CHRIST MYSTICALL; OR, THE BLESSED Union of CHRIST and his Members.
THERE is not so much need of Learning,§ 1. How to be happy in the apprehending of Christ. as of Grace, to apprehend those things which concern our everlasting peace; neither is it our brain that must be set on work here, but our heart; for true happinesse doth not consist in a meer speculation, but a fruition of good: However therefore there is excellent [Page 2] use of Scholar-ship in all the sacred imployments of Divinity, yet in the main act which imports salvation, skill must give place to affection. Happy is the soul that is possessed of Christ, how poor so ever in all inferiour endowments: Ye are wide, O ye great wits, whiles you spend your selves in curious questions, and learned extravagancies; ye shal find one touch of Christ more worth to your souls, then all your deep, and laboursome disquisitions; one dram of faith more precious then a pound of knowledge: In vain shall ye seek for this in your books, if you misse it in your bosomes: If you know all things, and cannot truly say, [Page 3] I know whom I have beleeved, 2 Tim. 1. 12. you have but knowledge enough to know your selves truly miserable. Wouldst thou therefore, my son, finde true and solid comfort in the houre of temptation, in the agony of death? make sure work for thy soul, in the days of thy peace; Finde Christ thine; and, in despight of hell, thou art both safe, and blessed; Look not so much to an absolute. Deity, infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious: alas, that Majesty (because perfectly, and essentially good) is, out of Christ, no other then an enemy to thee; thy sinne hath offended his justice, which is himself; what hast thou to doe with that dreadfull [Page 4] power which thou hast provoked? Look to that mercifull, and all-sufficient Mediator betwixt God and man, who is both God and man,1 Tim. 2. 5 Jesus Christ the righteous: It is his charge,1 Joh. 2. 1. and our duty,Joh. 14. 1. Ye beleeve in God, beleeve also in me. Yet look not meerly to the Lord Jesus, as considered in the notion of his own eternall beeing, as the Son of God, co-equall and co-essentiall to God the Father, but look upon him, as he stands in reference to the sons of men: and herein also look not to him so much, as a Law-giver,Luther in Gal. and a Judge, (there is terror in such apprehension) but look upon him, as a gracious Saviour and Advocate; and lastly, look [Page 5] not upon him, as in the generality of his mercy, the common Saviour of mankind, (what comfort were it to thee, that all the world except thy selfe were saved?) but look upon him, as the dear Redeemer of thy soul, as thine Advocate at the right hand of Majesty; as one, with whom thou art [...]hrough his wonderfull m [...]rcy, inseparably united: T [...]us, thus, look upon him firmly and fixedly; so as he may never be out of thine ei [...]s; and what ever secular objects interpose themselves betwixt thee and him, look through them, as some slight mists, and terminate thy sight still in this blessed prospect: Let neither earth, nor [Page 6] heaven hide him from thee in whatsoever condition.
And whiles thou art thus taken up;§ 2. The honour and happiness of being united to Christ. see if thou canst without wonder and a kinde of ecstaticall amazement, behold the infinite goodness of thy God, that hath exalted thy wretchednesse to no lesse then a blessed and indivisible Union with the Lord of glory; so as thou, who in the sense of thy miserable mortality, maist say to corruption,Job 17. 14. Thou art my father, and to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister, canst now through the priviledge of thy faith, hear the Son of God say unto thee,Gen. 2. 23. Thou art bone of my bone, Eph. 5. 30. and flesh of my flesh: Surely, as we are too much subject to pride [Page 7] our selves in these earthly glories, so we are too apt, through ignorance, or pusillanimity, to undervalue our selves in respect of our spirituall condition; wee are far more noble and excellent then we account our selves. It is our faith that must raise our thoughts to a due estimation of our greatnesse; and must shew us how highly we are descended, how royally we are allied, how gloriously estated: that onely is it, that must advance us to heaven, and bring heaven down to us: Through the want of the exercise whereof, it comes to passe, that, to the great prejudice of our souls, we are readie to think of Christ Jesus as a stranger to us: as one aloof [Page 8] off in another world; apprehended onely by fits, in a kind of ineffectuall speculation, without any lively feeling of our own interesse in him; whereas we ought by the powerfull operation of this grace in our hearts, to finde so heavenly an appropriation of Christ to our souls, as that every beleever may truly say, I am one with Christ, Christ is one with me. Had we not good warrant for so high a challenge, it could bee no lesse then a blasphemous arrogance to lay claim to the royall bloud of heaven; but since it hath pleased the God of heaven so far to dignifie our unworthinesse, as in the multitudes of his mercies to admit and [Page 9] allow us to be partakers of the divine nature,2 Pet. 1. 4. it were no other then an unthankfull stupidity not to lay hold on so glorious a priviledge, and to goe for lesse then God hath made us.
Know now,§ 3. The kind and manner of this union with Christ. my son, that thou art upon the ground of all consolation to thy soul, which consists in this beatificall union with thy God and Saviour, think not therefore to passe over this important mystery with some transient, and perfunctory glances; but, let thy heart dwell upon it, as that which must stick by thee in all extremities, and chear thee up, when thou art forsaken of all worldly comforts: Doe not then conceive of this union, [Page 10] as some imaginary thing, that hath no other beeing but in the braine; whose faculties have power to apprehend, and bring home to it self, far remote substances; possessing it self in a sort of whatsoever it conceives: Doe not think it an union meerly virtuall, by the participation of those spirituall gifts and graces which God worketh in the soul; as the comfortable effects of our happy conjunction with Christ; Doe not think it an accidentall union in respect of some circumstances and qualities wherein we communicate with him who is God and man; nor yet a metaphoricall union by way of figurative resemblance; but know [Page 11] that this is a true, reall, essentiall, substantiall union, whereby the person of the beleever is indissolubly united to the glorious person of the Son of God; know, that this union is not more mysticall then certain; that in naturall unions there may bee more evidence, there cannot be more truth; neither is there so firm and close an union betwixt the soul & body, as there is betwixt Christ and the beleeving soul: for as much as that may be severed by death, but this, never: Away yet with all grosse carnality of conceit; this union is true, and really existent, but yet spirituall; and if some of the Ancients have tearm'd it naturall and bodily, [Page 12] it hath been in respect of the subject united, our humanity, to the two blessed natures of the Son of God met in one most glorious person; not in respect of the manner of the uniting: Neither is it the lesse reall, because spirituall. Spirituall agents neither have, nor put forth any whit lesse vertue, because sense cannot discern their manner of working; Even the Loadstone though an earthen substance, yet, when it is out of sight, whether under the Table, or behinde a solid partition, stirreth the needle as effectually, as if it were within view: shall not hee contradict his senses, that will say, it cannot work because I see it not? [Page 13] Oh Saviour, thou art more mine, then my body is mine, my sense feels that present, but so as that I must lose it; my faith sees and feels thee so present with mee, that I shall never be parted from thee.
