Of Domestical Duties, Treatise 1 · Section 70
§. 70. Of the vnion betwixt Chriſt and the Saints.
EPHES. 5. 30.
For we are members of his body, of his fleſh, and of his bones.
THe reaſon of the forenamed louelove of Chriſt, and fruits Inference.thereof to his Church, is here laid downe, as both the cauſall particle (FOR) and the inference of this verſe vponupon the former doe ſhew. This reaſon is that neere vnion which is betwixt Chriſt and his Church, ſet forth by a metaphor of the members of our bodie. Whereby he implieth, that though there were no other reaſon to moue an husband to louelove his wife then the neere vnion which is betwixt them (they being aVerſ. 23.one bodie, bVerſ. 31.one fleſh, cVerſ. 28.one ſelfe) that were enough, for thereby only is Chriſt moued to louelove his Church.
The myſterie of our ſpirituall vnion with Chriſt is here laid downe, and that as fully, and diſtinctly (though very ſuccinctly) Summe,as in any place of Scripture. I will endeuour to open it as plainly as I can.
We are] The Apoſtle here changeth both perſon and number: foreign. Paul ranketh himſelfe among the members of Chriſt.for before he ſpake of the Church as of another in the third perſon, and of one in the ſingular number: but here he ſpeaketh of the ſame in the firſt perſon including himſelfe, and in the plurall number, including all others like himſelfe (elect of God, and Saints by calling) whereby he giueth vsus to vnderſtand what he meaneth by the Church, namely the companie of Saints, to which, though he were a Preacher of the Goſpell, an extraordinarie Preacher, an Apoſtle, he aſſociateth and ioyneth himſelfe: noting thereby that he was made partaker of the ſame grace, and ſaued by the ſame meanes that others were. Well might he in this priuiledge not thinke much to ranke himſelfe, becauſe it is the higheſt degree of honour that can be Obſer.to be a member of the bodie of Chriſt: much more then to be a Preacher, a Prophet, an Apoſtle, or of any other eminent calling.
The metaphor here vſed (members of his body) ſetteth Metaphors which ſet forth our vnion with Chriſt.forth the neere vnion which is betwixt Chriſt and the Saints. Many other metaphors are vſed in Scripture for the ſame purpoſe, as a1 Pet. 2. 4, 5, 6.foundation and edifice, bIoh. 15. 5.vine and branches, c2 Cor. 11. 2.husband and wife, with the like, which are all of them very fit, but none more proper and pertinent to the point then this of a body, the Head and members thereof. What neerer vnion can there be then betwixt the head and members of the ſame body?
If the Apoſtle had here ſtaid, we might hauehave thought that he had here meant no other thing then he meant dEph. 1. 23. and 4. 16. and 5. 23.before, where he ſtiled Chriſt an head, and the Church a body: but in that he addeth (Of his fleſh and of his bones) he declareth yet a further myſterie.
In the generall there is a difference betwixt this phraſe (eforeign. OF his body) and theſe (OF fforeign.his fleſh; and OF his bones) the former is a note of the gCorporis.genetiue caſe, the two latter are a hEx.praepoſition: for diſtinction ſake the two latter might hauehave beene tranſlated, out of his fleſh, out of his bones, or from his fleſh, from his bones (for ſo a like phraſe is tranſlated iEph. 4. 16. foreign.before, From whom) but ſeeing theſe particles out of, or from are ambiguous, the former tranſlation may ſtand as the beſt, ſo as a difference be made in the ſenſe though there be none in the words.
The former (members of his body) declareth the vnion it ſelfe.
The latter (of his fleſh and of his bones) declareth the meanes How we are of Chriſts fleſh.of making that vnion. This latter hath relation to that which Adam ſaid of Eue, This is now bone of my bones, and fleſh of my fleſh, (Gen. 2. 23.) which is manifeſt by the next verſe which the Apoſtle taketh out of the ſame place. It implieth then, that as Eue was made a woman out of Adams fleſh and bones, ſo the Church is made a Church out of Chriſts fleſh and bones.
1. Queſt. Was the very ſubſtance of the Saints, their fleſh and bones taken out of Chriſt, as the ſubſtance of Eue was taken out of Adam?
