The Mystical Union Between Christ and Believer, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The Scripture uſeth Metaphors to expreſs holy Myſteries by, becauſe the myſteries are ſublime; becauſe it would make us ſeek the things above. It ſets forth the myſtical union by reſemblances. There is an analogy between it and other unions; an excellency in it above them. It ſets forth the myſtical union by that between a King and his Subjects. The myſtical union exceeds in the worthineſs and nearneſs of the perſons united; in the rightneſs of Laws and Adminiſtrations; in the intimacy of the union; in the benefits of government; particularly in protection and rewards.
THE Myſtical Union being found only in holy Scripture, a diligent ſearch muſt be made there for it. What the Jewiſh Rabbins ſay touching the Law, that I may ſay touching the Goſpel, turn it over, and again turn it over, for all is in it.
It is the manner of Scripture to ſpeak, not always in proper words, but very often in Tropes and Figures; among others, it commonly makes uſe of Metaphors, that ſenſe may lead to faith, and earthly things inſinuate heavenly to us. The Song of Solomon is an entire Allegory, full of Sacred myſteries: other parts of Scripture are, in a great meaſure, like pieces of Arras or Tapeſtry, beautified with Metaphorical flowers, and images of Divine things. The reaſon of this is, holy myſteries being magnalia Dei, the great things of God, not extracted out of the principles of humane Reaſon, but let down from Heaven out of the Fathers boſom, have a Divine glory and greatneſs in them: No words can perfectly expreſs them; no humane minds can fully comprehend them. Firſt, no words can perfectly expreſs them. Agur in very deep humility, ſpeaking of God, asks, what is his name? Prov. 30.4. He hath many names; yet, as the Schoolman ſaith, he is innominabilis ſecundum perfect am expreſſionem, Bon. in Sent. lib. 1. diſt. 22.he cannot be named unto perfection; no name made up of finite Letters can perfectly expreſs his infinite perfection. St. Auſtin upon thoſe words, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, Joh. 1.1. hath this paſſage, Forſitan necipſe Johannes dixit ut eſt, ſed & ipſe ut potuit, Tract in Joh.quia de Deo ut homo dixit; perhaps St. John, though inſpired, did not fully ſay as it is, but as he could; becauſe he but a man ſpoke of God. Chriſt is called the Word (ſaith Nazianzen) who is ſuperior to every Word. Holy myſteries are ſo great and glorious, that they are beyond words and expreſſions. Hence the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture uſeth Metaphors, in which names are borrowed from earthly things, and tranſlated to heavenly, becauſe of ſome ſimilitude between them. Again, No humane minds can fully comprehend them; it is but very little we know of God. We proceed (as the Schoolmen obſerve) by way of remotion. Firſt we deny of him all corporal things; then we deny of him intellectual things as they are in the creature: then it only remains in our minds, that he is, and nothing more. At laſt, we remove from him eſſence it ſelf, as it is in the creature; and then we are in darkneſs. In like manner, it is but very little that we know of holy myſteries; ſomewhat we apprehend, but we comprehend them not; ſome glimmerings of them we have, but we ſee them not in rotâ, in their full compaſs and latitude. Hence the holy Spirit in Scripture ſtoops and accommodates it ſelf to our capacity; and in Metaphors, ſhadows and paints out to us heavenly things by earthly. Divine objects, as high as they are in themſelves, are brought down to ſenſe, and ſeen in an earthly image. Our Saviour (ſetting forth the work of Grace by a new birth, and the holy Spirit the author of it by the wind) afterwards adds, If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not; how ſhall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things? Joh. 3.12. That is, if you underſtand not theſe Divine things in their outward images and reſemblances, how will you open your eyes upon them in their pure ſpiritual glory? Spiritual objects, being repreſented under ſenſible, are much better attempered unto our minds, than they would be, if ſet forth in a more proper dialect only. Moreover, Metaphors are of excellent uſe to make us ſeek after the things above; did our minds indeed, take in and digeſt the ſacred ſimilitudes in Scripture, the very objects of ſenſe would prompt us to be heavenly; outward things, being but the ſhadows, would lead us to the true ſubſtance. The Sun would tell us, that there is a more glorious one above which ſhines with healing under his wings. The Wind would remember us, that the beſt Gales come from the holy Spirit. The Fountains would mind us, that there is a Well of water which ſprings up into life everlaſting. The old creation would be a gloſs and paraphraſe upon the new; every where we ſhould meet with Chriſt and holy myſteries. The duct and tendency of theſe holy Metaphors is ſuch, that a due improvement of them muſt needs render our minds very ſpiritual and Divine.