There is no resemblance,§ 4. The resemblāce of this union by the head & body. whereby the Spirit of God more delights to set forth the heavenly union betwixt Christ and the beleever, then that of the head and the body: The head gives sense and motion to all the members of the body; And the body is one; not onely by the continuity of all the parts held together with the same naturall ligaments, and covered with one and the same skin; but much more by the [Page 14] animation of the same soul quickning that whole frame; in the acting whereof, it is not the large extent of the stature, and distance of the lims from each other, that can make any difference; The body of a child that is but a span long, cannot bee said to be more united, then the vast body of a giantly son of Anak whose height is as the Cedars; and if we could suppose such a body as high as heaven it self, that one soul which dwels in it, and is diffused through all the parts of it, would make it but one entire body: Right so, it is with Christ and his Church; That one Spirit of his which dwels in, and enlives every beleever, unites [Page 15] all those far-distant members, both to each other, and to their head; and makes them up into one true mysticall body: So as now every true beleever may, without presumption, but with all holy reverence, and all humble thankfulnesse, say to his God and Saviour; Behold, Lord, I am (how unworthy soever) one of the lims of thy body; and therefore have a right to all that thou hast, to all that thou doest; Thine eye sees for me; thine ear hears for me; thine hand acts for me; Thy life, thy grace, thy happinesse is mine: Oh the wonder of the two blessed unions! In the personall union, it pleased God to assume and unite our humane nature [Page 16] the Deitie; In the spirituall and mysticall, it pleases God to unite the person of every beleever to the person of the Son of God: Our souls are too narrow to blesse God enough for these incomprehensible mercies: Mercies, wherein he hath preferred us (be it spoken with all godly lowlinesse) to the blessed Angels of heaven;Heb. 2. 16. For verily he took not upon him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham; Neither hath he made those glorious spirits members of his mysticall body, but his saints; whom he hath (as it were) so incorporated, that they are become his body, and he theirs; according to that of the divine Apostle; For as [Page 17] the body is one and hath many members, 1 Cor. 12. 12. and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
Next hereunto,§ 5. This union set forth by the resemblāce of the husband and wife. there is no resemblance of this mystery either more frequent, or more full of lively expression, then that of the conjugall union betwixt the husband and wife; Christ is, as the head, so the husband of the Church; The Church and every beleeving soul is the Spouse of this heavenly Bridegroom;Esa. 62. 5. whom hee marrieth unto himselfe for ever in righteousnesse,Hose. 2. 19. and in judgement, and in loving kindnesse, and in mercies; and this match thus made up, fulfils that decretive word of the Almighty, They [Page 18] twain shal be one flesh: Ephe. 5. 31. O happy conjunction of the second Adam, Gen. 2. 24. with her which was taken out of his most precious side; Oh heavenly and compleat marriage, wherein God the Father brings, and gives the Bride;Gen. 2. 22. (All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, Joh. 6. 37. saith Christ) wherein God the Son receives the Bride, as mutually partaking of the same nature;Joh. 1. 14. and can say, This now is bone of my bones, Gen. 2. 23. and flesh of my flesh; wherein God the holy Ghost knits our wils in a full and glad consent, to the full consummation of this blessed wedlock: And those whom God hath thus joyned together, let no man (no Devill can) put asunder: What is there then, [Page 19] which an affectionate husband can withhold from a dear wife? He that hath given himself to her; what can be deny to impart? He that hath made himself one with her, how can he be divided from his other-self? Some wilde fancies there are that have framed the linkes of marriage of so brittle stuffe, as that they may be knapt in sunder upon every sleight occasion, but he that ordained it in Paradise, for an earthly representation of this heavenly union betwixt Christ and his Church, hath made that, and his own indissoluble. Here is no contract in the future, which upon some intervenient accidents may be [Page 20] remitted;Cant. 6. 3. but, I am my welbeloveds, and my welbeloved is mine, Cant. 2. 16. And therefore each is so others, that neither of them is their own; Oh the comfortable mystery of our uniting to the Son of God! The wife hath not the power of her own body, 1 Cor. 7. 4. but the husband. We are at thy disposing, ô Saviour, we are not our own; Neither art thou so absolutely thine, as that we may not (through thine infinite mercy) claim an interesse in thee. Thou hast given us such a right in thy self, as that wee are bold to lay challenge to all that is thine; to thy love, to thy merits, to thy blessings, to thy glory: It was wont of old, to be the plea of the Roman wives to their [Page 21] husbands, Where thou art Caius, I am Caia; and now, in our present marriages, we have not stuck to say, With all my worldly goods I thee endow; And if it be thus in our imperfect conjunctions here upon earth, how much more in that exquisite one-nesse which is betwixt thee, ô blessed Saviour, and thy dearest Spouse, the Church? What is it then that can hinder us from a sweet and heavenly fruition of thee? Is it the loathsome condition of our nature? Thou sawst this before, and yet couldst say, when we were yet in our bloud, Ezek. 16. 6. Live: Had we not been so vile, thy mercy had not been so glorious: thy free grace did all for us; Thou washedst [Page 22] us with water, [...] 16. and anointedst us with oyle, [...] 11, and cloathedst us with broidered work, and girdedst us about with fine linnen, and coveredst us with silk, and deckedst us with ornaments; and didst put bracelets upon our hands, and a chain on our neck, and jewels on our fore-heads, and eare-rings on our ears, and a beautifull crown on our heads; What we had not, thou gavest; what thou didst not find, thou madest; that we might be a not-unmeet match for the Lord of life: Is it want of beauty?Cant. 1. 5. Behold, I am black, but comely: what ever our hiew be in our own, or others eyes; it is enough that we are lovely in thine. Behold, thou art fair, Cant. 1. 16 my beloved, behold, thou art faire, yea pleasant; [Page 23] Thou art beautifull, Cant. 6. 3. O my love, Cant. 7. 6. as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem. How fair and how pleasant art thou, O Love, for delights! But, oh Saviour, if thou take contentment in this poor unperfect beauty of thy Spouse the Church, how infinite pleasure should thy Spouse take in that absolute perfection that is in thee, who art all lovelinesse and glory? And if she have ravished thy heart with one of her eyes,Cant. 5. 16. how much more reason hath her heart to be wholly ravished with both thine,Cant. 4. 9. which are so full of grace and amiablenesse? and in this mutuall fruition, what can there be other then perfect blessednesse?
[Page 24] The Spirit of God,§ 6. The resemblāce of this union by the nourishment and the body. well knowing how much it imports us both to know and feel this blessed union whereof himself is the onely worker, labours to set it forth to us by the representations of many of our familiar concernments which we daily finde in our meats and drinks, in our houses, in our gardens and orchards; That which is nearest to us is our nourishment; What can bee more evident, then that the bread, the meat, the drinke that we receive is incorporated into us, and becomes part of the substance whereof we consist? so as, after perfect digestion, there can be no distinction betwixt what we are, and what wee [Page 25] took: Whiles that bread was in the bing, and that meat in the shambles, and that drink in the vessell, it had no relation to us, nor we to it; yea, whiles all these were on the Table, yea, in our mouths; yea, newly let down into our stomacks, they are not fully ours; for upon some nauseating dislike of nature, they may yet go the same way they came; but if the concoction be once fully finished, now they are so turned into our blood, and flesh, that they can be no more distinguished from our former substance, then that could be divided from it self; now they are dispersed into the veins, and concorporated to the flesh; and no part of our [Page 26] flesh and blood is more ours, then that which was lately the bloud of the grapes, and the flesh of this fowl, or that beast: Oh Saviour, thou who art truth it selfe hast said,Joh. 6. 51. I am the living bread, that came down from heaven. My flesh is meat indeed, 55. and my blood is drink indeed; and thereupon hast most justly inferred;56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in mee, and I in him: and, as a necessary consequent of this spirituall manducation,54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life: Lo, thou art bread indeed; not the common bread, but Manna; not the Israelitish Manna; alas, that fell from no higher then the [Page 27] region of clouds; and they that ate it died with it in their mouths; but thou art the living bread that came down from the heaven of heavens, of whom whosoever eats lives for ever: Thy flesh is meat, not for our stomacks, but for our souls; our faith receives and digests thee, and makes thee ours, and us thine: our materiall food in these corruptible bodies runs into corruption; thy spirituall food nourisheth purely, and strengthens us to a blessed immortality; As for this materiall food, many a one longs for it that cannot get it; many a one hath it, that cannot eat it; many eat it, that cannot digest it; many digest it into [Page 28] noxious and corrupt humours; all that receive it, do but maintain a perishing life, if not a languishing death: but this flesh of thine, as it was never withheld from any true appetite, so it never yeelds but wholesome and comfortable sustenance to the soul, never hath any other issue then an everlasting life and happinesse. O Saviour, whensoever I sit at mine own Table, let mee think of thine; whensoever I feed on the bread and meat that is set before mee, and feel my self nourished by that repast, let me mind that better sustenance, which my soul receives from thee, and finde thee more one with me, then that bodily food:
[Page 29] Look but into thy Garden, or Orchard;§ 7. This union resē bled by the brāch and the stock; the foundation and the building. and see the Vine, or any other fruit-bearing tree how it grows, and fructifies; The branches are loaden with increase; whence is this, but that they are one with the stock; and the stock one with the root? were either of these severed, the plant were barren and dead: The branch hath not sap enough to maintain life in it self, unlesse it receive it from the body of the tree; nor that, unlesse it derived it from the root; nor that, unlesse it were cherished by the earth:Joh. 15. 5, 6▪ Lo; I am the Vine, (saith our Saviour) Ye are the branches; He that abideth in me; and I in him; the same bringeth forth much fruit; If [Page 30] a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; were the branch and the body of the tree, of different substances, and only closed together in some artificiall contiguity, no fruit could be expected from it; it is onely the abiding in the tree as a living lim of that plant, which yeelds it the benefit and issue of vegetation. No otherwise is it betwixt Christ and his Church; the bough and the tree are not more of one piece, then we are of one substance with our Saviour; and branching out from him, and receiving the sap of heavenly vertue from his precious root, we cannot but be acceptably fruitfull: But if the Analogie [Page 31] seem not to be so full, for that the branch issues naturally from the tree, and the fruit from the branch, wheras we by nature have no part in the Son of God; take that clearer resemblance which the Apostle fetches from the stock and the griffe, or cion: The branches of the wilde olive are cut off;Rom. 11. and are graffed with choice cions of the good olive; those impes grow, and are now, by this insition, no lesse embodyed in that stock then if they had sprouted out by a natural propagation: neither can be any more separated from it then the strongest bough that nature puts forth: In the mean time that cion alters the nature of that stock; and whiles [Page 32] the root gives fatnesse to the stock, and the stocke yeelds juice to the cion, the cion gives goodnesse to the plant, and a specification to the fruit: so as whiles the impe is now the same thing with the stock, the tree is different from it was; So it is betwixt Christ and the beleeving soul: Old Adam is our wilde stock, what could that have yeelded but either none, or sowre fruit? we are imped with the new man, Christ; that is now incorporated into us, we are become one with him; our nature is not more ours, then he is ours by grace; now we bear his fruit and not our own; our old stock is forgotten, all things are become [Page 33] new; our naturall life we receive from Adam; our spirituall life and growth from Christ; from whom after the improvement of this blessed insition we can be no more severed, then he can be severed from himself.
