The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, Direction 4
DIRECT. IV.
The Means or Inſtruments whereby the Spirit of God accompliſheth our Ʋnion with Chriſt, and our Fellowſhip with him in all Holineſs, are, the Goſpel whereby Chriſt entereth into our Hearts to work Faith in us, and Faith whereby we actually receive Chriſt himſelf, with all his Fulneſs, into our Hearts. And this Faith is a Grace of the Spirit, whereby we heartily believe the Goſpel, and alſo believe on Chriſt, as he is revealed and freely promiſed to us therein, for all his Salvation.
EXPLICATION.
THAT which I aſſerted in the foregoing Direction, concerning the neceſſity of our being in Chriſt, and having Chriſt in us, by a myſtical Union, to enable us for an holy Practice, might put us to a ſtand in our Endeavours for Holineſs, becauſe we cannot imagine how we ſhould be able to raiſe our ſelves above our natural Sphere, to his glorious Union and Fellowſhip, until God be pleaſed to make known to us, by ſupernatural revelation, the means whereby his Spirit maketh us Partakers of ſo high a Privilege. But God is pleaſed to help us at a ſtand to go on forward, by revealing two Means or Inſtruments, whereby his Spirit accompliſheth the myſtical Union and Fellowſhip betwixt Chriſt and us, and whereby rational Creatures are capable of attaining thereunto, by his Spirit working in them. One of theſe Means is the Goſpel of the Grace of God, wherein God doth make known to us the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt, and Chriſt in us the hope of Glory, Eph. 3.8. Col. 1.27. and doth alſo invite us, and command us to believe on Chriſt for his Salvation, and doth encourage us by a free Promiſe of that Salvation, to all that believe on him, Acts 16.31. Rom. 10.9, 11. This is God's own Inſtrument of Conveyance, wherein he ſendeth Chriſt to us, to bleſs us with his Salvation, Acts 3.26. It is the miniſtration of the ſpirit, and of righteouſneſs, 2 Cor. 3.6, 8, 9. Faith cometh by the hearing of it, and therefore it is a great inſtrument whereby we are begotten in Chriſt, and Chriſt is formed in us, Rom. 10.16, 17. 1 Cor. 4.15. Gal. 4.19. There is no need for us to ſay in our Hearts, Who ſhall aſcend into Heaven, to bring Chriſt down from above? Or, who ſhall deſcend into the deep, to bring up Chriſt from the dead, that we may be united, and have fellowſhip with him in his death and reſurrection? For the word is nigh to us, the Goſpel, the word of Faith, in which Chriſt himſelf graciouſly condeſcendeth to be nigh to us; ſo that we may come at him there, without going any further, if we deſire to be joyned to him, Rom. 10.6, 7, 8.
The other of theſe means is Faith, that is wrought in us by the Goſpel: This is our Inſtrument of Reception, whereby the Union betwixt Chriſt and us is accompliſhed on our part by our actual receiving of Chriſt himſelf, with all his Fulneſs, into our Hearts; which is the principal Subject of the preſent Explanation.
