there must be a true and real union, as there is betwixt the food and our bodies into which it is incorporated.

III. I proceed to fhew what is that union that takes place betwixt Chrift and believers. There are three myfterious unions in our religion. (1.) The fubftantial union of the three perfons in one Godhead. (2.) The perfonal union of the divine and human natures in Jefus Chrift. (3.) The myftical union betwixt Chrift and believers, which is that wherein Chrift and believers are fo joined, that they are one Spirit, one myftical body, 1 Cor. vi. 17. & xii. 13.

In this union the whole man is united to a whole Christ. The believing foul is united to him, Eph. iii. 17. His body alfo is united to him, 1 Cor. vi. 19. 1 Theff. iv. 14. They are united to him in his divine nature, Col. i. 27. and in his human nature, Eph. v. 30. and fo through the Mediator unto God, 2 Cor. vi. 16.

IV. I go on to fhew what are the bonds of this union, whereby Chrift and believers become one. All corporal union is made by contact; but Chrift is in heaven, and we on earth, and fo we can have no fuch union with him; and if we had, what would it profit? John vi. 63. But this union is fpiritual, 1 Cor. vi. 17. and fo are the bonds of it. And they are two.

1. The Spitit on Chrift's part, whereby he apprehendeth, taketh and keepeth hold of us, 1 John iii, ult. The fame infinite Spirit that dwells in Chrift, he communicates to his elect in their effectual calling, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. So that one Spirit living and acting in both, in Chrift as the head, and in believers as the incmbers, they truly become one by that means. And the diftance betwixt Chrift and believers, as great as is betwixt heaven and earth, cannot hinder the joining of our fouls and bodies to his, fince the Spirit is an infinite Spirit, every where prefent. And feeing the fame Spirit is in both, they are thereby made really one, notwithstanding of the diftance; even as if there

were a man who ftanding on the earth his head should reach the stars; yet fince one foul animates his head and feet, notwithstanding of the distance betwixt them, (as well as thofe of the lowest dwarf), they do ftill make but one body. And as in the cafe of a treeleg fixed to the body, and touching upon it, it is not for all that a part of the body, because it is not animated by the foul: fo on the other hand, where one fpirit is in two, there is a real union, although these two do not touch one another, as in the cafe of Ezekiel's wheels, Ezek. i. 21. All which fhews that there is nothing contrary to reafon in this union.

2. Faith on the believer's part, Eph. iii. 17. That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith. Thereby the believer apprehends, takes and keeps hold of Christ. It is by that we receive Chrift, John i. 12. come unto him, John vi. 35. and feed on him, ver. 56. This faith is that true one, whereby a finner heartily receives and refts on Chrift, for all his falvation. And no diftance can hinder it to afcend unto the Mediator.

Now, fince Chrift cannot be seen with our eyes, nor touched with our hands, while he is in heaven and we are on earth, and that he is not known to us but by his word of the gofpel; what other way can we unite with him, but believing on this unfeen Chrift? So that faith is the only mean on our part. And its fitnefs for this work appears, if ye confider,

(1.) That faith is a felf-emptying and creature emptying grace, throwing off and putting away all those things that might keep the foul at a distance from Chrift, Phil. iii. 8. And,

(2.) It is as much fitted to receive an unfeen Chrift and falvation, which appears to us only in the word, as the hand to receive what can be received into it. For in the word Chrift offers himfelf and all his falvation to us, which we cannot lay hold of by any bodily action whatsoever; but faith crediting the teftimony, confenting to, and refting on the offered Christ,

with his falvation, does actually get the fame, as fure as there is truth in the word of the gospel.

As

V. The next head is to fhew who is the author and efficient caufe of this union. The party that makes this bleffed union is the Holy Spirit of Chrift, and none other, as the text tells us. our Lord Jefus Chrift took his own human nature into perfonal union with him, in the womb of the virgin Mary, by the agency of the Spirit, the Holy Ghoft coming upon her, and the power of the Higheft overfhadowing her, Luke i. 35. fo he takes finners into mystical union with him, by the agency of this fame Spirit. We may take it

up thus.