In particular, The Holy Ghoſt in Scripture ſets forth the myſtical union by many reſemblances: Chriſt (ſaith St. Chryſoſtom) unites us to him,In 1 Cor. hom. 8. foreign, by many patterns; and then he goes on, he is the head, we the body; he the foundation, we the building; he the vine, we the branches; he the husband, we the ſpouſe; he the ſhepherd, we the ſheep; he the way, we the walkers; we are the temple, he the inhabitant; he is the firſt-born, we brethren; he the heir, we coheirs; he the life, we the livers; he the reſurrection, we the raiſed; he the light, we the inlightned; and after all, he concludes thus, foreign, all theſe things declare union. My firſt work ſhall be to conſider the chief reſemblances, by which this union is ſet forth in Scripture. Certain it is, that the holy Ghoſt uſes no Metaphors or ſimilitudes in Scripture, but ſuch as have an aptitude and fitneſs to manifeſt the myſteries thereby ſhadowed out to us: he is ſo wiſe, that he knows what forms of ſpeech are moſt adapted to promote our knowledg of ſpiritual things; and ſo good, that he will in no forms but ſuch, declare his mind unto us.
Touching theſe reſemblances, I ſhall firſt note two things in common to them all.
There is an Analogy between the myſtical union and the other unions, which reſemble it.
There is an excellency in the myſtical union above all the other.
There is firſt an Analogy between them; ſomewhat in the earthly unions reſembles the myſtical one; ſomewhat in the myſtical union anſwers to the earthly pattern; there is a correſpondence between them. This muſt needs be ſo; becauſe in all Scriptural Metaphors touching this or any other myſtery, the Holy Ghoſt always ſpeaks aptly. and truly. When there is no propriety in the words, there is an aptitude in the things to ſhadow out the myſtery; when there is no truth in the proper ſenſe, there is a truth in the metaphorical one, becauſe of the ſimilitude which is between the earthly pattern and the heavenly myſtery. If the Scripture ſay, that the internal work of grace is a new birth, or a reſurrection, or a new creation, it is ſure, that there is ſome act of power which makes good the reſemblance; if it ſay, that Chriſt is to believers a king, or an husband, or a foundation, or a root, or an head, or ſpiritual meat and drink; it is ſure, that there is ſomewhat of law, or love, or ſupportance, or vital influence, or intimate conjunction which makes good the Analogy. Two things may be noted touching the Analogy; the one is this, there is a neceſſity of it, otherwiſe the holy Spirit in ſuch Metaphors ſhould not ſpeak aptly or truly: not aptly; there being no proper aptitude in the very words, the aptitude muſt be in the things or no where; take away the Analogy, and there will be no aptitude at all, the words (which cannot befall ſo wiſe a ſpeaker as the holy Ghoſt is) will be inſignificant and to no purpoſe: nor yet truly; there being no truth in the proper ſenſe, the truth muſt be in a metaphorical one or no where. Take away the Analogy (which makes the Metaphor a Metaphor) and there will be no truth at all; the words (which cannot befall ſo true a ſpeaker as the Holy Ghoſt is) will be falſe and deluſive. For inſtance, our Saviour ſaith, I am the bread of life, Joh. 6.48. I am the door of the ſheep, Joh. 10.7. The firſt words are apt and true, becauſe by him believers are ſpiritually nouriſhed to life. The ſecond are ſo, becauſe by him believers go in and find paſture of comfort; but take away theſe things in which the ſimilitude conſiſts, and the words will not be apt or true. The other is this; there is a very good uſe of the Analogy to be made; it ſerves (being duly and regularly taken according to the line and level of Scripture) not only for illuſtration, but for very good proof alſo. For inſtance, St. Paul ſets forth the union of Chriſtians among themſelves, by the union of the members in the natural body, 1 Cor. 12. And from thence he argues ſtrongly, that Chriſtians ſhould not differ and deſpiſe, but accord and have a care one of another: the eye cannot ſay to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor the head to the feet, I have no need of you; if one member ſuffer, all the members ſuffer with it; if one member be honoured, all the members rejoyce with it. Alſo the Apoſtle ſets forth the Union of Believers with Chriſt, by the union of the members with the head, Eph. 4.16. and Col. 2.19. And from thence he argues ſtrongly, that Believers have a near conjunction with Chriſt, and admirable communications from him; there are joints and bands; there is a body fitly joyned and compacted; there is nouriſhment miniſtred; there is an effectual working in the meaſure of every part; there is an increaſing with the increaſe of God; all theſe are rationally drawn from the Analogy. Thus we ſee, the Analogy is of uſe, not only for illuſtration, but for proof; only we muſt by no means ſtretch it beyond the ſcope of Scripture.