Look but upon thy house (that from vegetative creatures, thou maist turne thine eyes to those things which have no life) if that be uniform, the foundation is not of a different matter from the wals; both those are but one piece; the superstructure is so raised upon the foundation, as if all were but one stone; Behold, Christ is the chiefe corner stone,1 Pet. 2. 6. elect and precious; neither can there be any other [Page 34] foundation laid then that which is laid on him; we are lively stones built up to a spirituall house,1 Cor. 3. 11 on that sure and firm foundation;2 Pet. 2. 5. some loose stones perhaps that lye unmortered upon the battlements, may be easily shaken down, but whoever saw a squared marble laid by line and levell in a strong wall upon a well-grounded base, flye out of his place by whatsoever violence; since both the strength of the foundation below, and the weight of the fabrick above, have setled it in a posture utterly unmoveable? Such is our spirituall condition, O Saviour; thou art our foundation, we are laid upon thee, and are therein one [Page 35] with thee; we can no more be dis-joyned from thy foundation, then the stones of thy foundation can be dis-united from themselves: So then, to sum up all; as the head and members are but one body, as the husband and wife are but one flesh, as our meat and drink becomes part of our selves, as the tree and branches are but one plant, as the foundation and wals are but one fabrick; so Christ and the beleeving soul are indivisibly one with each other.
Where are those then that goe about to divide Christ from himself;§ 8. The certainty & indissolublenesse of this union. Christ reall, from Christ mysticall; yeelding Christ one with himself, but not one with his [Page 36] Church: making the true beleever no lesse separable from his Saviour, then from the entirenesse of his own obedience; dreaming of the uncomfortable, and self-contradicting paradoxes of the totall and finall Apostasie of saints: Certainly, these men have never thorowly digested the meditation of this blessed union whereof wee treat: Can they hold the beleeving soul a lim of that body whereof Christ is the head; and yet imagine a possibility of dissolution? Can they affain to the Sonne of God a body that is unperfect? Can they think that body perfect that hath lost his lims? Even in this mysticall body the best joynts [Page 37] may be subject to strains, yea, perhaps to some painfull and perilous luxations; but, as it was in the naturall body of Christ, when it was in death, most exposed to the cruelty of all enemies, that (upon an over-ruling providence) not a bone of it, could be broken; so it is still and ever with the spirituall; some scourgings and blows it may suffer, yea, perhaps some bruises, and gashes, but no bone can be shattered in peeces, much lesse dissevered from the rest of the body: Were we left to our selves, or could we be so much as in conceit, sundred from the body whereof we are, alas we are but as other men, subject to the same sinfull infirmities, [Page 38] to the same dangerous and deadly miscarriages: but since it hath pleased the God of heaven to unite us to himself, now it concerns him to maintain the honour of his own body by preserving us entire.
Can they acknowledge the faithfull soul married in truth and righteousnesse to that celestiall husband; and made up into one flesh with the Lord of glory; & can they think of any Bils of divorce written in heaven? can they suppose that which by way of type was done in the earthly Paradise, to be really undone in the heavenly? What an infinite power hath put together, can they imagine that a limited power [Page 39] can disjoyn? Can they think sin can be of more prevalence then mercy? Can they think the unchangeable God subject to afterthoughts? Even the Jewish repudiations never found favour in heaven: They were permitted, as a lesser evill to avoid a greater, never allowed as good; neither had so much as that toleration ever been, if the hard-heartednesse, and cruelty of that people had not enforced it upon Moses, in a prevention of further mischief [...] what place can this finde with a God, in whom there is an infinite tendernesse of love and mercy? No time can be any check to his gracious choice; the [Page 40] inconstant mindes of us men may alter upon sleight dislikes; our God is ever himself; Jesus Christ the same yesterday,Heb. 13. 8. and to day, and for ever;Jam. 1. 17. with him there is no variablenesse, nor shadow of turning;Mal. 2. 16. Divorces were ever grounded upon hatred; No man (saith the Apostle) ever yet hated his owne flesh:Eph. 5. 29. much lesse shall God do so,1 Joh. 3. 16. who is love it self: His love and our union, is like himself, everlasting: Having loved his own (saith the Disciple of Love) which were in the world,Joh. 13. 1. he loved them to the end.Mal. 2. 16. He that hates putting away, can never act it; so as in this relation we are indissoluble:
Can they have received [Page 41] that bread which came down from heaven, and that flesh which is meat indeed, and that bloud which is drink indeed, can their souls have digested it by a lively faith, and converted themselves into it, and it into themselves, and can they now think it can be severed from their own substance?
Can they finde themselves truly ingraffed in the tree of life, and grown into one body with that heavenly plant, and as a living branch of that tree, bearing pleasant, and wholesome fruit,Rev. 22. 2. acceptable to God, and beneficiall to men; and can they look upon themselves, as some withered bough fit onely for the fire?
[Page 42] Can they find themselves living stones surely laid upon the foundation Jesus Christ, to the making up of an heavenly Temple for the eternall inhabitation of God, and can they think they can be shaken out with every storm of Temptation?