The Faith which Philoſophers commonly treat of, is only an Habit of the Underſtanding, whereby we aſſent to a Teſtimony upon the Authority of the Teſtifier: Accordingly ſome would have Faith in Chriſt to be no more than a believing the truth of things in Religion, upon the authority of Chriſt teſtifying them; but the Apoſtle ſheweth, that the Faith whereby we are juſtified, is Faith in Chriſt's Blood, Rom. 3.24, 25. not only in his Authority as a Teſtifier. And tho' a meer aſſent to a Teſtimony were ſufficient Faith for knowledge of things, which the Philoſophers aimed at, yet we are to conſider, that the Deſign of Saving Faith is not only to know the Truth of Chriſt and his Salvation, teſtified and promiſed in the Goſpel, but alſo to apprehend and receive Chriſt and his Salvation, as given by and with the Promiſe. Therefore Saving Faith muſt neceſſarily contain two Acts, believing the Truth of the Goſpel, and believing on Chriſt, as promiſed freely to us in the Goſpel for all Salvation. By the one it receiveth the Means wherein Chriſt is conveyed to us; by the other it receiveth Chriſt himſelf and his Salvation in the Means. As it's one act to receive the Breaſt or Cup wherein Milk or Wine are conveyed, and another act to ſuck the Milk in the Breaſt, and to drink the Wine in the Cup, and both theſe acts muſt be perform'd heartily with an unfeigned love to the Truth, and a deſire of Chriſt and his Salvation above all things; this is our ſpiritual Appetite, which is neceſſary for our eating and drinking Chriſt, the Food of Life, as a natural Appetite is for Bodily Nouriſhment. Our aſſenting unto, or believing the Goſpel, muſt not be forced by meer conviction of the Truth, ſuch as wicked Men and Devils may be brought to, when they had rather it were falſe: Neither muſt our believing on Chriſt be only conſtrained for fear of Damnation without any hearty Love and Deſire towards the enjoyment of him, but we muſt receive the Love of the Truth, by reliſhing the Goodneſs and Excellency of it; and we muſt account all things loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, and count them but dung, that we may win Chriſt, and be found in him, 2 Theſſ. 2.10. Phil. 3.8, 9. eſteeming Chriſt to be all our Salvation and Happineſs, Col. 3.11. in whom all fulneſs doth dwell, Col. 1.19. And this Love muſt be to every part of Chriſt's Salvation, to Holineſs as well as Forgiveneſs of Sins. We muſt deſire earneſtly, that God would create in us a clean Heart, and right Spirit, as well as hide his face from our ſins, Pſal. 51.9, 10. not like many, that care for nothing in Chriſt but only Deliverance from Hell. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, for they ſhall be filled, Mat. 5.6. The former of theſe Acts doth not immediately unite us to Chriſt, becauſe it is terminated only on the means of Conveyance, the Goſpel, yet it is a ſaving Act, if it be rightly performed, becauſe it enclineth and diſpoſeth the Soul to the latter Act, whereby Chriſt himſelf is immediately received into the Heart. He that believeth the Goſpel with hearty love and liking, as the moſt Excellent Truth, will certainly with the like heartineſs believe on Chriſt for his Salvation. They that know the name of the Lord, will certainly put their truſt in him, Pſal. 9.10. Therefore in Scripture, Saving-Faith is ſometimes deſcribed by the former of theſe Acts, as if it were a meer believing the Goſpel; ſometimes by the latter, as a believing on Chriſt or in Chriſt. Rom. 10.9. If thou believe in thine heart that God raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved. 11, the Scripture ſaith, Whoſoever believeth on him ſhall not be aſhamed. 1 John 5.1. Whoſoever believeth that Jeſus is the Chriſt is born of God. 13, Theſe things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
For the better underſtanding of the nature of Faith, let it be further obſerved, that the Second and Principal of it, believing on Chriſt, includeth believing on God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, becauſe they are one and the ſame infinite God, and they all concurr in our Salvation by Chriſt, as the only Mediator betwixt God and us, in whom all the promiſes of God are yea and amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. By him, as mediator, we believe on God that raiſed him from the dead, and gave him glory, that our faith and hope might be in God, 1 Pet. 1.21. And it is the ſame thing with truſting on God or on the Lord, which is ſo highly commended in the whole Scripture, eſpecially in the Old Teſtament, as may eaſily appear by conſidering that it hath the ſame Cauſes, Effects, Objects, Adjuncts, Oppoſites, and all the ſame Circumſtances, excepting only that it had a reſpect to Chriſt, as promiſed before his Coming, and now it reſpecteth him, as already come in the Fleſh. Believing in the Lord, and truſting on his Salvation, are equivalent terms, that explain one another, Pſal. 78.22. I confeſs, that truſting on things ſeen or known by the meer Light of Reaſon, as on our own Wiſdom, Power, Riches, on Princes, or any Arm of Fleſh, may not ſo properly be called believing on them, but truſting on a Saviour, as diſcovered by a Teſtimony is properly believing on him. It is alſo the ſame thing that is expreſſed by the terms of reſting, relying, leaning, ſtaying our ſelves on the Lord, becauſe it is the Ground of that Expectation that is the proper Act of Hope, though our Believing and Truſting be for the preſent as well as future benefit of this Salvation. The reaſon why it is ſo commonly expreſſed in the Scriptures of the New Teſtament, by the terms of believing on Chriſt, might be probably becauſe when that part of Scripture was written, there was cauſe in a ſpecial manner to urge believing the Teſtimony that was then newly revealed by the Goſpel.
