The Mystical Union of Believers with Christ, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Introductory Concluſions premiſed, to direct us in the ſtudying of this Doctrine.
1. TO premiſe a little by way of Introduction. There are three preliminary concluſions, uſeful to be pondered and ſettled in our thoughts, by way of entrance to the ſtudy of this great truth: and getting an inſight into this ſubject, of a believers Union, or Oneneſs with the Lord Jeſus.
Concl. 1. That this grace of a Chriſtians union with the Son is, for the intimacy and cloſneſs of it, one of the deep things of God: one of the great myſteries held forth in the Goſpel.
The Doctrines of the Bible are well compared by one to the holy waters in Ezek. cap. 47, 3, 4, 5. In ſome places they were no higher than the ankles of a man; but in other places up to the loyns, nay, a great River that could not be paſſed over. In ſome places ſo ſhallow, that a Lamb might wade; but in others deep, that an Elephant might ſwim. So in the truths of God, you have many things eaſie and obvious, that he that runs may read them; the meaneſt Chriſtian may apprehend them: But then other paſſages are ſo deep, that they may exerciſe the ſtrongeſt capacities. You meet with this diſtinction of divine truths, Heb. 5.12. There is milk for Babes, and ſtrong meat for ſuch as are more experienced, and have made ſome conſiderable progreſs in the School of Chriſt. There are plain truths to feed the weakeſt conſtitution, and higher myſteries to exerciſe the greateſt parts and indowments. And this point of Union with Chriſt is one of thoſe myſteries.
Mark, I ſay for the intimacy of it, and a through inſight thereinto. As to the matter [or quod ſit] it is one of the firſt principles: but in reſpect of a full comprehenſion thereof, it is an unſearchable depth. It is called a myſtery, a great myſtery, Eph. 5.32. It is one of the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: ſuch as never entred into the heart of man to conceive, 1 Cor. 2.9. where the Apoſtle primarily ſpeaketh of theſe ſpiritual bleſſings, though that paſſage is uſually applyed to the kingdom of glory. This Union is ſet forth, for myſteriouſneſs of it, by that Oneneſs which is between the Father and the Son, Joh. 17.21. ſufficiently importing, that it is an unfathomable depth.
This is needful to be premiſed, on a fourfold account.
1. That we may begin the ſtudy of this point, and you may be careful to manage your attendance upon this doctrine, with an holy and humble adoration and admiration of the wiſdom of God, in this glorious contrivance: That God ſhould not only redeem loſt ſinners by the death of his Son: but make them one with his Son. How ſhould it fill us with aſtoniſhment, in the contemplation hereof? That is a poſture of ſpirit, very ſuitable to an enquiry into the nature of this tranſcendent priviledge. Well may a perſon cry out as S. Paul on a like occaſion, O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God, Rom. 11.33.
2. That we may the rather be induced, in our meditations on this Doctrine, as to ſearch diligently into the Scriptures, ſo to confine our thoughts and ſpeculations thereupon to the plain revelations and diſcoveries made in the Scriptures. Not to launch forth by our inquiſitiveneſs beyond what is contained therein, and made known to us thereby. For, Fides in regulâ poſita eſt. Cedat curioſitas fidei, cedat gloria ſaluti. Nihil ultra regulam ſcire, omnia ſcire eſt. Tert.ſhould we ſet reaſon on work, and give up our ſelves to the guidance thereof, and labour to make this Doctrine compare with Philoſophical notions, or the like; we ſhould ſoon be loſt, or be wildred in the contemplation of this thing. Or perhaps (which is worſe) ſplit our ſelves on the rock of ſome uncouth opinion, bordering upon blaſphemy; inſtead of embracing the truth: as ſome perſons have done, when they ſought to be wiſe herein above what is written. As far as we have the light of the Word to go before us, we may proceed with ſafety, in our enquities of this nature: Quae abſtruſiora ſunt, & in arcanis divinorum judiciorum perrecondita, illa neque investigare tutum eſt, neque reperire foreign. Theſ. Sam. de Langle de …aedobapt.and we ſhould be very careful to venture no further. For it is a great myſtery, a matter of pure revelation: the full manifeſtation whereof is reſerved for heaven: and it requireth a ſpecial illumination of the Spirit to give us any competent inſight into it. So much is evident from the words of our Saviour to his Diſciples, Joh. 14.20. At that day, ye ſhall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. At that day, that is, when the Spirit is poured out from on high, Qui enim auſu temerario mortalitatis parum memores, per excelſae naturae & Philoſophiae faſtigia (tanquam arbore conſcensà) ad myſteria divina aſpirant; his poena propoſita eſt perpetuae inconſtantiae, & judicii vacillan…is & perplexi. Cum enim aliud ſit lumen naturae, aliud Divinum, ita cum illis fit ac ſi duos ſoles viderent. Bacon. de ſap. veter.when the Comforter is come to guide you into all truth, then you ſhall know this myſtery; q. d. Now it is as the lines of a book that is ſealed up, a matter beyond your reach, but then you ſhall read and underſtand.
