowledge no other Union betwixt Chriſt and Believers, than ſuch as perſons or things wholly ſeparated, may have by their mutual relations each to other, and accordingly they interpret the places of Scripture that ſpeak of this Union. When Chriſt is called the Head of the Church, they account that a Political Head or Governour is the thing meant when Chriſt is ſaid to be in his People, and they in him, they think that the proper meaning is, that Chriſt's Law, Doctrine, Grace, Salvation, or that Godlineſs is in them, and embraced by them; ſo that Chriſt here muſt not be taken for Chriſt himſelf, but for ſome other thing wrought in them by Chriſt. When Chriſt and Believers are ſaid to be one Spirit and one Fleſh, they underſtand it of the Agreement of their Minds and Affections, as if the greatneſs of the Myſtery of this Union mentioned, Epheſ. 5.32. conſiſted rather in a harſh Hope, or a dark improper Expreſſion, than in the depth and abſtruceneſs of the thing it ſelf, and as if Chriſt and his Apoſtles had affected obſcure intricate Expreſſions, when they ſpeak to this Church of things very plain and eaſie to be underſtood. Thus that great Myſtery the Union of Believers with Chriſt himſelf, which is the Glory of the Church, and hath been highly owned formerly both by the ancient Fathers, and many eminent Proteſtant Divines, particular Writers concerning the Doctrine of the Lord's Supper, and by a very general Conſent of the Church in many Ages, is now exploded out of the new Model of Divinity. The Reaſon of exploding it, as I judge in Charity, is not becauſe our late learned Refiners of Divinity think themſelves leſs able to defend it than the other two myſterious Unions, and to ſilence the Objections of thoſe proud Sophiſters that will not believe what they cannot comprehend; but rather becauſe they account it to be one of the Sinnews of Antinomianiſm that lay unobſerved in the former uſual Doctrine; that it tendeth to puff up Men with a Perſwaſion that they are juſtified, and have eternal Life in them already, and that they need not depend any longer upon their uncertain Performances of the Condition of ſincere Obedience for Salvation, whereby they account the very Foundation of a holy Practice to be ſubverted. But the Wiſdom of God hath laid another manner of Foundation for an holy Practice than they imagine, of which this Union, (which the Builders refuſe) is a principal ſtone next to the head of the corner. And in oppoſition to their corrupt Gloſſes upon the Scriptures that prove it, I aſſert that our Union with Christ is the cauſe of our Subjection to Christ as a Political Head in all things, and of the abiding of his Law, Doctrine, Grace, Salvation, and all Godlineſs in us, and of our Agreement with him in our Minds and Affections, and therefore it cannot be altogether the ſame thing with them. And this Aſſertion is uſeful for a better Underſtanding of the Excellency of this Union. It is not a Priviledge procured by our ſincere Obedience and Holineſs, as ſome may imagine, or a reward of good works reſerved for us in another World; but it is a Priviledge beſtowed upon Believers in their very first entrance into an holy ſtate, on which all ability to do good works doth depend, and all ſincere Obedience to the Law doth follow after it as Fruit produced by it.
Having thus far explained the Direction, I ſhall now ſhew, that though the Truth contained in it be above the Search of Natural Reaſon, yet it is evidently diſcovered to thoſe that have their Underſtandings opened to diſcern that ſupernatural Revelation of the myſterious way of Sanctification which God hath given to us in the holy Scriptures.