Having thus explained the nature of Faith, I come now to aſſert its proper Uſe and Office in our Salvation, That it is the Means and Inſtrument whereby we receive Chriſt, and all his Fulneſs, actually into our Hearts. This excellent Uſe and Office of Faith is encountered by a multitude of Errors; men naturally eſteem, that it is too ſmall and ſlight a thing to produce ſo great effects; as Naaman thought waſhing in Jordan too ſmall a matter for the cure of his Leproſie. They contemn the true means of entring in at the ſtreight Gate, becauſe they ſeem too eaſie for ſuch purpoſe, and thereby they make the Entrance not only difficult, but impoſſible to themſelves. Some will allow, that Faith is the ſole Condition of our Juſtification, and the Inſtrument to receive it, according to the Doctrine maintained formerly by the Proteſtants againſt the Papiſts, but they account, that it is not ſufficient or effectual to Sanctification, but that it rather tendeth to Licentiouſneſs, if it be not joyned with ſome other means, that may be powerful and effectual to procure an holy Practice. They commend this great Doctrine of Proteſtants as a comfortable Cordial for Perſons upon their Deathbeds, or in Agonies under Terrors of Conſcience, but they account, that it is not good for ordinary Food, and that it is Wiſdom in Miniſters to preach it ſeldom and ſparingly, and not without ſome Antidote or Corrective to prevent the licentiouſneſs to which it tendeth. Their common Antidote or Corrective is, That Sanctification is neceſſary to Salvation as well as Juſtification, and that though we be juſtified by Faith, yet we are ſanctified by our own performance of the Law; and ſo they ſet up Salvation by works, and make the Grace of Juſtification to be of none effect, and not at all comfortable. If it had indeed ſuch a malignant influence upon Practice, it could not be owned as a Doctrine proceeding from the moſt holy God, and all the Comfort that it affords muſt needs be ungrounded and deceitful. This Conſequence is well underſtood by ſome late Refiners of the Proteſtant Religion, and therefore they have thought fit to new-model this Doctrine, and to make Saving-Faith to be only a Condition to procure a Right and Title to our Juſtification by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which muſt be performed before we can lay any good claim to the enjoyment of it, and before we have any right to the actual receiving of it; and this they call an accepting of, or receiving Chriſt. And that they may the better ſecure the practice of Holineſs by their Conditional Faith, they will not have truſting on God or Chriſt for Salvation to be accounted the principal Saving-act of it, becauſe as it ſeemeth to them, many looſe wicked People truſt on God and Chriſt for their Salvation, as much as others, and are by their Confidence hardened the more in their Wickedneſs: But they had rather it ſhould be Obedience to all Chriſt's Laws, at leaſt, in their Reſolution, or a Conſent that Chriſt ſhould be their Lord, accepting of his terms of Salvation, and a reſignation of themſelves to his Government in all things. It is a ſign that the Scripture-form of Teaching is grown into diſeſteem with our great Maſters of Reaſon, when truſting in the Lord, ſo much commended in Scripture, is accounted a mean and ordinary thing. They endeavour to affright us from owning Faith to be an Inſtrument of Juſtification, by telling us, that thereby we that uſe the Inſtrument are made our own principal Juſtifiers to the diſhonour of God; though it might be eaſily anſwered, that we are made thereby only the principal receivers of our own Juſtification from God, the Giver of it, to whom all the Glory doth belong.
All theſe Errors will fall, if it can be proved, that ſuch a Faith as I have deſcribed is an Inſtrument whereby we actually receive Chriſt himſelf into our Hearts, and Holineſs of Heart and Life, as well as Juſtification by Union and Fellowſhip with him. For the proof of it, I ſhall offer the following Arguments.
Firſt, By Faith we have the actual enjoyment and poſſeſſion of Chriſt himſelf, and not only of Remiſſion of Sins, but of Life, and ſo of Holineſs: Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by faith, Epheſ. 3.17. We live to God, and yet not we, but Chriſt liveth in us by the Faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2.19. 20. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the Son and everlaſting life that is in him, 1 John 5.12, 13. John 3.36. He that heareth Chriſt's word, and believeth on him that ſent Chriſt, hath everlaſting life, and is paſſed from death unto life. Theſe Texts expreſs clearly ſuch a Faith as I have deſcribed; therefore the efficiency or operation of Faith, in order to the enjoyment of Chriſt and his Fulneſs, cannot be the procurement of a bare Right or Title to this Enjoyment, but rather it muſt be an entrance into it, and taking poſſeſſion of it. We have our acc…ſs and entrance by faith into that Grace of Chriſt wherein we ſtand, Rom. 5.2.