1. The Spirit of Chrift comes in the word, and enters into the heart of the elect finner dead in fin. The word is the great vehicle of divine appointment, wherein the Spirit is given, Gal. iii. 2. And in that he comes and makes room for himself, and takes it up, 1 Theff. i. 5. John vi. 63. And the Spirit is a Spirit of life, a Spirit of faith, and one with Chrift, as he is one of the three perfons in the one Godhead. So that when he is come into the foul, it is quickened, changed, regenerated, and really united to Chrift paffively, in fo far as the Spirit is Chrift's Spirit.

2. That quickening Spirit now entered into the elect foul, works faith in it; and thus only true faith is wrought, not from our natural powers, Eph. ii. 8. Col. ii. 12. Hereby the foul lays hold on Chrift, and actually unites with him. Being quickened and acted by the Spirit, it acts in believing.

The whole may be illuftrated by the cafe of Lazarus rifing from the dead. With the voice of Christ, Lazarus, come forth, his foul re-entered into his body, fo he was alive again; and being alive and quickened, he moved and came forth unto Chrift. So the dead foul, being quickened by the Spirit coming into it, moves and comes unto Chrift. And thus ye may fee,

That there is a twofold receiving of Chrift. (1.) A paffive receiving of him, wherein Chrift comes in by his Spirit into the dead foul, quickening it, and joins himself unto that foul. Here the foul does nothing, but is inhabited by Chrift, through the Spirit, which difpofeth the finner to believe. And this is the cafe of gracious infants, who are truly united to Chrift, though because of their infancy they cannot act faith. (2.) An active receiving of him, when the foul having faith wrought in it by the Spirit actually believes, and receives Chrift, putting forth the hand of the foul to embrace him, and fo actively joins itself unto the Lord.

VI. I proceed to fhew the properties of this union. I have anticipated fome of these under other heads already, and fhewn you that it is,

1. A true, real, and proper union, not a mere relative one.

2. A fpiritual union, 1 Cor. vi. 17. He that is join ed unto the Lord, is one Spirit. Though it is an union of bodies as well as of fpirits, yet the union is not corporal, for the bodies do not touch one another; but fpiritual, being joined by spiritual bands. I add, that it is,

3. A myfterious union. The apoftle calls it a great mystery, Eph. v. 32. a glorious mystery, Col. i. 27. And therefore, by the by, it is not a mere relative union, but a true and real one; for a relative union betwixt Christ and believers is no mystery, but a plain truth eafily acknowledged by all, and perceived. But there is need of a true, lively, humble faith to believe this, which is fo far above the reach of our natural capacities, and which natural reason is so ready to object against; but faith will believe it over all these impediments.

4. A moft clofe and intimate union. They are joined as thofe things that are glued together, 1 Cor. vi. 17. The believer has Chrift in him, and he is in Chrift; and they are united as the meat with the body, which is VOL. II. U

incorporated into it, John vi. 56. See Eph. v. 30. 5. An indiffoluble union. Once in Chrift, ever in him, John x. 28. 29. What man will lofe a member of his body, if he can help it? Who then can imagine that Chrift will lofe a member of his? The apoftle bids a defiance to all things for feparating the faints from the love of Chrift, and confequently from union with him, that is the ground of the love of complacency, Rom. viii. 35. &c. This union abides uninterrupted by death for fleeping faints fleep in Chrift, while in the grave, i Theff. iv. 14.

6. Lastly, It is the leading, comprehenfive, fundamental privilege of believers, 1 Cor. iii. 23. Te are Christ's. All their other privileges are derived from and grafted upon this, their juftification, adoption, fanctification, and glorification. All these grow on this root; and where that is wanting, none of these can be. All acceptable obedience comes from the foul's union with Chrift, John xv. 4. Hence faith is the principal grace, as uniting us to Chrift.

I proceed now to the application of this fubject. I fhall prefs out the juice of this pomegranate unto you in ufes of information, trial, and exhortation.

USE I. of information. It informs us,

1. Concerning the faints in general, that they are highly dignified beyond all the reft of the world. They are all members of Chrift, of the blood-royal of heaven, even thofe of them that fome would disdain to rub fhoulders with, Eph. v. 30. And thus we have these leffons.

(1.) Wo to thofe that maltreat, oppress, or perse cute any of the faints; for what they do against them, they do againft Chrift, as doing it to the members of Chrift's body, Acts ix. 4. And he will refent it, and plead the caufe as his own caufe, accurately and ex actly, fo as to make men accountable for omiftions of duty to them, far more for commiffions of evil against them, Matth. xxv. 42. 45. So that the faints have