Have these men ever taken into their serious thoughts that divine prayer and meditation which our blessed Redeemer now at the point of his death left for an happy farewell to his Church, in every word whereof, there is an heaven of comfort; Neither pray I for these alone; Joh. 17. 20 21, 22. but for them also which shall beleeve in me through their word; That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I [Page 43] in thee, that they also may bee one with us; And the glory that thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me. Oh heavenly consolation; oh indefeasible assurance! what roome can there be now here for our diffidence? Can the Son of God pray and not be heard? For himselfe hee needs not pray, as being eternally one with the Father, God blessed for ever; he prays for his; & his prayer is, That they may be one wth the Father & him; even as they are one. They cannot therefore but be partakers of this blessed union; and being partakers of it they cannot be dissevered: And to make sure work, that glory [Page 44] which the Father gave to the Son of his Love, they are already (through his gracious participation) prepossessed of; here they have begun to enter upon that heaven, from which none of the powers of hell can possibly eject them: Oh the unspeakably happy condition of beleevers! Oh that all the Saints of God, in a comfortable sense of their inchoate blessednesse, could sing for joy, and here beforehand begin to take up those Hallelujahs, which they shall ere long continue (and never end) in the Chore of the highest Heaven.§ 9. The priviledges & benefits of this union:
Having now taken a view of this blessed union, in the nature and resemblances of it;The first of them Life. it will be time to bend [Page 45] thine eyes upon those most advantageous consequents, and high priviledges, which doe necessarily follow upon, and attend this heavenly conjunction. Whereof the first is that, which we are wont to account sweetest, Life: Not this naturall life, which is maintained by the breath of our nosthrils; Alas, what is that but a bubble, a vapour, a shadow, a dreame, nothing? as it is the gift of a good God, worthy to be esteemed precious; but as it is considered in its own transitorinesse, and appendent miseries, and in comparison of a better life, not worthy to take up our hearts. This life of nature is that which ariseth from the union of [Page 46] the body with the soul, many times enjoyed upon hard tearms; the spirituall life which we now speak of, arising from the union betwixt God and the soul, is that wherein there can be nothing but perfect contentment, and joy unspeakable and full of glory. Yea, this is that life which Christ not only gives, but is: he that gave himself for us, gives himselfe to us, and is that life that he gives us; When Christ, which is our life, Col. 3. 4. shall appeare; saith the Apostle:Phil. 1. 21. And Christ is to me, to live: and most emphatically,Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ; Neverthelesse I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in mee; Lo, it is a common favour, [Page 47] that in him we live but it is an especiall favour to his own, that he lives in us: Know you not your own selves, 2 Cor. 13. 5 (saith the Apostle) how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? and wheresoever he is, there he lives; we have not a dead Saviour, but a living; and where he lives, he animates: It is not therefore Saint Pauls case alone; it is every beleevers; who may truly say, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in mee: now, how these lives, and the authors of them are distinguished, is worth thy carefullest consideration.
Know then, my son, that every faithfull mans bosome is a Rebeccaes womb,Gen. 25. 22. wherein [Page 48] in there are twins: a rough Esau, and the seed of promise; the old man, and the new; the flesh, and the spirit; and these have their lives distinct from each other; the new man lives not the life of the old, neither can the old man live the life of the new; it is not one life that could maintain the opposite struglings of both these: Corrupt nature is it that gives and continues the life of the old man; It is Christ that gives life to the new; we cannot say but the old man, or flesh, is the man too:Rom. 7. 18 For I know (saith the chosen Vessell) that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: but the spirituall part may yet better challenge the title.Rom. 7. 22 For I delight in the Law [Page 49] of God after the inward man: That old man of ours is derived from the first. Adam: as we sinned in him, so hee liveth in us; The second Adam both gives, and is the life of our regeneration, like as he is also the life of our glory; the life that follows our second resurrection: I am (saith he) the resurrection and the life. What is it then whereby the new creature lives? surely no other then the Spirit of Christ; that alone is it, that gives beeing and life to the renued soule. Life is no stranger to us, there is nothing wherewith we are so well acquainted; yea, we feel continually what it is, and what it produceth; It is that, from whence all [Page 50] sense, action, motion floweth; it is that, which gives us to be what we are: All this is Christ to the regenerate man: It is one thing what he is, or doth as a man; another thing what he is, or doth as a Christian: As a man, he hath eyes, ears, motions, affections, understanding, naturally as his own: as a Christian he hath all these from him with whom he is spiritually one, the Lord Jesus; and the objects of all these vary accordingly: His naturall eyes behold bodily and materiall things; his spirituall eyes see things invisible; His outward eares hear the sound of the voice; his inward ears hear the voice of Gods Spirit, speaking to [Page 51] his soul; His bodily feet move in his own secular ways; his spirituall walk wth God in all the ways of his Commandements. His naturall affections are set upon those things which are agreeable thereunto; he loves beauty, fears pain and losse, rejoyces in outward prosperity, hates an enemy; his renued affections are otherwise, and more happily bestowed; now he loves goodnesse for its own sake; hates nothing but sin, fears onely the displeasure of a good God, rejoyces in Gods favour which is better then life: His former thoughts were altogether taken up with vanity, and earthed in the world; now he seeks the [Page 52] things above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God;Col. 3. 1. Finally, he is such, as that a beholder sees nothing but man in him; but God and his soul finde Christ in him, both in his renued person and actions; in all the degrees both of his life, and growth of his sufferings, and glory:Gal. 4. 19. My little children (saith Saint Paul) of whom I travell in birth again untill Christ be formed in you. Lo, here Christ both conceived and born in the faithfull heart; Formation follows conception, and travell implies a birth:1 Cor. 3. 1. Now the beleever is a new-born babe in Christ,2 Pet. 2. 2. and so mutually Christ in him; from thence he grows up to1 John 2. 14. strength [Page 53] of youth; and at last toEphes. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 9. Heb. 6. 1. perfection, even towards the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ; And in this condition he is dead with Christ;Rom. 6. 8 He is buried with Christ;Rom. 6. 11. He is alive again unto God through Christ,Col. 3. 1. he is risen with Christ,Rō. 8. 17. and with Christ he is glorified; Yea, yet more then so, hisCol. 1. 24 sufferings are Christs, Christs sufferings are his;Rō. 8. 17. He is in Christ an heir of glory;Col. 1. 27 and Christ is in him,§ 10. A complaint of our insē siblenesse of this mercy, & an excitation to a chearful recognition of it. the hope of glory.
Dost thou not now finde cause (my son) to complain of thy self (as, I confesse, I daily doe) that thou art so miserably apt to forget these [Page 54] intimate respects between thy Christ and thee? art thou not ashamed to think, how little sense thou hast had of thy great happinesse? Lo, Christ is in thy bosome, and thou feelst him not; It is not thy soul that animates thee in thy renued estate, it is thy God and Saviour, and thou hast not hitherto perceived it; It is no otherwise with thee in this case, then with the members of thine own body; there is the same life in thy fingers and toes, that there is in the head, or heart, yea, in the whole man, and yet those lims know not that they have such a life: Had those members reason as well as sense, they would perceive that, wherewith [Page 55] they are enlived; thou hast more then reason, faith; and therefore maist well know whence thou hast this spiritual life, & therupon art much wanting to thy self, if thou dost not enjoy so usefull and comfortable an apprehension: Resolve therefore with thy self that no secular occasion shall ever set off thy heart from this blessed object; and that thou wilt as soon forget thy naturall life, as this spirituall: and raise up thy thoughts from this dust, to the heaven of heavens: Shake of this naturall pusillanimity, and meane conceit of thy self as if thou wert all earth, and know thy self advanced to a celestiall condition, that thou art united [Page 56] to the Son of God, and animated by the holy Spirit of God;Gal. 2. 20. so as the life which thou now livest in the flesh, thou livest by the faith of the Son of God, who loved thee, and gave himself for thee.
See then and confesse how just cause we have to condemn the dead-heartednesse wherewith we are subject to be possessed: and how many worthy Christians are there in the world who bear a part with us in this just blame; who have yeelded over themselves to a disconsolate heartlesnesse, and a sad dejection of spirit; partly through a naturall disposition inclining to dumpishnesse, and partly through the [Page 57] prevalence of temptation: For Satan well knowing how much it makes for our happinesse chearfully to reflect upon our interest in Christ, and to live in the joyfull sense of it, labours by all means to withdraw our hearts from this so comfortable object; and to clog us with a pensive kinde of spirituall fullennesse: accounting it no small mastery if he can prevail with us so far as to be reave us of this habituall joy in the holy Ghost, arising from the inanimation of Christ living, and breathing within us: So much the more therefore must we bend all the powers of our souls against this dangerous and deadly machination of [Page 58] our spirituall enemy; and labour, as for life, to maintain this Fort of our joy against all the powers of darknesse; and, if at any time we finde our selves beaten off, through the violence of temptation; we must chide our selves into our renued valour: and expostulate the matter with our shrinking courage▪ (with the man after Gods own heart) Why art thou cast down, Psal. 42. 11 43. 5. O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God. § 11. An incitement to joy and thankefulnesse for Christ our life.