The next thing is, There is an excellency in the myſtical union, above all, and every one of the other unions which reſemble it. It is more excellent than any one of them ſingly taken. The Holy Ghoſt doth not ſhadow it out by one or two reſemblances, but by many; and thoſe reſemblances do not all point it out in one or two reſpects, but in more and various ones: if one reſemblance or reſpect might have reach'd it, there would have been no uſe or need of any more. It is alſo more excellent than all of them put together; they are but ſhadows and reſemblances, the myſtical union is the truth and ſubſtance of them all; in them meer creatures, and thoſe upon earth are united together; in this Believers are united to him who is Godman. In ſome of them there is union without vital influence; in this there is union with it: in others of them there is an influence, but it is only of a natural life, and that only while a local conjunction between the things united is maintained: But in this there is an influence of a ſpiritual and Divine life; and this, notwithſtanding that the local diſtance between Chriſt and Believers be as vaſt, as it is between Heaven and Earth: In them there is nothing but plain Law, or Love, or Art, or Nature; but in this there is a ſecret, a myſtery of grace, an admirable conjunction of Believers to Chriſt, and by him to the Father. I conclude with the excellent words of Zanchy, De tribus Elok. lib. 4. fol. 180.Hoc eſt mirabile hujuſce unitatis myſterium, quae conſtat Deo Patre, Chriſto Mediatore, & Eccleſiâ vinculo Spiritûs Sancti cum Chriſto & cum Patre conjuncta: This is the admirable myſtery of this Union, which is made up of God the Father, Chriſt the Mediator, and the Church, by the bond of the holy Spirit with Chriſt and with the Father conjoined.
Theſe two things being laid down, which are to be obſerved in all the after diſcourſe touching theſe reſemblances; I proceed to conſider the reſemblances in particular, in which much profitable matter will offer it ſelf to us.
Firſt, The Union between Chriſt and Believers is ſet forth by that which is between a King and his Subject. In government the humane inſtinct is gratified in ſociety, and a multitude is reduced to unity; a King and his Subjects become politically one; he protects them, they are under his ſhadow; he governs them, they are in ſubjection to him; protection (as the Lawyers ſpeak) draws ſubjection, and ſubjection draws protection. His royal care over them is returned in their reverence towards him; and their reverence towards him falls down upon themſelves in the benefits of government;Ar. Eth. lib. 5. c. 6. he is, foreign, the keeper of right for them, and they render him the honour due to his greatneſs: Thus they are knit together for that common good which is the great center of Government. In like manner Chriſt is King, and Believers are his Subjects. His Kingdom, as it imports power, is over all creatures; but as it imports union, it is only over Believers. Tyrants (ſaith the Philoſopher) rule over men againſt their wills, but Kings rule over the willing. The Emperor Juſtinus plainly told the great oppreſſors,Spondan. Ann. Anno. 568. Ego contumacibus imperare nolo, I will not rule over the diſobedient. Our Lord Chriſt doth not own rebellious ſinners, while ſuch, as Subjects, but look upon them as enemies: Believers only are his Subjects; he is their great Protector, they are under the wings of his grace and power; he rules and governs them, they are obedient to him; his care is over them, their obedience is towards him; he maintains their right, they render him the honour of his government: Thus they are knit together to promote the glory of Chriſt, and the ſalvation of Believers. It's true, in this reſemblance, the meer Analogy proves no more than a political Union; but the excellency of that union (which is between the ſpiritual King and Believers) ſhews forth a myſtery. For the explaining of this, I ſhall lay down ſeveral particulars:
1ſt. The more worthy and near in blood the perſons united in government are, the more excellent is the union. David was an excellent one, worth Ten thouſand others; thoſe over whom he reigned were Gods own peculiar people: the nearneſs was ſuch, that the people told him, Behold, we are thy bone and thy fleſh, 2 Sam. 5.1. In theſe circumſtances the union between David and his people could not but be a very excellent one; much more excellent is that between Chriſt and his Subjects, what an one is He! how admirably accompliſhed for government! he is higher than the Kings of the earth; it was not a little material oyl, but the Holy Ghoſt, which anointed him to his office. His wiſdom is incomparable, no ſecret is hid from his eyes; Solomon's large heart was but a little thing to the vaſt treaſures of wiſdom and knowledg in him. His Wiſdom is as much above a meer mans, as the Fathers boſom, from whence he came, is above mans heart. His power is exceeding great, he can do every thing; earthly Princes ſet upon their thrones here below, he ſits above at the right hand of Power. Ahaſuerus had power over an Hundred and ſeven and twenty Provinces; but he hath all the power in Heaven and Earth. None is ſo able to ſave to the uttermoſt as he; his goodneſs and mercy are beyond parallel. His Divine bowels were up very early in a deſign of grace towards fallen man; his humane compaſſions far tranſcend all thoſe in the creature. Nay, further, he himſelf would ſuffer being tempted, that he might have an experimental fitneſs to ſuccour the tempted. His clemency is ſuch, that he is very tender over thoſe infirm ones, who are as the bruiſed reed, and have grace in deſire only. His juſtice is very illuſtrious, he reigns in righteouſneſs, he doth nothing but what is right; truth may as ſoon lie, and rectitude it ſelf decline, as there can be any blot or jeofail in his goverment. Such a King is Chriſt: And what are his Subjects? They are no common people, but excellent ones; their pure heart hath a kind of Oracle in it; the ſecret of the Lord is with them; they are wiſe in the greateſt concernments, ſtrong in the hardeſt duties; their hearts are melted in acts of love towards God and man; their hands are ever doing that which is juſt and right; and the reaſon of all is, becauſe ſome of the holy unction which anointed their Lord, falls down upon them, and puts a glory on them. Such are the Subjects. And what is the nearneſs between the King and them? On the one hand he, though the Son of God, came down from Heaven, and became partaker of fleſh and blood with them; on the the other, they, though naturally but the ſons of fallen Adam, became through grace, the ſeed of Chriſt himſelf: his blood runs in their conſciences; his Divine Spirit breathes in them; his holy image appears in their hearts and lives; the Subjects are all Sons, and reſemble their Governor: Here is not a ſingle relation, but one relation upon another: this is the nearneſs. The reſult is this, he being ſo incomparable a King, they being ſuch excellent Subjects, the nearneſs between them being ſo great, the union muſt needs be a very choice one. Who would now live under the power of ſin, and not much rather join himſelf to the bleſſed kingdom? A better Ruler or Society then, there cannot be found.