Anſw. Not ſo, if the words be literally taken. For ſo may Chriſt rather be ſaid to be of our fleſh, and of our bones, becauſe he tooke our nature, and that from a daughter of Adam: in which reſpect he is ſaid to be f2 Tim. 2. 8. foreign.of the ſeed of Dauid, and gRom. 9. 5. foreign.of the Iewes, as concerning the fleſh. Beſides, the Apoſtle expreſly ſaith (verſ. 32.) that This is a great myſterie. The myſterie therefore muſt be ſearched out. For this end Chriſt muſt be conſidered as another Adam (and ſo the holy Ghoſt ſtileth him h1 Cor. 15. 45, 47.The laſt Adam, The ſecond man) that is, a ſtocke, a root that giueth a being to branches ſprouting out of him.
2. Queſt. What being is that which we receiue from Chriſt?What being we receiue from Chriſt.
Anſw. Not our naturall being (that we hauehave of the parents of our fleſh) but a ſupernaturall, and ſpirituall being, which the Scripture termeth iTit. 3. 5.a new birth, kEpheſ. 4. 24.a new man, l2 Cor. 5. 17.a new creature. This ſpirituall being is not in regard of the ſubſtance of our ſoule, or bodie, or of any of the powers or parts, faculties or members of them (for all theſe we hauehave by lineall deſcent from Adam, and all theſe hauehave all ſorts of men, as well they who are not of the Church, as they who are of it) but in regard of the integritie, goodneſſe, and diuine qualities which are in them 2 Pet. 1. 4. Epheſ. 4. 24.euen that holineſſe and righteouſneſſe wherewith the Church is endued and adorned. As we are naturall men we are of Adam, as we are ſpirituall men we are of Chriſt.
3. Queſt. Why is mention made of fleſh and bones in this Why we are ſaid to be of Chriſts fleſh. Gen. 2. 23.ſpirituall being?
Anſw. 1. In alluſion to the creation of Eue, that by comparing this with that, this might be the better conceiued.
2. In regard of the Lords Supper, where the fleſh of Chriſt is myſtically ſet before vsus to be ſpirituall food vntounto vsus. That as before (verſ. 26.) he ſhewed the myſterie of one Sacrament, Baptiſme; here he might ſhew the myſterie of the other Sacrament, The Lords Supper.
3. In relation to Chriſts humane nature, by vertue whereof we come to be vnited vntounto Chriſt. For the diuine nature of Chriſt is infinite, incomprehenſible, incommunicable, and Diuinitas vnigeniti facta eſt particeps mortalitatis noſtrae, vt & nos participes eius immortalitatis eſſemus. Aug. Epiſt. 57.there is no manner of proportion betwixt it and vsus, ſo as we could not be vnited to it immediately. But Chriſt by taking his humane nature into the vnitie of his diuine nature, made himſelfe one with vsus, and vsus one with him: ſo as by his partaking of our mortalitie, we are made partakers of his immortalitie.
4. Queſt. Are we then vnited only to his humane nature?
Anſw. No: we are vnited to his perſon, God-Man. For as We are vnited to Chriſts perſon.the diuine nature, in and by it ſelfe, is incommunicable; ſo the humane nature ſingly conſidered, in and by it ſelfe, is vnprofitable. The Deitie is the fountaine of all life and grace: the fleſh quickneth not: but that ſpirituall life which originally and primarily floweth from the Deitie, as from a fountaine, is by the humanitie of Chriſt, as by a conduit-pipe, conueyed into vsus.
5. Queſt. How can we who are on earth, be vnited to his How Saints on earth are vnited to Chriſt in heauen.humane nature, which is contained in the higheſt heauen?
Anſw. This vnion being ſupernaturall and ſpirituall, there needeth no locall preſence for the making of it. That eternall Spirit which is in Chriſt is conueyed into euerie of the Saints (as the ſoule of a man is into euerie member and part of his bodie) by vertue whereof they are all made one with Chriſt, and with one another: by one Spirit we are all baptized into one bodie, 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13.which bodie is Chriſt.
This is to be noted againſt theſe two errours. The firſt is I. Error.this, We are vnited firſt to the diuine nature of Chriſt which is euerie where, and by vertue thereof to his humane nature.
Anſw. 1. The Deitie (as we ſhewed) is immediately incommunicable: ſo as this cannot be.
2. Our vnion with Chriſt is ſpirituall, not phyſicall or naturall, ſo as this locall preſence needeth not.
The ſecond errour is this,
The humane nature of Chriſt hath all the diuine properties in it, II. Error.ſo as it is euerie where preſent, and by reaſon thereof we are vnited vntounto Chriſt.