Neither is here more place for an heavenly joy, then for height of spirit, and raptures of admiration at that infinite goodnesse and mercy of our [Page 59] God, who hath vouchsafed so far to grace his elect, as to honour them with a speciall inhabitation of his everblessed Deity: Yea, to live in them, and to make them live mutually in, and to himself; What capacity is there in the narrow heart of man to conceive of this incomprehensible favour to his poor creature? Oh Saviour, this is no small part of that great mystery wherin to the Angels desire to look,1 Pet. 1. 12 and can never look to the bottome of it! how shall the weak eyes of sinfull flesh ever be able to reach unto it? When thou in the estate of thine humane infirmity offeredst to goe down to the Centurions house, that humble Commander [Page 60] could say; Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof: What shall we then say, that thou in the state of thine heavenly glory, shouldst vouchsafe to come down, and dwell with us in these houses of clay;1 Cor. 6. 19 and to make our breasts the Temples of thy holy Ghost? When thine holy mother came to visit the partner of her joy, thy fore-runner then in the womb of his mother,Luk. 1. 44. sprang for the joy of thy presence, though distermined by a second womb; how should we be affected with a ravishment of spirit, whom thou hast pleased to visit in so much mercy, as to come down into us, and to be spiritually conceived in [Page 61] the womb of our hearts, and thereby to give a new and spirituall life to our poore souls; a life of thine own, yet made ours; a life begun in grace, and ending in eternall glory?
Never did the holy God give a priviledge where he did not expect a duty:§ 12. The duties we owe to God for his mercy to us, in this life which we have frō Christ. hee hath more respect to his glory, then to throw away his favours; The life that ariseth from this blessed union of our souls with Christ, as it is the height of all his mercies, so it cals for our most zealous affections, and most effectuall improvement. Art thou then thus happily united to Christ, and thus enlived by Christ? how entire must thou needs be with [Page 62] him, how dear must thy valuations be of him, how heartily must thou be devoted to him? The spirit of man (saith wise Solomon) is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly; Pro. 20. 27 and therefore cannot but be acquainted with his own inmates; and finding so heavenly a guest as the Spirit of Christ in the secret lodgings of his soul, applyes it self to him in all things: so as these two spirits agree in all their spirituall concernments; The Spirit it self (saith the holy Apostle) beareth witnesse with our spirit, Rom. 8. 16 that we are the children of God; and not in this case onely, but upon whatsoever occasion, the faithfull man hath this [Page 63] Urim in his breast, & may cō sult with this inward Oracle of his God for direction, and resolution in all his doubts: neither can he, according to the counsell of the Psalmist, Psal. 4. 4. commune with his own heart, but that Christ who lives there, is ready to give him an answer. Shortly, our souls and we are one; and the soul and life are so near one, that the one is commonly taken for the other▪ Christ therefore, who is the life and soul of our souls, is and needs must be so intrinsecall to us, that we cannot so much as conceive of our spirituall beeing without him.
Thou needest not be told, my son, how much thou valuest [Page 64] life; Besides thine own sense, Satan himself can tell thee, (and in this case thou maist beleeve him) Skin for skin, Job 2. 4. and all that a man hath will he give for his life; What ransome can be set upon it, that a man would stick to give? though mountains of gold;Ps. 49. 7. though thousands of [...]ms, or ten thousand rivers of oyl?Micah 6. 7. Yea, how readily doe we expose our dear lims, not to hazard onely, but to losse for the preservation of it? Now alas, what is our life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, Jam. 4. 14. and then vanisheth away▪ And if we doe thus value a perishing life, that is going out every moment, what price shall we set upon eternity? [Page 65] If Christ be our life, how precious is that life, which neither inward distempers, nor outward violences can bereave us of; which neither can be decayed by time, nor altered with crosse events? Hear the chosen Vessel;Phil. 3. 7, 8 What things were gain to me, those I counted losse for Christ; Yea, doubtless I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the losse of all things; and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ; and, as one that did not esteem his own life dear to him, in respect of that better;Act. 20. 24 always (saith he) bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, 2 Cor. 4. 10 that the life also [Page 66] of Jesus, might be made manifest in our body: How chearfully have the noble and conquering armies of holy Martyrs given away these momentany lives, that they might hold fast their Jesus, the life of their souls? and who can be otherwise affected that knows and feels the infinite happinesse that offers it self to be enjoyed by him in the Lord Jesus?
Lastly, if Christ bee thy life, then thou art so devoted to him that thou livest, as in him, and by him, so to him also; aiming onely at his service and glory, and framing thy self wholly to his will and directions:1 Cor. 10. 31▪ Thou canst not so much as eat or drink but with respect to [Page 67] him; Oh the gracious resolution of him that was rapt into the third heaven, worthy to be the pattern of all faithfull hearts;Phil. 1. 20, 21. According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldnesse, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death: For to me to live is Christ▪ and to dye is gain. Our naturall life is not worthy to be its own scope; we doe not live meerly that we may live: our spirituall life, Christ, is the utmost and most perfect end of all our living; without the intuition whereof, we would not live, or if we should, our naturall life were no other [Page 68] then a spirituall death: Oh Saviour, let me not live longer then I shall be enlived by thee, or then thou shalt be glorified by me: And what rule should I follow in all the carriage of my life but thine? thy precepts, thine examples, that so I may live thee, as well as preach thee? and in both may finde thee, as thou hast truly laid forth thy self,Joh. 14. 6. the way, the truth, and the life; the way wherein I shall walk, the truth which I shall beleeve and professe, and the life which I shall enjoy: In all my morall actions therefore teach me to square my self by thee; what ever I am about to doe, or speak, or affect; let me think: If my Saviour were now upon [Page 69] earth, would he doe this that I am now putting my hand unto? would he speak these words that I am now uttering? would he be thus disposed as I now feel my self? Let me not yeeld my self to any thought, word, or action which my Saviour would be ashamed to own: Let him be pleased so to manage his own life in me, that all the interesse he hath given me in my self may bee wholly surrendred to him; that I may be as it were dead in my self,§ 13. The improvement of this life; in that Christ is made our wisdome. whiles he lives and moves in me.
By vertue of this blessed union, as Christ is become our life; so (that which is the highest improvement not onely of the rationall, but [Page 70] the supernaturall and spirituall life) is he thereby also made unto us of God, Wisdome, Righteousnesse, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification, and Redemption. Not that he onely workes these great things in and for us, (this were too cold a construction of the divine bounty) but that he really becomes all these to us, who are true partakers of him.
Even of the wisest men that ever nature could boast of, is verified that character which the divine Apostle gave of them long agoe; Their foolish heart was darkned; professing themselves to be wise, Rom. 1. 21, 22. they became fools; and stil the best of us (if we be but our selves) may take up that complaint of Asaph: So foolish [Page 71] was I and ignorant; Ps. 73. 22. I was as a beast before thee; and of Agur the son of Jake; Prov. 30. 2, 3. Surely I am more brutish then man; and have not the understanding of a man; I neither learned wisdome, nor have the knowledge of the holy▪ and if any man will be challenging more to himself, he must at last take up, with Solomon; I said I will be wise, Eccl. 7. 23. but it was farre from me; But how defective soever we are in our selves, there is wisdome enough in our head, Christ, to supply all our wants: He that is the wisdome of the Father, is by the Father made our wisdome:Col. 2. 3. In him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge, saith the Apostle: So hid, that they are [Page 72] both revealed, and communicated to his own:2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ: In and by him hath it pleased the Father to impart himself unto us; He is the image of the invisible God; Col. 1. 15. even the brightnesse of his glory, Heb. 1. 3. and the expresse image of his person. It was a just check that he gave to Philip in the Gospel; Have I been so long time with you, John 14. 9 and yet hast thou not known mee, Philip? he that hath seen me, hath seen the Father: And this point of wisdome is so high and excellent, that all humane skil, and all the so much [Page 73] admired depths of Philosophy are but meer ignorance and foolishnesse, in comparison of it; Alas, what can these profound wits reach unto, but the very outside of these visible and transitory things? as for the inward forms of the meanest creatures, they are so altogether hid from them, as if they had no beeing; and as for spirituall and divine things, the most knowing Naturalists are either stone-blinde, that they cannot see them, or grope after them in an Egyptian darknesse:1 Cor. 2. [...]4 For the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned; How much lesse can they [Page 74] know the God of Spirits, who (besides his invisibility) is infinite, and incomprehensible? only he, who is made our wisdome enlightneth our eyes with this divine knowledge;Mat. 11. 27 No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Neither is Christ made our wisdome onely in respect of heavenly wisdome imparted to us; but in respect of his perfect wisdome imputed unto us: Alas, our ignorances and sinfull misprisions are many and great, where should we appear, if our faith did not fetch succour frō our all-wise, and all-sufficient Mediator? Oh Saviour, we are wise in thee our head, [Page 75] how weak soever we are of our selves: Thine infinite wisdome and goodnesse both covers and makes up all our defects; The wife cannot be poor, whiles the husband is rich; thou hast vouchsafed to give us a right to thy store; we have no reason to be disheartned with our own spirituall wants, whiles thou art made our wisdome.