First, There are ſeveral Places in Scripture that do plainly expreſs it; ſome Texts ſhew th… all things pertaining to our ſalvation, are treaſured … for us in Christ, and comprehended in his fulneſs, … that we muſt have them thence, or … at all Col. 1.19. It pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell. And in the ſame Epiſtle, Col. 2.11, 12, 13. The Apoſtle ſheweth that the holy Nature whereby we live to God, was firſt produced in him by his death and reſurrection, in whom alſo ye are circumciſed in putting off the body of the ſins of the fleſh, buried with him, quickened together with him when you were dead in your ſins, Epheſ. 1.3. Who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Christ. An holy Frame of Spirit with all its neceſſary Qualifications, muſt needs be comprehended here in all ſpiritual Bleſſings, and theſe are given us in Chriſt's Perſon in heavenly places, as prepared and treaſured up in him for us while we are upon Earth, and therefore we muſt have our holy Endowments out of him, or not at all. In this Text ſome chuſe rather to read heavenly things, as in the Margent, becauſe neither places nor things are expreſſed in the Original; but the former textual reading is to be preferred before the Marginals as being the proper Senſe of the Original Greek Phraſe, which is, and muſt neceſſarily be ſo rendred in two other Places of this ſame Epiſtle, Chap. 3.10. & 6.12. Another Text is 1 Cor. 1.30. which ſheweth that Christ is of God made unto us Sanctification, by which we are able to walk holily as well as wiſely, by the Wiſdom of which we are ſavingly wiſe, and Righteouſneſs by the Imputation of which we are juſtified, and Redemption whereby we are redeemed from all Miſery, to the Enjoyment of his Glory, as our Happineſs in the heavenly Kingdom. Other Texts of Scripture ſhew plainly that we receive our Holineſs out of his fulneſs by Fellowſhip with him, Joh. 1.16, 17. Of his fulneſs have we all received, and grace for grace. And it is underſtood of Grace anſwerable to the Law given by Moſes, which muſt needs include the Grace of Sanctification, 1 Joh. 1.3, 5, 6, 7. Truly our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Christ. God is Light, if we walk in the light, as he is in the light we have fellowſhip one with another. Hence we may infer that our Fellowſhip with God and Chriſt doth include particularly our having Light, and walking in it holily and righteouſly. There are other Texts that reach the Proof of the whole Direction fully, ſhewing not only that our holy Endowments are made ready firſt in Chriſt for us, and receiv'd from, but that we receive them by Union with Chriſt, Col. 3.10, 11. Ye have put on the new man, which is renewed after the image of him that created him, where Chriſt is all and in all, 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit, Gal. 2.20. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, 1 Joh. 5.11, 12. This is the recerd that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life. Can we deſire that God ſhould more clearly teach us, that all the fulneſs of the New Man is in Chriſt, and all that ſpiritual nature and Life whereby we live to God in Holineſs, and that they are fixed in him ſo inſeparably, that we can not have them except we be joyned to him, and have himſelf abiding in us? Take heed leſt through Prejudice and Hardneſs of Heart, you be guilty of making God a Liar in not believing this eminent Record that God hath given to us of his Son.
Secondly, God is pleaſed to illuſtrate this myſterious manner of our Sanctification by ſuch variety of Similitudes and Reſemblances, as may put us out of doubt that it is Truth, and ſuch a Truth as we are highly concern'd to know and believe. I ſhall endeavour to contract the chief of theſe Reſemblances, and the force of them, briefly into one Sentence, leaving it to thoſe that are Spiritual to enlarge their Meditations upon them. We receive from Chriſt a new holy frame and nature, whereby we are enabled for an holy Practice by union and fellowſhip with him, in like manner as Chriſt lived in our nature by the Father, Joh. 6.57. As we receive original ſin and death propagated to us from the first Adam, Rom. 5.12, 14, 16, 17. as the natural Body receiveth Senſe, Motion, Nouriſhment from the Head, Col. 2.19. As the Branch receiveth its Sap, Juiceand fructifying Virtue from the Vine, Jo. 15.4, 5 As the Wife bringeth forth Fruit by Virtue of her Conjugal Union with her Husband, Rom. 7.4. As Stones become an holy Temple by being built upon the Foundation and joyned with the chief corner-ſtone, 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5, 6. As we receive the nouriſhing Virtue of Bread by eating it, and of Wine by drinking it, Joh. 6.51, 55, 57. Which laſt Reſemblance is uſed to ſeal to us our Communion with Chriſt in the Lords Supper. Hear are ſeven Reſemblances inſtanced whereof ſome do illuſtrate the Myſtery ſpoken of more fully than others, all of them do ſome way intimate that our New Life and Holy Nature is firſt in Chriſt, and then in us, by a true proper Union and Fellowſhip with him. If any ſhould urge that the Similitude of Adam and his Seed, and of married Couples, do make rather for a Relative, than a real Union betwixt Chriſt and us; let them conſider that all Nations are really made of one Blood which was firſt in Adam, Acts 17.26. and that the firſt Woman was made out of the Body of Adam, and was really bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh, and by this firſt married Couple the myſtical Union of Chriſt and his Church is eminently reſembled, Gen. 2.22, 23, 24. with Epheſ. 5.30, 31, 32. And yet it ſuppoſeth both theſe Reſemblances in the nearneſs and fulneſs of it, becauſe thoſe that are joyned to the Lord are not only one Fleſh, but one Spirit with him.