Anſw. This alſo is impoſſible and needleſſe. The properties of a true bodie cannot poſſibly admit the incommunicable properties of the Deitie: that implieth direct contradiction, which is, that finite ſhould be infinite. Needleſſe alſo this is, becauſe the vnion we ſpeake of, is (as we ſaid) ſpirituall.
6. Queſt. What kinde of vnion is this ſpirituall vnion?Our vnion with Chriſt a true and reall vnion.
Anſw. A true, reall vnion of our perſons (bodies and ſoules) with the perſon of Chriſt (God and man.) For as the holy Ghoſt did vnite in the virgins wombe the diuine and humane natures of Chriſt, and made them one perſon, by reaſon wherof Chriſt is of our fleſh & of our bones: ſo the ſpirit vniteth that perſon of Chriſt with our perſons, by reaſon whereof we are of his fleſh, and of his bones. A great difference there is betwixt the kindes of theſe vnions: for the vnion of Chriſts two natures is hypoſtaticall and eſſentiall, they make one perſon: but the vnion of Chriſts perſon, and ours, is ſpirituall and myſticall: they make one myſticall body: yet is there no difference in the reality and truth of theſe vnions: our vnion with Chriſt is neuer a whit the leſſe reall and true becauſe it is myſticall and ſpirituall: they who hauehave the ſame ſpirit ar… as truly one, as thoſe parts which hauehave the ſame ſoule. The effects which proceed from this vnion doe ſhew the truth thereof: for that ſpirit which ſanctified Chriſt in his mothers wombe ſanctifieth vsus alſo, that which quickned him quickneth Rom. 8. 11. Eph. 2. 6.vsus, that which raiſed him from death, raiſeth vsus, that which exalted him exalteth vsus. The many reſemblances which the Scripture vſeth to ſet forth this vnion, doe ſhew the truth thereof: but moſt liuely is it ſet forth by that reſemblance which Chriſt maketh betwixt it and his vnion with his Father. I pray (ſaith he of all his Saints) That they may all Ioh. 17. 21, 22.be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in vsus: that they may be one, as we are one. This note of compariſon (as) is not to be taken of the kinde, but of the truth of theſe vnions, our vnion with Chriſt is as true as Chriſts vnion with his Father.
So true is this vnion, as not only Ieſus himſelfe, but all the Unuſquiſque Chriſtianus non incongruè ſuſtinet perſonam Chriſti. Aug. de Gen. l. 2. c. 24. vide eundem quaeſt. 69.Saints which are members of this body together with Ieſus the head thereof are called CHRIST, 1 Cor. 12. 12. Gal. 3. 16.
This is to be noted againſt their conceit, who imagine this vnion to be only in imagination and conceit: or elſe only in conſent of ſpirit, heart, and will: or at the moſt, in participation of ſpirituall graces.
7. Queſt. What is the bond whereby this vnion is made: With what bonds we are vnited to Chriſt. 1 Joh. 4. 13.namely whereby Chriſt and the Saints are made one?
Anſw. There is a double bond, one on Chriſts part, euen the ſpirit of Chriſt (for hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in vsus, becauſe he hath giuen vsus of his ſpirit) another on the Saints part, euen faith (for Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by faith) Eph. 3. 17.The ſpirit is conueyed into vsus when we are dead in ſinnes, wholly fleſh, but being in vsus, it breedeth this bleſſed inſtrument of faith whereby we lay hold on Chriſt, and grow into him as the ſcience into the ſtocke. Thus Chriſt laying hold on vsus by his ſpirit, and we on him by faith, we come to be incorporated into him, and made one body, as the ſcience and ſtocke one tree.
8. Queſt. To what end hath Chriſt thus truly and neerely Why Chriſt made the Saints one with himſelfe.vnited vsus vntounto himſelfe?
Anſw. Not for any benefit vntounto himſelfe: but meerely for the honour and good of the Church. By this vnion the honour of Chriſt is communicated to the Church, as the honour of an husband to his wife, and of an head to the body. Great alſo is the benefit which the Church reapeth thereby: for by this meanes is Chriſt made more fit to doe good to the Church, as an head to the body, and the Church is made more capable of receiuing good from Chriſt, as a body from the head, being knit to it by the ſoule, and by veines, ſinewes, nerues, arteries, and other like ligaments.
Thus hauing as plainly as I can by queſtions and anſwers laid open this great myſterie, I will further note out ſome of thoſe excellent priuiledges which by vertue thereof appertaine to the Saints, and alſo ſome of the principall duties which in regard thereof the Saints are bound vntounto.