It is not meer wisdome that can make us acceptable to God;§ 14. Christ made our Righteousnesse. if the serpents were not in their kinde wiser then we, we should not have been advised to be wise as serpents: That God, who is essentiall Justice, as well as Wisedome, requires all his to be not more wise, then exquisitely righteous: Such, [Page 76] in themselves they cannot be; For in many things we sin all; such therefore they are, and must be in Christ, their head, who is made unto us of God, together with Wisdome, Righteousnesse; Oh incomprehensible mercy! He hath made him to be sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21 who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him; what a marvellous and happy exchange is here? we are nothing but sin; Christ is perfect righteousnesse; He is made our sin, that we might he made his righteousnesse; He that knew no sin, is made sin for us; that we who are all sin, might be made Gods righteousness in him; In our selves wee are not onely sinfull, but sin; [Page 77] In him we are not righteous onely, but righteousnesse it self; Of our selves, we are not righteous, we are made so; In our selves, we are not righteous, but in him; we made not our selves so, but the same God in his infinite mercy who made him sin for us, hath made us his righteousnesse: No otherwise are we made his righteousnesse, then he is made our sin: Our sin is made his by Gods imputation; so is his righteousnesse made ours; How fully doth the second Adam answer, and transcend the first;Rom. 5. 18 By the offence of the first, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; by the righteousnesse of the second, the free gift came [Page 78] upon all men unto justification of life. Rō. 5. 19. As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous; righteous, not in themselves, (so death passed upon all, Rom. 5. 12 for that all have sinned) but in him that made them so,5. 11. by whom we have received the atonement: How free then, and how perfect is our justification? What quarrell may the pure and holy God have against righteousnesse? against his own righteousnesse? and such are we made in, and by him: what can now stand between us and blessedness? Not our sins; for this is the praise of his mercy, that he justifies the ungodly; Rom 4. 5. Yea, were wee not sinfull, how [Page 79] were we capable of his justification? sinfull, as in the tearm from whence this act of his mercy moveth, not, as in the tearm wherein it resteth; his grace findes us sinfull, it doth not leave us so: Far be it from the righteous Judge of the world to absolve a wicked soul continuing such:Pro. 17. 15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord: No, but he kils sin in us whiles he remits it; and, at once cleanseth, and accepts our persons: Repentance and remission doe not lagge one after another; both of them meet at once in the penitent soul: at once doth the hand of our faith lay [Page 80] hold on Christ, and the hand of Christ lay hold on the soul to justification: so as the sinnes that are done away, can be no barre to our happinesse: And what but sinnes can pretend to an hindrance? All our other weaknesses are no eye-sore to God, no rub in our way to heaven; What matters it then how unworthy wee are of our selves? It is Christs obedience that is our righteousnes: and that obedience cannot but be exquisitely perfect, cannot but be both justly accepted as his, and mercifully accepted as for us. There is a great deal of difference betwixt being righteous, and being made righteousnesse; every regenerate soul hath [Page 81] an inherent justice, or righteousnesse in it self; He that is righteous, Rev. 22. 11 let him be righteous still, saith the Angel: But at the best this righteousness of ours, is like our selves full of imperfection; If thou, Lord, Ps. 130. 3. shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Behold, Ezra 9. 15. we are before thee in our trespasses, for we cannot stand before thee, because of this; How should a man be just with God; Job 9. 2, 3. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. So then, hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous,1 Joh. 3. 7. but by pardon and indulgence, because the righteousnesse he doth is weak and imperfect; he that is made righteousnesse, is perfectly righteous by a gracious [Page 82] acceptation, by a free imputation of absolute obedience. Wo were us, if wee were put over to our own accōplishments; for,Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that cōtinueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them; Deut. 27. 16. and, If we say that we have no sin, 1 Joh. 1. 8. we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us; Lo, if there be truth in us, we must confesse we have sinne in us; and if we have sin, we violate the Law; and if we violate the Law, we lye open to a curse. But here is our comfort, that our surety hath paid our debt: It is true, we lay forfaited to death; Justice had said,Ezek. 18. 4 The soul that sinneth shall die: Mercy interposeth, and satisfies; The [Page 83] Son of God (whose every drop of bloud was worth a world) payes this death for us:Rom. 8. 33 34. And now, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercessiō for us. Our sin, our death is laid upon him, and undertaken by him;Esa. 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisements of our peace were upon him, and with his stripes we are healed; His death, his obedience is made over to us; So then, the sin that we have committed, and the death that we have deserved [Page 84] is not ours; but the death which he hath endured, and the obedience that he hath performed, is so ours, as he is ours, who is thereupon made of God our righteousnesse. Where now are those enemies of grace that scoffe at imputation; making it a ridiculous paradox, that a man should become just by another mans righteousnesse? How dare they stand out against the word of truth, which tels us expresly that Christ is made our righteousnesse? What strangers are they to that grace they oppugn? How little do they consider that Christ is ours? his righteousnesse therefore by which we are justified, is in him our own; Hee that [Page 85] hath borne the iniquitie of us all hath taught us to call our sinnes our debts; Esa. 53. 6. those debts can be but once paid;Mat. 6. 12. if the bounty of our Redeemer hath staked down the sums required, and cancelled the bonds; and this payment is (through mercy) fully accepted as frō our own hands, what danger, what scruple can remain? What doe we then, weak souls, tremble to think of appearing before the dreadfull tribunall of the Almighty? we know him indeed to be infinitely, and inflexibly just; we know his most pure eyes cannot abide to behold sin; we know wee have nothing else but sinne for him to behold in us: Certainly, were we to appear [Page 86] before him in the meer shape of our own sinfull selves, we had reason to shake and shiver at the apprehension of that terrible appearance; but now that our faith assures us, we shall no otherwise bee presented to that awfull Judge then as cloathed with the robes of Christs righteousnesse, how confident should we be, thus decked with the garments of our elder brother, to carry away a blessing? whiles therefore we are dejected with the conscience of our own vilenesse, we have reason to lift up our heads in the confidence of that perfect righteousnesse which Christ is made unto us, and we are made in him.