2dly. The more right the Laws and Adminiſtrations of a Kingdom are, the better is the Union. There are two ſorts of Laws, there are Laws of conſtitution according to which a King is made; if he be in by election or ſucceſſion, he ſtands upon ſome poſitive Law, or conſent which amounts to a Law; if he be in by conqueſt in a juſt War, he ſtands upon the Law of Nature, which ſaith, that the captive muſt be ſubject to the victor. There are alſo Laws of Adminiſtration according to which a King is to Govern his Subjects; without the firſt Laws, there can be no King rightly conſtituted to have Subjects united to him; a people may be under a Tyrant, but it is not united to him. Without the ſecond Laws there will be no rule of government, no right adminiſtration of things in a Kingdom. According to this diſtinction, I ſhall lay down two things touching the Mediatory Kingdom of Chriſt: The one is this, The Law of conſtitution muſt needs be very righteous, as being no leſs than the Decree and Ordinance of God himſelf; he was made a King immediately by God; his Kingdom was not (as ordinary ones in part are) an human creature; but a pure Theocracy, altogether of Divine Ordination. I have ſet my King upon my holy hill of Zion, ſaith God of Chriſt, Pſal. 2.6. I have done it, not man. The Decree of Heaven was for it, as the next verſe tells us. The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, that is the Father ſaid to Chriſt, ſit thou at my right hand, Pſal. 110.1. Dicere hîc eſt diſcernere, To ſay here, is to decree, That Chriſt ſhould ſit in Royal ſtate and Majeſty; he is a King meerly of Divine Ordination; yet he enters upon his Kingdom by Conqueſt; in the Belial heart of fallen man nothing is in a fit poſture to receive this holy King. The carnal mind is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; ſtrong holds muſt be caſt down, thoughts muſt be captivated, and wills muſt be overcome, or elſe Chriſt cannot have a Kingdom: Therefore he takes up his ſpiritual arms, goes forth in the power of his ſpirit and word, and ſubdues the minds and hearts of men to himſelf; ſo he enters by conqueſt, and that in a very juſt, nay merciful war, it being to reſcue poor captive creatures, and reduce them back again to their Creator; but though he come in by conqueſt, yet there is conſenſus populi, his people are willing, they own him as their King, ſubject to his Scepter, and give up themſelves to his government: Thus he hath a Title to his kingdom, as good as a Divine ordination, a juſt conqueſt, and a free conſent can make it.
The other is this, the Law of Adminiſtration is righteous and gracious; righteous in that which he commands his ſubjects to do; gracious in that which he promiſes to do for them. His Commands (which call for faith, humility, holineſs, rightiouſneſs, meekneſs, mercy, temperance, patience) are as right as any thing can be, they are the counterpanes of Gods heart, the copies of that Divine Will which is Rectitude it ſelf; they perfect the humane nature, and being practically embraced, they ſet man in a true poſture towards God, himſelf, and his fellow creatures. His Promiſes (in which he engages himſelf that the Believer ſhall be juſtified, that the poor in ſpirit ſhall have the kingdom; that the pure in heart ſhall ſee God; that the righteous ſhall be compaſſed with Divine favour; that the meek ſhall be beautified with ſalvation; that the merciful ſhall obtain mercy; that all his obedient ſubjects ſhall enter into Heaven and enjoy the bleſſed God there) are exceeding gracious and true, not one of them ſhall fail; he hath will and power enough to make them all good; this is the Adminiſtration. The ſum of all is, Chriſt being a King by Divine Ordination, entring by juſt conqueſt, obtaining a free conſent, and adminiſtring his kingdom ſo admirably, that nothing is in his government but meer rectitude and grace; the union between him and his ſubjects bound together by ſuch right and good Laws muſt needs be very excellent. Here can be no reaſon to complain, no colour of occaſion to break off from ſuch a King, or to ſay, What portion have we in David? Here are no ſcruples about the Governors Title, no unjuſt Laws to be repealed, no grievous burdens to be removed, no heavy yokes to be taken off, not the leaſt ſhadow of a male-adminiſtration to be found; nothing is here to be ſeen but rectitude and goodneſs, which muſt needs make the union very firm and ſtable.
3dly. The more intimate the union is, and the more internal the bonds of it are, the more excellent is the union. Between an earthly King and his Subjects the bonds are external; there are outward thrones and ſcepters, outward pieces of ſtate and majeſty, outward laws and proclamations; the King looking on his Subjects, may ſee the outward man, but no further: He may exact an outward conformity, but cannot touch or move their hearts; there is not one ſpirit between him and them, but ſeveral, which may eaſily run apart and in different ways. But between Chriſt and his Subjects the bonds are internal; his kingdom comes not with obſervation or outward ſplendor, but in inward power and efficacy; his Kingdom is within, his Throne is in the heart; his Laws are not only without in the Letter, but inwardly ingraven in the hearts of his Subjects; they are the very Epiſtles of Chriſt, written not with ink, but with the ſpirit of the living God; not in tables of ſtone, but in the fleſhly tables of the heart, 2 Cor. 3.3. Beſides the outward literal Edition of the Law, there is an inward ſpiritual one which anſwers thereunto; this ſpiritual King can not only look into the hearts of his Subjects, but touch and move them unto obedience; he can ſo draw as to make them run after him; it is his Royal Prerogative to rule wills and hearts; his Subjects have the mind of their Lord; nay, the ſame holy Spirit which is in him, is in them alſo, to inſpire a meaſure of holineſs and obedience into them. O! what a union is here! and how full of myſtery! No King can rule after this ſort; neither could he himſelf, unleſs he were God, do ſo: In a word, his Kingdom and Laws being within, his Subjects having the ſame mind and ſpirit with himſelf, the union muſt needs be very intimate and excellent.