Secondly, The Scripture plainly aſcribeth this effect to Faith, that by it we receive Chriſt, put him on, are rooted and grounded in him, and alſo that we receive the Spirit, remiſſion of ſins, and an inheritance among them which are ſanctified, John 1.2. Gal. 3.26, 27. Col. 2.6, 7. Gal. 3.14. Acts 26.18. And the Scripture illuſtrateth this Receiving by the Similitude of Eating and Drinking; He that believeth on Chriſt, drinketh the living water of his ſpirit, John 7.37, 38, 39. Chriſt is the bread of life, his fleſh is meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed; and the way to eat and drink it, is to believe in Chriſt, and by ſo doing we dwell in Chriſt, and Chriſt in us, and have everlaſting Life, John 6.35, 47, 48, 54, 55, 56. How can it be taught more clearly, that we receive Chriſt himſelf properly into our Souls by Faith, as we do receive Food into our Bodies by eating and drinking, and that Chriſt is as truly united to us thereby as our Food when we eat or drink it? So that Faith cannot be a Condition to procure a meer Right or Title to Chriſt, no more than Eating or Drinking procureth a meer Right or Title to our Food, but it is rather an Inſtrument to receive it, as the Mouth that eateth and drinketh the Food.
Thirdly, Chriſt with all his Salvation is freely given by the Grace of God, to all that believe on him; for we are ſaved by Grace through Faith, and that not of our ſelves, it is the Giſt of God, Eph. 2.8, 9. We are juſtified freely by his Grace, through Faith in his blood, Rom. 8.24. The Holy Ghoſt, who is the Bond of Union betwixt Chriſt and us, is a Gift, Acts 2.38. Now that which is a Gift of Grace muſt not be at all earned, purchaſed, or procured by any Work or Works performed as a Condition to get a right Title to it; and therefore Faith it ſelf muſt not be accounted ſuch a Condition. If it be by Grace, it is no more of Works, otherwiſe Grace is no more Grace, Rom. 11.1. The Condition of a free Gift is only take and have; and in this ſence we will readily acknowledge Faith to be a Condition, allowing a Liberty in Terms where we agree in the thing; but if you give a Peppercorn to purchaſe a Title to it, then you ſpoil the freeneſs of the Gift. The free Offer of Chriſt to you is ſufficient to conferr upon you a Right, yea, to make it your Duty to receive Chriſt and his Salvation as yours; and becauſe we receive Chriſt by Faith as a free Gift, therefore we may account Faith to be the Inſtrument, and as it were the Hand whereby we receive him.
Fourthly, It hath been already proved, that all ſpiritual Life and Holineſs is treaſured up in the Fulneſs of Chriſt, and communicated to us by Union with him; therefore the accompliſhing of Union with Chriſt is the firſt work of Saving Grace in our Hearts, and Faith itſelf, being an holy Grace, and part of ſpiritual Life, cannot be in us before the beginning of it, but rather it is given to us, and wrought in the very working of the Union. And the way wherein it conduceth to the Union, cannot be by procuring a meer Title to Chriſt as a Condition, becauſe then it ſhould be performed before the uniting Work beginneth; but rather by being an Inſtrument, whereby we may actively receive and embrace Chriſt, who is already come into the Soul to take poſſeſſion of it his own Habitation.
True Saving-Faith, ſuch as I have deſcribed, hath in its nature and manner of Operation a peculiar aptitude or fitneſs to receive Chriſt and his Salvation, and to unite our Souls unto him, and to furniſh the Soul with a new holy Nature, and to bring forth an holy Practice by Union and Fellowſhip with him. God hath fitted natural Inſtruments for their Office, as the Hands, Feet, &c. ſo that we may know by their nature and natural manner of operation, for what uſe they are deſigned. In like manner we may know, that Faith is an Inſtrument formed on purpoſe for our Union with Chriſt, and Sanctification, if we conſider what a peculiar fitneſs it hath for the Work. The diſcovery of this is of great uſe for the underſtanding of the myſterious manner of our receiving and practiſing all Holineſs by Union and Fellowſhip with Chriſt. By this precions Grace of Faith, and to make you as it were to ſee with your Eyes, that it is ſuch an Inſtrument as I have aſſerted it to be, I ſhall preſent it to your view in three particulars.