[Page 87] At the barre of men many a one is pronounced just who remains inwardly foule and guilty;§ 15. Christ made our Sanctification. for the best of men can but judge of things as they appear, not as they are; but the righteous Arbiter of the world declares none just whom he makes not holy. The same mercy therefore that makes Christ our righteousnesse, makes him also our sanctification; of our selves, wretched men, what are we other at our best, then unholy creatures, full of pollution and spirituall uncleannesse? it is his most holy Spirit that must cleanse us from all the filthinesse of our flesh and spirit,2 Cor. 7. 1. and work us daily to further degrees of sanctification, (He that is [Page 88] holy, Rev. 22. 11 let him be holy stil) neither can there be anything more abhorring from his infinite justice and holinesse, then to justifie those souls which lie still in the loathsome ordure of their corruptions. Certainly, they never truly learnt Christ, who would draw over Christs righteousnesse, as a case of their close wickednesses; that sever holinesse from justice, and give no place to sanctification, in the evidence of their justifying: Never man was justified without faith; and wheresoever faith is there it purifieth and cleanseth;Acts. 15. 9 But besides that the Spirit of Christ works thus powerfully (though gradually) within us, That he may [Page 89] sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water, Eph. 5. 26, 27. by the word, his holinesse is mercifully imputed to us, That he may present us to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinckle, or any such thing, but that wee should bee holy and without blemish: so as that inchoate holinesse, which by his gracious inoperation grows up daily in us towards a full perfection, is abundantly supplyed by his absolute holinesse, made no lesse by imputation, ours, then it is personally his: When therefore we look into our bosomes, we finde just cause to bee ashamed of our impurity, and to loath those dregs of corruption, that yet remain [Page 90] in our sinfull nature; but when vve east up our eyes to heaven and behold the infinite holinesse of that Christ, to whom we are united, which by faith is made ours, vvee have reason to bear up against all the discouragements, that may arise from the conscience of our own vilenesse, and to look God in the face with an awfull boldnesse, as those vvhom he is pleased to present holy,Col. 1. 22. and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight:Heb. 2. 11. as knowing that he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one.§ 16. Christ made our Redemption.
Redemption vvas the great errand for vvhich the Sonne of God came down into the [Page 91] vvorld; and the vvorke vvhich hee did vvhiles hee vvas in the vvorld; and that, vvhich (in vvay of application of it) hee shall bee ever accomplishing, till he shall deliver up his Mediatory Kingdome into the hands of his Father; in this he begins, in this he finishes the great businesse of our salvation: For those who in this life are enlightned by his vvisdome, justified by his merits, sanctified by his grace, are yet conflicting vvith manifold temptations, and strugling with varieties of miseries and dangers, till upon their happy death, and glorious resurrection, they shall be fully freed, by their everblessed and victorious Redeemer: [Page 92] He therefore, vvho by vertue of that heavenly union, is made unto us of God, Wisdome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification; is also upon the same ground made unto us our full Redemption. Redemption implies a captivity; We are naturally under the vvofull bondage of the Law, of sin, of miseries, of death: The Law is a cruell exactor; for it requires of us vvhat vvee cannot now doe; and vvhips us for not doing it;Rom. 4. 15 for the Law worketh wrath; Gal. 3. 10. and, as many as are of the workes of the Law, are under the curse. Sinne is a vvorse tyrant then he, and takes advantage to exercise his cruelty by the Law; For when we were in the flesh, Rom. 7. 5. the [Page 93] motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death; Upon sinne necessarily follows misery, the forerunner of death; and death the upshot of all miseries; By one man sinne entred into the world, Rom. 5. 12 and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. From all these is Christ our Redemption; from the Law;Gal. 3. 13. for Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us: Rom. 6. 11 From sin▪ for we are dead to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord; Sin shall not have dominion over you, 6. 14. for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. From death, and therein from all miseries: O death, [Page 94] where is thy sting? 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57. O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sinne; and the strength of sinne is the Law: But thanks be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now then, let the Lavv doe his vvorst, we are not under the Law, Rom. 6. 14 but under Grace. The case therefore is altered betwixt the Law and us. It is not now a cruell Task-master, to beat us to, and for our vvork; it is our School-master, to direct, and to whip us unto Christ: It is not a severe Judge, to condemne us, it is a friendly guide to set us the vvay towards heaven. Let sin joyn his forces together vvith the Law, they cannot prevail to our hurt; [Page 95] For what the Law could not doe, Rō. 8. 3, 4. in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his owne Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. Let death joyn his forces vvith them both,Rom. 8. 2. vve are yet safe; For the Law of the spirit of life, hath freed us from the Law of sin, and of death; What can vve therefore fear, vvhat can vve suffer, vvhiles Christ is made our Redemption?
Finally, as thus Christ is made unto us Wisdome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification, & Redemption; so whatsoever else he either is, or hath or doth, by vertue of this [Page 96] blessed union, becomes ours; he is our richesEph. 1. 7., our strengthPsal. 27. 1 28. 7., our gloryEph. 1. 18, our salvation1 Thes. 5. 9. Esa. 12. 2. 3, our allCol. 3 11: he is all to us; and all is ours in him.
From these primary and intrinsecal priviledges therefore, flow all those secondary and externall,§ 17. The externall priviledges of this uniō, a right to the blessings of earth and heaven. vvherewith vve are blessed; and therein a right to all the blessings of God, both of the right hand and of the left; an interesse in all the good things both of earth and heaven: Hereupon it is that the glorious Angels of Heaven become our Guardians, keeping us in all our ways, and vvorking secretly for our good upon all occasions; that all Gods creatures are at our [Page 97] service; that we have a true spirituall title to them;1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. All things are yours (saith the Apostle) and ye are Christs, and Christ Gods.
But take heed, my son, of mis-laying thy claime to what, and in what manner thou ought'st not. There is a civill right, that must regulate our propriety to these earthly things; our spirituall right neither gives us possession of them, nor takes away the right and propriety of others; Every man hath and must have what by the just Lawes of purchase, gift, or inheritance is derived to him; otherwise there would follow an infinite confusion in the world; we could neither enjoy nor give our owne; and [Page 98] onely will, and might must be the arbiters of all mens estates; which how unequall it would be, both reason and experience can sufficiently evince. This right is not for the direption or usurpation of that which civill titles have legally put over to others; there were no theft, no robbery, no oppression in the world, if any mans goods might be every mans: But for the warrantable and comfortable injoying of those earthly commodities in regard of God their originall owner, which are by humane convciances justly become ours; The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse of it; in his right what ever parcells doe lawfully descend unto us, we [Page 99] may justly possesse as we have them legally made over to us from the secondary and immediate owners. There is a generation of men who have vainly fancied the founding of Temporall dominion in Grace; and have upon this mistaking outed the true heyres as intruders, and feoffed the just and godly in the possession of wicked inheritors; which whether they be worse Commonwealthsmen, or Christians is to me utterly uncertaine; sure I am they are enemies to both; whiles on the one side, they destroy all civill propriety, and commerce; and on the other, retch the extent of the power of Christianity so far, as to render it injurious, and [Page 100] destructive both to reason and to the Lawes of all well-ordred humanity▪ Nothing is ours by injury and injustice, all things are so ours, that we may with a good conscience enjoy them as, from the hand of a munificent God, when they are rightfully estated upon us by the lawfull convention or bequest of men. In this regard it is that a Christian man is the Lord of the whole universe; and hath a right to the whole creation of God: how can he challenge lesse? he is a son; and in that an heire; and (according to the high expression of the holy ghost) a co-heir with Christ; As therefore we may not be high-minded, but fear; so we may not be too low-harted [Page 101] in the under-valuing of our condition; In God we are great, now mean soever in our selves: In his right the world is ours, what ever pittance we enjoy in our owne; how can we goe lesse when we are one with him who is the possessour of heaven and earth?
It were but a poore comfort to us, if by vertue of this union wee could only lay claime to all earthly things: alas, how vaine and transitory are the best of these? perishing under our hand in the very use of them, and in the meane while how unsatisfying in the fruition? All this were nothing, if we had not hereby an interesse in the best of all Gods favours, in the heaven of heavens and the eternity [Page 102] of that glory which is there laid up for his Saints; far above the reach of all humane expressions, or conceits; It was the word of him who is the eternall word of his father;Ioh. 17. 24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given mee, be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me; and not only to be meere spectators, but even partners of this celestiall blisse together with himselfe;Ioh. 17. 22. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. Oh the transcendent and incomprehensible blessednesse of the beleevers, which even when they enjoy they cannot be able to utter, for measure infinite, for duration eternall! [Page 103] Oh the inexplicable joy of the ful & everlasting accomplishment of the happy union of Christ & the beleeving soule, more fit for thankfull wonder and ravishment of Spirit then for any finite apprehension!