3. That hereupon you may be quickned, to ſet upon this ſtudy with prayer: with the earneſt and fervent lifting up your hearts to heaven, that God would anoint your eyes with ey-ſalve, for the perception of this truth. That he would open your minds and judgments to underſtand the Scripture in this particular: and lead you into the knowledge and acknowledgment of this myſtery. For it is an Ʋnction from the holy One muſt teach us theſe leſſons, 1 Joh. 2.20, 27. And therefore that prayer of the Pſalmiſt is an excellent pattern, foreign. Plato.for the outgoings of our hearts, at ſuch a ſeaſon, Pſal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law.
4. That in order to the getting acquaintance with this Doctrine, you may be convinced of the neceſſity of putting your ſelves under the promiſe which God hath made, to reveal the ſecrets of his Covenant to his ſervants. For this is one of thoſe ſecrets, a great myſtery: and upon that account moſtly ſtiled a myſtical Union. And you know, the way to get under the verge of that promiſe, Nulla in diſcendo mora eſt, ubi ſpiritus ſanctus Doctor adeſt. Beda.is by indeavouring to maintain an holy dread and fear of the Majeſty of heaven upon your hearts: & not daring knowingly, to ſin againſt him, Pſal. 25.14. The ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will ſhew them his Covenant. This is the very reaſon, why many poor Chriſtians, of low parts in compariſon with others, can ſpeak more clearly and ſavourily of theſe things, than ſome profound Doctors, who are ſtrangers to the power of godlineſs: becauſe the promiſe is not made to great parts and learning, Ille qui cum puritate animae legit Scripturas, plus proficiet quam ſi enodare tentaret myſteria multis commentariis. Acoſt. Jeſ.but to ſuch as have a reverential awe and regard of the Majeſty of God upon their ſpirits. The Lord doth often hide theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and reveal them unto babes. Why? becauſe it ſo pleaſed him; and becauſe he hath promiſed to inſtruct them in theſe leſſons, Pſal. 25.9. The meek he will guide in judgment, and the meek he will teach his way. Again, v. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him he ſhall teach in the way that he ſhall chuſe. And therefore mark what I ſay: Humility, ſelf-emptineſs, and poverty of ſpirit, together with a due dependance on the teachings of God, will ſtrike a greater ſtroke in acquiring the knowledge of theſe Leſſons, than the choiceſt accompliſhments of parts and learning without them. A conſcientious reſpect to plain truths and precepts, is the way to learn hidden myſteries, John 7.17. If any man will do his will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine.
That's the firſt Concluſion to be premiſed.
2. Concl. 2. Although the Union of a Chriſtian with the Lord Jeſus, is in it ſelf a myſtery, not eaſie to be attained as to right apprehenſions thereof: yet it is a point of very great concernment to be ſtudied; and a clear inſight thereinto will abundantly recompenſe all the pains you can take in the ſearch of it. So that the difficulty of attainment, ſhuld not deter us from a diligent enquiry into it: but rather ſtir us up to purſue it, with all our might and induſtry. It is a point wherein a man cannot with ſafety be ignorant. It is incumbent upon us, as we tender our everlaſting welfare, to get right apprehenſions of the ſubſtance of this thing. A miſtake herein may occaſion our eternal undoing. And therefore when Chriſt had treated, Mat. 13. of the mixture there is in the viſible Church, in many parables together: How that ſome are in the Church who are not of the Church; that there are many ſeem to be members of the body, who are not ſpiritually united to Chriſt the head of the body (for that is the drift of the parables, though delivered in other words) how doth he cloſe his Sermon upon that ſubject? See v. 51. Jeſus ſaith unto them, have ye underſtood all theſe things? As if he had ſaid, It doth infinitely concern you to get a good underſtanding in this matter: you cannot ſafely be in the dark, as to this Doctrine: Let theſe things ſink deep into your hearts, and be much pondered in your thoughts. Hence the holy Ghoſt is ſo much upon it, and doth frequently mention, not only the excellency and need of Jeſus Chriſt, but likewiſe the neceſſity of our Oneneſs with Chriſt, or being in him.