1ſt. The Grace of Faith is as well fitted for the Souls receiving of Chriſt and Union with him, as any Inſtrument of the Body is for receiving and cloſing with things needful for it. By the very act of hearty truſting or believing on Chriſt for all Salvation and Happineſs, the Soul heaveth and putteth away from itſelf every thing that keepeth it at a diſtance from Chriſt, as all confidence in our own Strength, Endeavours, Works, Privileges, or in any Worldly Pleaſures, Profits, Honours, or in any humane Helps and Succours for our Happineſs and Salvation. Becauſe ſuch Confidences are inconſiſtent with our Confidence in Chriſt for all Salvation, Paul by his Confidence in Chriſt was taken off from all Conſidence in the Fleſh; he ſuffer'd the loſs of glorying in his Privileges, legal Righteouſneſs, and counted all other Enjoyments in matters of the World or of Religion, to be but Dung, that he might win Chriſt, and be found in him, Phil. 3.3, 6, 7, 8, 9. the voice of Faith is, Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, neither will we ride upon Horſes, neither will we ſay any more to the work of our hands, ye are our God; for in thee the Fatherleſs find mercy, Hoſ. 14.3. We have no might againſt this great company of our ſpiritual Enemies; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee, 2 Chron. 20.12. I might multiply places of Scripture, to ſhew what a ſelf emptying Grace Faith is, and how it caſteth other Conſidences out of the Soul, by getting above them to Chriſt, as the only Happineſs and Salvation. The ſame act of truſting or believing on Chriſt, or on God, is the very manner of our Souls coming to Chriſt, Joh. 6.35. drawing near to the Lord, Pſal. 73.28. fleeing unto the Lord to hide us, Pſal. 143.9. making our reſuge in the ſhadow of his wings, Pſal. 57.1. ſtaying our ſelves and our minds upon the Lord, Iſa. 50.10. & 26.3. laying hold of eternal life, 1 Tim. 6.12. lifting up our ſelves to the Lord, Pſal. 51.1, 2. rolling our way, and caſting our burden upon the Lord, Pſal. 37.5. & 55.22. and of our eating and drinking Chriſt, as hath already appeared. Let us conſider, that Chriſt and his Salvation cannot be ſeen, or handled, or attained to by any bodily motion, but are revealed and promiſed to us in the Word. Now let any invent if they can, any way for the Soul to exerciſe any motion or activeneſs, in receiving of this unſeen promiſed Salvation, beſides believing the Word, and truſting on Chriſt for the Benefit promiſed. If Chriſt were to be earned by Works, or any other kind of Conditional Faith than this, yet a Faith muſt be inſtrumental to receive him. Some think Love as ſit to be the uniting Grace, but I have ſhewed, that Love to Chriſt's Salvation is an Ingredient into Faith: And though Love be an Appetite unto Union, yet we have no other likely way to fill this Appetite, while we are in this World, beſides truſt on Chriſt for all his Benefits as he is promiſed in the Goſpel.
2dly, There is in this Saving-Faith a natural Tendency, to furniſh the Soul with an holy Frame and Nature, and all Endowments neceſſary thereunto, out of the Fulneſs of Chriſt. An hearty affectionate truſſing on Chriſt for all his Salvation, as freely promiſed to us, hath naturally enough to work in our Souls a rational bent, and inclination to, and ability for the Practiſe of all Holineſs, becauſe it comprehendeth in it a truſting that through Chriſt we are dead to ſin and alive to God, and that our old man is crucified, Rom. 6.2, 6, 4. and that we live by the ſpirit, Gal. 5.25. and that we have forgiveneſs of ſin; and that God is our God, Pſal. 31.14. and that we have in the Lord righteouſneſs and ſtrength, whereby we are able to do all things, Iſa. 45.24. Phil. 4.13. and that we ſhall be glortenſly happy in the anjoyment of Chriſt to all eternity, Phil. 3.20, 21. When the Saints in Scripture ſpeak ſo highly of ſuch glorious ſpiritual Privileges as I have here named, they acquaint us with the familiar fence and language of their Faith, truſting on God and Chriſt, and they give us but an Explication of the nature and contents of it; and they ſpeak of nothing more than what they receive out of the Fulneſs of Chriſt. And how can we otherwiſe judge, but that thoſe that have an hearty Love to Chriſt, and can upon a good ground think and ſpeak ſuch high things concerning themſelves, muſt needs be heartily diſpoſed and mightily ſtrengthened for the practice of Holineſs?