4thly. The greater the benefits of government are, the more ſecure is the union; a King reſembling God in the doing of good, acting like one given to the kingdom for a common bleſſing; his vigilancy ſecuring the repoſe of his Subjects; his care procuring their quiet; his ſtudy being for their good as his own; his Subjects reſting under his ſhadow, and enjoying the ſweet ends of a well-ordered Government; the union in ſuch a caſe muſt needs be very much confirmed. I ſhall inſtance but in two benefits of Government, Protection and Rewards: As for Protection, it is incomparable in the Kingdom of Chriſt; no earthly Kings have ſuch a foreſight and care to protect as he hath; they may look here and there, but his eyes are every where, running to and fro through the earth, to ſhew himſelf ſtrong on the behalf of his people; they may ſometimes nod with the rains of Government in their hands, and ſo not provide againſt approaching dangers; but he is never ſurprized, but always provided, and at hand to defend his people; in every temptation he makes a way to eſcape; in every danger he knows a method of deliverance. Again, No earthly Kings have ſuch a power to protect as he hath; they have a power in their own Dominions; but he hath all the power in Heaven and Earth in order to the good and preſervation of his people. They and their Subjects joining together, are not always able to maintain themſelves and their union againſt a foreign power; but he is always able to maintain his Kingdom. The Chaldean Empire was left to the Perſian; the Perſian to the Grecian; the Grecian to the Roman; but his Kingdom ſhall not be left to other people, Dan. 2.44. but by a peculiar priviledg it abides for ever: no foreign power can ruine it; no gates of Hell can prevail againſt it; the poſture of Chriſt and the Church doth evidence this, Chriſt is at the right hand of God, Pſal. 110.1. And the Church is at the right hand of Chriſt, Pſal. 45.9. In this poſture power cannot be wanting, or protection fail. Further, As touching Rewards, his bounty is beyond all parallel: Other Kings may ſometimes forget the good ſervices of their Subjects; Joaſh forgot the kindneſs of Jehoiada; the poor wiſe man, who by his wiſdom delivered the City, was not at all remembred, Eccleſ. 9.15. Many excellent ſervices have been buried in oblivion, but the Lord Chriſt never forgets the ſervices of his people; their ſins are delivered over to oblivion, but not their ſervices; no, not the leaſt of them. He hath a bottle for their tears, a book of remembrance for their holy thoughts, a reward for a cup of cold water given for his names ſake; nay, he is ſo far from forgetting their ſervices, that in the very act they find a ſecret reward given in to them; the ſupplies of his ſpirit, the irradiating beams of his love, and the ſweet calms and ſerenities in conſcience tell them, that he hath them always in remembrance. Earthly Kings may give their ſervants ſome of the ſhadows here below, and ſome of thoſe things which lye round about them; but he gives his Subjects foreign, ſubſtance, ſound wiſdom, durable riches, and real happineſs; he gives them himſelf, and all that train of good things which accompanies him. Here he gives them tokens and glimpſes of his love; but what great and glorious things are there for them in Heaven? There their labours end in eternal reſt; their holy race arrives at a Crown of Glory; their Prayers are turned into Hallelujahs; their Alms are repaid in everlaſting Love; their good works ſhall have a full reward; what they ſowed to the Spirit, ſhall come up in a crop of glorious immortality; in Heaven they ſhall enter into the joy of their Lord, and ſit down with him in his throne; they ſhall then ſee and enjoy the bleſſed God, reading all truths in the original, and drinking all good at the fountain-head; dwelling in a paradiſe of bliſs, and for ever repoſing themſelves in the boſom of infinite ſweetneſs: Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which are prepared for them. To conclude, If Protection and Rewards can do any thing, the Union between Chriſt and his Subjects muſt needs be very ſecure.