Thirdly, The end of Chriſt's Incarnation, Death and Reſurrection, was to prepare and form an holy Nature and Frame for us in himſelf, to be communicated to us by Union and Fellowſhip with him; and not to enable us to produce in our ſelves the firſt Original of ſuch an holy Nature by our own Endeavours. By his Incarnation there was a Man created in a new holy Frame, after the Holineſs of the firſt Adam's Frame had been marred and aboliſhed by the firſt Tranſgreſſion, and this new Frame was far more excellent than ever the firſt Adam's was; becauſe Man was really joyned to God by a cloſe inſeparable Union of the divine and humane Nature in one Perſon of Chriſt, ſo that theſe Natures had Communion each with other in their Actings, and Chriſt was able to act in his humane Nature, by Power proper to the divine Nature, wherein he was one God with the Father. The words that he ſpake while he was upon Earth, he ſpoke not of himſelf by any meer humane Power, but the Father that dwelt in him, he did the Works, Joh. 14.10. Why was it that Chriſt ſet up the fallen Nature of Man in ſuch a wonderful Frame of Holineſs, in bringing of it to live and act by Communion with God living and acting in it? One great End was, that he might communicate this excellent Frame to his Seed that ſhould be born of him and in him, by his Spirit as the laſt Adam, the quickning Spirit, that as we have born the Image of the earthly Man, ſo we might alſo bear the Image of the heavenly, 1 Cor. 15.45, 49. in Holineſs here, and in Glory hereafter. Thus he was born Emanuel God with us, becauſe the fulneſs of the Godhead with all Holineſs did firſt dwell in him bodily, even in his humane Nature, that we might be filled up with that fulneſs in him, Mat. 1.23. Col. 2.9, 10. Thus he came down from Heaven as living Bread, that as he liveth by the Father, ſo thoſe that eat him may live by him, Joh. 6.51, 56. By the ſame Life of God in them that was firſt in him.
By his Death he freed himſelf from the Guilt of our Sins imputed to him, and from all that innocent Weakneſs of his humane Nature, which he has born for a time for our ſakes. And by freeing himſelf he prepared a Freedom for us from our whole natural Condition, which is both weak as his was, and alſo polluted with our Guilt and ſinful Corruption. Thus the corrupt natural State, which is called in Scripture the Old Man, was crucified together with Chriſt, that the Body of Sin might be deſtroyed. And it is deſtroyed in us, not by any Wounds that we our ſelves can give to it, but by our partaking of that Freedom from it and Death unto it, that is already wrought out for us by the Death of Chriſt, as is ſignified by our Baptiſm, wherein we are buried with Chriſt by the Application of his Death to us, Rom. 6.2, 3, 4, 10, 11. God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh for Sin, (or by a Sacrifice for Sin, as in the Margent) condemned Sin in the Fleſh, that the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us that walk not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.3, 4. Obſerve here that though Chriſt died that we might be juſtified by the Righteouſneſs of God and of Faith, not by our own Righteouſneſs which is of the Law, Rom. 10.4, 5, 6. Phil. 3.9. yet he died alſo that the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us, and that by walking after his Spirit, as thoſe that are in Chriſt, Rom. ibid. He is reſembled in his Death to a Corn of Wheat dying in the Earth, that it may propagate its own nature, by bringing forth much Fruit, Joh. 12.24. to the Paſſover that was ſlain, that a Feaſt might be kept upon it, and to Bread broken, that it may be Nouriſhment to thoſe that eat it, 1 Cor. 5.7, 8. and 11.24. To the Rock ſmitten that Water may guſh out of it for us to drink, 1 Cor. 10.4. He died that he might make of Jew and Gentile one New Man in himſelf, Epheſ. 2.15. and that he might ſee his ſeed, i. e. ſuch as derive their holy Nature from him, Iſ. 53.10. Let theſe Scriptures be well obſerved, and they will ſufficiently evidence that Chriſt died, not that we might be able to form an holy Nature in our ſelves, but that we might receive one ready prepared and formed in Chriſt for us by Union and Fellowſhip with him.