It is a dangerous thing to have falſe conceptions in our minds concerning this union, or to be ignorant of it, for three Reaſons eſpecially.
1. Becauſe it is the want of a right knowledge, and due conſideration of this very thing which is the cauſe of the ruine of many thouſand ſouls. Amongſt thoſe that live within the pale of the Church, and have heard the joyful ſound of the Goſpel, a great number periſh by ſplitting upon this rock. They apply the vertue of the death of Chriſt to themſelves, without ever minding whether they are in Chriſt. They hope to be ſaved upon his account, and ſo go on ſecurely to hell, under the ſhelter of thoſe hopes; becauſe they never conſidered the nature and neceſſity of being united to his perſon. See the very riſe of their deſtruction, how they plead themſelves into a fools paradiſe, in expectation of being pardoned and ſaved through Chriſts blood; becauſe they never minded if they had the Son or not; if they were in Chriſt or no, Luk. 13.26, 27. Then ſhall ye begin to ſay, We have eatten and drunk in thy preſence, and thou huſt taught in our ſtreets: But he ſhall ſay, I tell you, I know you not whence you are: depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. Obſerve their miſtake from the anſwer that is returned them; I know you not whence you are] as if he had ſaid, You are utter aliens and ſtrangers unto me, perſons with whom I never was acquainted: Though you heard my Word, yet you were never ingraffed into my body, though you were never ingraffed into my body: though you have eaten and drunk in my preſence, yet you were not implanted into me; nor ever had any fellowſhip with me. And who are thoſe which thus deceive themſelves? why, many, very many, as in that parallel Text, Mat. 7.22, 23. I think, experience may give us cauſe to ſuſpect, they are the moſt.
2. It is a dangerous thing to have falſe apprehenſions of Union with Chriſt; becauſe this is the great fundamental bleſſing upon wch all our comfort is built: and other ſpiritual bleſſings have a dependance hereupon. So that ſee to it, that you ſtudy this Doctrine, and judge aright concerning it: for if the foundation fail upon which our comfort is bottomed, all the ſuperſtructure muſt of neceſſity vaniſh that is erected upon that foundation. All other attainments are as nothing without this. If the leading mercy fail upon which others depend, we muſt undoubtedly fall ſhort of thoſe other mercies, which have their dependance hereon. Why ſirs, Union with Chriſt is the very Baſis of conſolation, and the leading mercy, Joh. 15.6. If a man abide not in me, he is caſt forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and caſt them into the fire, and they are burned. The meaning is this, A mans profeſſion is nothing, and all his common indowments and priviledges are nothing: they will not ſignifie a jot, as to ſave him from deſtruction: he cannot eſcape the damnation of hell, except he get into Chriſt, and abide in him.
3. It is dangerous to be ignorant of this myſtery, and it much concerneth us to get a ſound knowledge hereof: becauſe this Doctrine, of late, hath been notably corrupted, and perverted. It hath been abuſed to the countenancing of ſome mens (even) blaſphemous aſſertions, which they have vented, under the notion of high attainments. They have endeavoured to break down that diſtinction which is between Chriſt and his people, and to turn the whole ſubſtance of the Goſpel into Allegories, upon pretence of opening this Union. And it concerneth us to be well inſtructed and eſtabliſhed in preſent truths; as the Apoſtle Peter phraſeth it, in 2 Pet. 1.12. truths which are moſtly perverted in the preſent time, or that need ſpecial vindication in the preſent age, wherein we live: in the defence whereof God calleth us to ſtand up againſt the adverſaries. If we would not be led aſide by the error of the wicked, and fall from our own ſtedfaſtneſs, as we muſt labour to grow in grace, ſo to increaſe in the knowledge of Chriſt, 2 Pet. 3.17, 18.
So much for the ſecond Concluſion to be premiſed.