3dly, Becauſe Faith hath ſuch a natural tendency to diſpoſe and ſtrengthen the Soul for the practiſe of Holineſs, we have cauſe to judge it a meet Inſtrument to accompliſh every part of that Practice in an acceptable manner. Thoſe that with a due affection believe ſtedfaſtly on Chriſt, for the free Gift of all his Salvation, may find by experience, that they are carried forth by that Faith, according to the meaſure of its Strength or Weakneſs, to love God heartily, becauſe God hath loved them; firſt, 1 Joh. 4.19. to praiſe him, to pray unto him in the name of Chriſt, Epheſ. 5.26. John 16.26, 27. to be patient with cheerfulneſs under all afflictions, giving thanks to the Father, that hath called them to his heavenly inheritance, Col. 1.11, 12. to love all the children of God, out of love to their heavenly Father, 1 John 5.1. to walk as Chriſt walked, 1 John 2.6. and to give themſelves up to live to Chriſt in all things, as conſtrained by his love in dying for them, 2 Cor. 5.14. We have a Cloud of Witneſſes concerning the excellent works that were produced by Faith, Heb. 11. And though truſting on Chriſt be accounted ſuch a ſlight and contemptible thing, yet I know no Work of Obedience which it is not able to produce. And note the excellent manner of working by Faith; by it we live and act in all good Works, as People in Chriſt, as raiſed above our ſelves and our natural ſtate, by partaking of him and his Salvation; and we do all in his name, and on his account. This is the Practice of that myſterious manner of living to God in Holineſs, which is peculiar to the Chriſtian Religion, wherein we live, and yet not we, but Chriſt liveth in us, Gal. 2.20. And who can imagine any other way but this for ſuch a Practice, while Chriſt and his Salvation is known to us only by the Goſpel?
The explanation that I have made of the Nature and Office of true Faith, and of its Aptitude for its Office, is ſufficient to evidence, that it is a moſt holy Faith, as it is called Jude 20. and that ſuch a truſting on Chriſt, as I have deſcribed, in its own nature, cannot have any tendency to Licentiouſneſs, but only to Holineſs; and that it rooteth and groundeth us in Holineſs more than the meer accepting of any terms of Salvation, and conſenting to have Chriſt for our Lord can do, and is more powerful to ſecure an holy Practice, than any of thoſe Reſolutions of Obedience or reſignating Acts, that ſome would have to be the great conditions of our ſalvation, which are indeed no better than hypocritical Acts, if they be not produc'd by this Faith. There is indeed a counterfeit dead Faith, ſuch as wicked men may have, and if that tend to Licentiouſneſs, let not true Faith be blamed, but rather mark the Deſcription of it which I have given, that you may not be deceived with a counterfeit Faith inſtead of it. I ſhall add ſomething concerning the efficient cauſe of this excellent Grace, and of our Union with Chriſt by it, whereby it may appear, that it is not ſo ſlight and eaſie a way of Salvation as ſome may imagine. The Author and Finiſher of our Faith and of our Union and Fellowſhip with Chriſt by Faith, is no leſs than the infinite Spirit of God, and God and Chriſt himſelf by the Spirit; for, by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body of Chriſt, and are all made to drink into one Spirit, 1 Cor, 12.12, 13. God granteth us, according to the Riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthened with all might by his ſpirit, in the inner man, that Chriſt may dwell in our hearts by Faith, Epheſ. 3.16, 17. If we do but conſider the great effect of Faith, that by it we are raiſed to live above our natural condition, by Chriſt and his Spirit living in us, we cannot rationally conceive that it ſhould be within the power of Nature to do any thing that advanceth us ſo high. If God had done no more for us in our Sanctification, than to reſtore us to our firſt natural Holineſs, yet this could not have been done without putting forth his own Almighty Power to quicken thoſe that are dead in Sin. How much more is this Almighty Power needful to advance us to this wonderful new kind of Frame, wherein we live and act above all the power of Nature, by an higher Principle of Life than was given to Adam in Innocency, even by Chriſt and his Spirit, living and acting in us? The natural man bringeth forth his Off-ſpring according to his Image, by that natural Power of multiplying, with which God bleſſed him at his firſt Creation; but the ſecond Adam bringeth forth his Off-ſpring new born, according to his Image only by the Spirit, Joh. 3.5. As many as receive him, even thoſe that believe on his name, are born not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God, Joh. 1.12, 13. Chriſt took his own Humane Nature into perſonal Union with himſelf, in the Womb of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghoſt coming upon her, and the power of the Higheſt overſhadowing her, the ſame Power whereby the World was created, Luke 1.35. So He taketh us into myſtical Union and Fellowſhip with himſelf, by no leſs than an Infinite Creating Power, For we are the workmanſhip of God, created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, Epheſ. 2.10. And if any man be in Chriſt he is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5.17.