By his Reſurrection he took Poſſeſſion of Spiritual life for us, as now fully procured for us, and made to be our Right and Property, by the Merit of his Death, and therefore we are ſaid to be quickned together with Chriſt, even when we were dead in ſins, and to be raiſed up together, yea, and to be made to ſit together in heavenly Places in Chriſt Jeſus as our Head, while we continue upon Earth in our own Perſons, Epheſ. 2.5, 6. His Reſurrection was our Reſurrection to the Life of Holineſs, as Adam's Fall was our Fall into ſpiritual Death; and we are not our ſelves the firſt makers and formers of our new holy Nature any more than of our Original Corruption, but both are formed ready for us to partake of them. And by Union with Chriſt we partake of that ſpiritual Life that he took Poſſeſſion of for us at his Reſurrection, and thereby we are enabled to bring forth the Fruits of it, as the Scripture ſheweth by the Similitude of a Marriage Union, Rom. 7.4. We are married to him that is riſen from the Dead, that we might bring forth Fruit unto God. Baptiſm ſignifieth the Application of Chriſt's Reſurrection to us as well as his Death; we are raiſed up with him in it to newneſs of Life, as well as buried with him, and we are taught thereby that becauſe he died unto ſin once and liveth unto God, we ſhould likewiſe reckon our ſelves to be dead indeed unto Sin, and alive unto God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 6.4, 5, 10, 11.
Fourthly, Our Sanctification is by the Holy Ghoſt, by whom we live and walk holily, Rom. 15.16. Gal. 5.25. Now the Holy Ghoſt firſt reſted on Chriſt in all fulneſs that he might be communicated from him to us, as was ſignified to John the Baptiſt by the Similitude of the deſcending of a Dove from the opened Heavens reſting on Chriſt at his Baptiſm, Joh. 1.32.33. And when he ſanctifieth us he baptizeth us into Chriſt, and joyneth us to Chriſt by himſelf, as the great Bond of Union, 1 Cor. 12.13. So that according to the Scriptural Phraſe, it is all one to have Chriſt himſelf and to have the Spirit of Chriſt in us, Rom. 8.9, 10. He glorifieth Chriſt, for he receiveth thoſe things that are Chriſt's, and ſheweth them to us, Joh. 16.14, 15. He giveth us an experimental Knowledge of thoſe ſpiritual Bleſſings which he himſelf prepared for us by the Incarnation, Death and Reſurrection of Chriſt.