3. Concl. 3. Inſtead of curiouſly prying into, and over-much inquiſitiveneſs after this Myſtery, and the manner of this Union, further than is revealed in the Scriptures of truth; it ſhould be the great deſign of mens ſouls to ſecure it unto themſelves; and to make it evident that they are ſharers therein. Herein lieth the marrow and fatneſs of this glorious priviledge, when we can perſonally appropriate it to our own ſouls, and ſay: This is a mercy, whereof we are partakers. Elſe, what ſweetneſs can we taſt in the contemplation thereof, whilſt our ſelves are ſtrangers thereunto? This is the very counſel of the Apoſtle, in another caſe, to his Corinthians, 2 Cor. 13.3, 4, 5. They were enquiring after a proof of Chriſt ſpeaking in him: Why, ſaith he, your buſineſs lieth in reflection upon your ſelves, to prove that Chriſt is formed in you. The like advice I would give in this preſent affair. And we ſhould the rather give diligence herein, upon a threefold account.
1. Becauſe hereby we ſhall be the better inabled, to perceive the real meaning of what is delivered in the unfolding of this Myſtery: We ſhall eaſier diſcern the import of all the particulars mentioned in the opening of it: when we have found it made good upon our own ſouls, and feel ſomewhat wrought within us anſwerable to the doctrines which are taught concerning it. For Sirs, Poſtquam coelitus ſpiritu houſte, in novum me hominem nativitas ſecunda reparavit, mirum in modum protinus confirmare ſe dubia, patere clauſa, lucere tenebroſa, &c. Cyp. Ep. 2. ad Donat.a little experience of the power of godlineſs will notably help a man to diſcern clearly into the myſteries of godlineſs: it will ſerve inſtead of many Commentators for the unfolding of divine truths. If a Scholar ſhould make a large and eloquent Oration, to ſet forth the ſweetneſs of honey; a little taſte of it would contribute more to a right underſtanding thereof, than many learned Lectures without it. So when perſons have taſted the grace of God in this Union, matters will be plain and eaſie unto them, that ſeem dark and intricate and full of obſcurity unto others. In what a puzzle was Nicodemus as to the Doctrine of Regeneration, in his underſtanding, for want of feeling the work of Regeneration upon his heart? So that he cried out, How can theſe things be? Joh. 3.4, 9. And therefore David exhorteth us to taſt and ſee, Pſal. 34.8. that is, endeavour to taſte, that you may the better know, and underſtand the goodneſs of the Lord.
2. This is to employ theſe excellent truths, which God hath graciouſly revealed, to the end for which they are revealed to us. The Lord hath not opened the treaſures of his Wiſdom, in declaring theſe myſteries, only to feed mens fancies, and to fill their heads with ſpeculations: but to excite and extimulate us to get an intereſt in theſe mercies: that we ſhould perſonally apply them to our ſelves, and make ſure our claim and title thereto. You will find this apparently to be the end of the promulgation of this very Doctrine, 1 Joh. 5.13. Theſe things have I written, to you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. Theſe things] that is, theſe high myſteries of ſalvation afore-mentioned; that it is in the Son, and to be enjoyed by vertue of our union with the Son. I have written them, that you may take them home to your own conſciences, and paſs judgment upon your ſelves, according to the tenour of theſe words.
3. If we learn the nature of this priviledge, and do not ſecure it to our ſelves, it will but tend to the heightning of our condemnation. So that better for us we had never known it, or heard a word concerning it: for this very thing will aggravate our contempt of the grace of God; and the reflection upon it will be a continual torment upon our ſpirits. What a cut will this be to a mans conſcience, when he cometh to die, to bethink himſelf, I knew that there was ſuch a glorious priviledge prepared for the children of men, and yet would never preſs after the enjoyment of it: I preferred the pleaſures of ſin, and ſatisfaction of ſome baſe luſts before it: I was offered the Son, and life and redemption through his blood, and would not labour to ſecure it unto my ſelf, ſo that now I am undone eternally and irrecoverably? See how Chriſt ſets forth mens wickedneſs on this account, Prov. 1.24, 25, 26. And it is evident, conſcience will take advantage from hence, to be a tormentor, to be a worm gnawing upon the very entrals of a mans ſpirit. How have I hated inſtruction, and my heart deſpiſed reproof? O what madneſs have I been guilty of, to know theſe things, and not to make them ſure unto my ſelf? Prov. 5.11, 12, 13.