For the accompliſhing of this great Work of our new Creation in Chriſt, the Spirit of God doth firſt work upon our Hearts by and with the Goſpel, to produce in us the Grace of Faith; for, if the Goſpel ſhould come to us in Word only, and not in Power and in the Holy Ghoſt, Paul might labour to plant, and Apollos to water without any ſucceſs, becauſe we cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God; yea, we ſhall account them fooliſhneſs, until the Spirit of God enable us to diſcern them; 1 Theſſ. 1.5. 1 Cor. 3.6. & 2.14. We ſhall never come to Chriſt by any teaching of Man, except we alſo hear and learn of the Father, and be drawn to Chriſt by his ſpirit, John 6.44, 45. And when Saving Faith is wrought in us, the ſame Spirit giveth us faſt hold of Chriſt by it: As he openeth the Mouth of Faith to receive Chriſt, ſo he filleth it with Chriſt, or elſe the acting of Faith would be like a Dream of one that thinketh that he eateth and drinketh, and when he awaketh he findeth himſelf empty. The ſame Spirit of God did both give that Faith whereby Miracles were wrought, and did work alſo the Miracles by it: So alſo the ſame Spirit of Chriſt doth work Saving Faith in us, and doth anſwer the aim and end of that Faith, by giving us Union and Fellowſhip with Chriſt by it: So that none of the Glory of this Work belongeth to Faith, but only to Chriſt and his Spirit. And indeed, Faith is of ſuch an humble ſelf-denying nature, that it aſcribeth nothing that it receiveth to itſelf, but all to the Grace of God; and therefore God ſaveth us by Faith, that all the Glory may be aſcribed to his Free-Grace, Rom. 4.16. If Adam had Strength enough in Innocency to perform the Duty of Faith as well as we, yet it will not follow, that he had Strength enough to raiſe himſelf above his natural ſtate, into Union with Chriſt, becauſe Faith doth not unite us to Chriſt by its own Vertue, but by the Power of the Spirit working by it and with it. Thus we are firſt paſſive and then active in this great work of myſtical Union; we are firſt apprehended of Chriſt, and then we apprehend Chriſt; Chriſt entereth firſt into the Soul, to joyn himſelf to it, by giving it the Spirit of Faith, and ſo the Soul receiveth Chriſt and his Spirit by their own Power. As the Sun firſt enlighteneth our Eyes, and then we can ſee it by its own light. We may note further, to the Glory of the Grace of God, that this Union is fully accompliſhed by Chriſt, giving the Spirit of Faith to us, even before we act that Faith in the reception of him, becauſe by this Grace or Spirit of Faith the Soul is enclined and diſpoſed to an active receiving of Chriſt. And, no doubt, Chriſt is thus united to many Infants, who have the Spirit of Faith, and yet cannot act Faith, becauſe they are not come to the uſe of their Underſtandings; but thoſe of riper years, that are joyned paſſively to Chriſt by the Spirit of Faith, will alſo joyn themſelves with him actively, by the Act of Faith, and until they act this Faith, they cannot know or enjoy their Union with Chriſt, and the Comfort of it, or make uſe of it in acting any other Duties of Holineſs acceptably in this Life.