Fifthly, The effectual Cauſes of thoſe four principal Endowments, which in the foregoing Direction were aſſerted, neceſſary to furniſh us for the immediate Practice of Holineſs, are comprehended in the fulneſs of Chriſt, and treaſured up for us in him; and the Endowment themſelves, together with their Cauſes, are attained richly by Union and Fellowſhip with Chriſt. If we be joyned to Chriſt, our Hearts will be no longer left under the Power of ſinful Inclinations, or in a meer indifferency of Inclination to good or evil, but they will be powerfully endued, with a Power, Bent, and Propenſity to the Practice of Holineſs by the Spirit of Chriſt dwelling in us, and inclining us to mind ſpiritual things, and to luſt againſt the Fleſh, Rom. 8.1, 4, 5. Gal. 5.17. And we have in Chriſt a full Reconciliation with God, and an Advancement into higher Favour with him than the firſt Adam had in the State of Innocency, becauſe the Righteouſneſs that Chriſt wrought out for us by his Obedience unto Death, is imputed to us for our Juſtification, which is called the Righteouſneſs of God, becauſe it was wrought by one that is God as well as Man, and therefore it is of an infinite value to ſatisfie the Juſtice of God for all our ſins, and to procure his Pardon and higheſt Favour for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. Rom. 1.19. And that we may be perſwaded of this Reconciliation, we receive the Spirit of Adoption through Chriſt, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, Rom. 8.15. Hereby alſo we are perſwaded of our future Enjoyment, of the everlaſting heavenly Happineſs, and of ſufficient Strength both to will and to perform our Duty acceptably, until we come to that Enjoyment. For the Spirit of Adoption teacheth us to conclude, that if we be the Children of God, then we are heirs of God, joynt-heirs with Chriſt. And that the Law of the Spirit of Life that is in Chriſt Jeſus, maketh us free from the Law of Sin and Death, and that nothing ſhall be againſt us, nothing ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of God in Chriſt, but in all oppoſition and difficulties that we meet with, we ſhall be at laſt more than conquerours through him that loved us, Rom. 8.17.23, 35, 37, 39. Furthermore this comfortable Perſwaſion of our Juſtification and future Happineſs, and all ſaving Priviledges cannot tend to licentiouſneſs, as it is given only in this way of Union with Chriſt, becauſe it is joyned inſeparably with the Gift of Sanctification, by the Spirit of Chriſt, ſo that we cannot have Juſtication, or any ſaving Priviledge in Chriſt, except we receive Chriſt himſelf, and his Holineſs, as well as any other Benefit, as the Scripture teſtifieth that there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.1.
Sixthly, Whereas it may be doubted, whether the Saints that lived before the coming of Chriſt in the Fleſh, could poſſibly be one Fleſh with him, and receive a new Nature by Union and Fellowſhip with him, as prepared for them in his fulneſs, we are to know that the ſame Chriſt that took our Fleſh was before Abraham, Joh. 8.58. and was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World, to be ſacrificed as a Lamb without blemiſh, that he might redeem us from all iniquity by his precious Blood, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19, 20. and he had the ſame Spirit, then which filled his humane Nature with all its fulneſs afterwards, and raiſed it from the dead, and he gave that Spirit then to the Church, 1 Pet. 1.11. & 3.18, 19. Now this Spirit was able and effectual to unite thoſe Saints to that Fleſh which Chriſt was to take to himſelf in the fulneſs of Time, becauſe he was the ſame in both, and to give out to them, that Grace with which Chriſt would afterwards fill his Fleſh for their Salvation, as well as ours. Therefore David accounted Chriſt's Fleſh to be his, and ſpake of Chriſt's Death and Reſurrection, as his own before hand, as fully as any of us can do ſince their Accompliſhment. Pſal. 16.9, 10, 11. My fleſh alſo ſhall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my ſoul in hell, neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holy one to ſee corruption, thou wilt ſhew me the path of life. Yea, and Saints before Davids time, did all eat of the ſame ſpiritual meat, and drink of the ſame ſpiritual drink, even of the ſame Chriſt as we do, and therefore were Partakers of the ſame Priviledge of Union and Fellowſhip with Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10.3, 4. And when Chriſt was manifeſted in the Fleſh, in the fulneſs of time, all things in Heaven and on Earth, all the Saints departed whoſe Spirits were then made perfect in Heaven, as well as the Saints that then were, or ſhould afterward be on Earth, were gathered together in one, and comprehended in Chriſt, as their Head, Epheſ. 1.10. And he was the chief corner-ſtone in whom the building of the whole Church upon the foundation of the Prophets before, and the Apoſtles after his comming being fitly fromed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, Epheſ. 2.20, 21. Jeſus Christ is the ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever, Heb. 13.8. His incarnation, death, and reſurrection were the cauſe of all the Holineſs that ever was, or ſhall be given to Man, from the Fall of Adam to the end of the World, and that by the mighty Power of his Spirit whereby all Saints that ever were or ſhall be, are joyned together, to be Members of that one myſtical Body whereof he is the Head.