Now that we may looke a little further into the meanes by which this union is wrought;§ 18. The meanes by which this union is wrought. Know, my Sonne, that as there are two persons betwixt whom this union is made, Christ and the beleever; so each of them concurres to the happy effecting of it; Christ, by his spirit diffused through the hearts of all the regenerate, giving life and activity to them: the beleever, laying hold by faith upon Christ so working in him; and these doe so re-act upon [Page 104] each other, that from their mutuall operation results this gracious union whereof wee treat. Here is a spirituall marriage betwixt Christ and the soule: The liking of one part doth not make up the match, but the consent of both. To this purpose Christ gives his spirit; the soule plights her faith: What interesse have we in Christ but by his spirit? what interesse hath Christ in us but by our faith?
On the one part; He hath given us his holy Spirit, saith the Apostle;1 Thes. 4. 8 and (in a way of correlation) we have received not the spirit of the world, 1 Cor. 2. 12 but the spirit which is of God; And this spirit we have so received, as that he dwells in us;Rom. 8. 11 and so dwells in us, as that we [Page 105] are joyned to the Lord;1 Cor. 5. 2. and he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit.Gal. 2. 20.
On the other part, wee have accesse by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and reioice in hope of the glory of God▪ Ephes. 3. 17 so as now the life that wee live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the sonne of God; who dwells in our hearts by faith▪ O the grace of faith (according to St. Peters style) truly▪ precious;2 Pet. 1. 1. justly recommended to us by S. Paul above all other graces incident into the soule;Ephes. 6. 16 as that, which if not alone yet chiefly transacts all the maine affaires tending to salvation: for faith is the quickning graceGal. 2. 20 Rom. 1. 17▪, the directing grace2 Cor. 5. 7., the protecting graceEphes. 6. 16., the establishing [Page 106] grace,Rom. 11. 20▪ 2 Cor. 1. 24. the justifying grace, Rom. 5. 1. the sanctifying and purifying grace;Act. 15. 9. faith is the grate that assents to,Heb. 11. 1 apprehends, applyes, appropriates Christ, and hereupon the uniting grace, and (which comprehends all) the saving grace. If ever therefore we looke for any consolation in Christ, or to have any part in this beatificall union, it must be the maine care of our hearts to make sure of a lively faith in the Lord Jesus, to lay fast hold upon him, to clasp him close to us, yea to receive him inwardly into our bosomes; and so to make him ours, and our selves his, that we may be joyned to him as our head, espoused to him as our husband, incorporated into him [Page 107] as our nourishment, engrafted in him as our stock, and layd upon him as a sure foundation.
Hitherto wee have treated of this blessed union as in relation to Christ the head;§ 19. The union of Christs members with themselves; First, those in heaven. it remaines that we now consider of it, as it stands in relation to the members of his mysticall body, one towards another▪ For as the body is united to the head, so must the members be united to themselves to make the body truly compleat: Thus the holy ghost by his Apostle:1 Cor. 12. 12. As the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so is Christ. From this entire conjunction of the members with each other, arises [Page 108] that happy communion of Saints, which wee professe both to beleeve and to partake of; This mysticall body of Christ is a large one, extending it self both to heaven and earth; there is a reall union betwixt all those farre-spred limmes: betweene the Saints in heaven; betweene the Saints on earth; between the Saints in heaven and earth.
We have reason to begin at heaven, thence is the originall of our union and blessednesse: There was never place for discord in that region of glory, since the rebellious Angels were cast out thence; the spirits of just men made perfect must needs agree in a perfect unity; Heb. 12. neither can it be otherwise, for there is but one [Page 109] will in heaven; one scope of the desires of blessed souls, wch is the glory of their God; all the whole chore sing one song, and in that one harmonious tune of Allelujah. We poor parcell-sainted souls here on earth professe to bend our eyes directly upon the same holy end, the honour of our Maker and Redeemer, but, alas, at our best, we are drawn to look asquint at our own aims of profit, or pleasure; Wee professe to sing loud praises unto God, but it is with many harsh and jarring notes; above, there is a perfect accordance in an unanimous glorifying of him that sits upon the throne for ever; Ps. 31. 23. Oh, how ye love the Lord, all ye his Saints, [Page 110] Oh how joyfull ye are in glory.Ps. 31. 23. The heavens shall praisePs. 149. 5. thy wonders, O Lord; thy faithfulnesse also in the congregation of the Saints:Ps. 89. 5. O what a blessed Common-wealth is that above! The City of the living God,Heb. 12. 22 the heavenly Jerusalem (ever at unity within it selfe) & therin the innumerable company of Angels,Ps. 122. 3. and the generall Assembly and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven; the spirits of just men made perfect, and (whom they all adore) God the judge of all; and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament: All these as one, Ps. 68. 17. as holy: Those twenty thousand chariots of heaven move all one way; When those four beasts full of eyes, round about the throne give glory,Rev. 4. 6, 7. and [Page 111] honour, and thanks to him that sits upon the throne, saying, Holy, holy,Rev. 4. 8, 9, 10. holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come; then the four and twenty Elders fall down before him, and cast their crownes before the throne; No one wears his crown whiles the rest cast down theirs, all accord in one act of giving glory to the Highest. Rev. 7. 4. After the sealing of the Tribes,V. 9, 10. A great multitude, which no man could number, of all Nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne, and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands. And cryed with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb; And all [Page 112] the Angels stood about the throne,Revel. 7. 11, 12. and about the Elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdome, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto God for ever and ever. Lo, those spirits which here below were habited with severalll bodies, different in shapes, statures, ages, complexions, are now above as one spirit rather distinguished, then divided; all united in one perpetuall adoration and fruition of the God of spirits; all mutually happy in God; in themselves, in each other.
[Page 113] Our copy is set us above;§ 20. The uniō of Christs members upon earth: First, in matter of judgement. we labour to take it out here on earth; What doe we but daily pray that the blessed union of souls, which is eminent in that empyrcall heaven, may be exemplified by us in this region of mortality? For, having through Christ an accesse by one spirit unto God the Father, Eph. 2. 18, 19. being no more strangers and forainers, but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, we cease not to pray, Thy will be done in earth, Mat. 6. 10. as it is in heaven: Yea, O Saviour, thou, who canst not but be heard, hast prayed to thy Father for the accomplishment of this union; That they may be one even as we are one; Joh. 17. 22 23. I in them, and thou in me; that [Page 114] they may be perfect in one. What then is this union of the members of Christ here on earth, but a spirituall onenesse arising from an happy conspiratiō of their thoughts and affections? for whereas there are two main principles of all humane actions and dispositions, the brain and the heart; the conjuncture of these two cannot but produce a perfect union; from the one our thoughts take their rise; our affections from the other; in both, the soul puts it self forth upon all matter of accord, or difference. The union of thoughts is, when we minde the same things, when we agree in the same truths: This is the charge which the Apostle [Page 115] of the Gentiles lays upon his Corinthians, and, in their persons, upon all Christians;1 Cor. 1. 10 Now I beseech you, Brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing; and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement; And this is no other then that one faith,Eph. 4. 5. which makes up the one Church of Christ upon earth; One, both in respect of times and places. Of times: so as the Fathers of the first world, and the Patriarks of the next, and all Gods people in their ages, that lookt (together with them) for the redemption of Israel; are united with us [Page 116] Christians of the last days in the same beleef;Luke 2. 38 and make up one entire body of Christs Catholik Church: Of places; so as all those that truly professe the name of Christ (though scattered into the farthest remote regions of the earth) even those that walk with their feet opposite to ours, yet meet with us in the same center of Christian faith, and make up one houshold of God.
Not that we can hope it possible that all Christians should agree in all truths; whiles wee are here, our mindes cannot but be more unlike to each others, then our faces: yea, it is a rare thing for a man to hold constant to his own apprehensions. [Page 117] Lord God! what a world doe we meet with of those, who mis-call themselves severall Religions, indeed, severall professions of one and the same Christianity? Melchites, Georgians, Maronites, Jacobites, Armenians, Abysines, Cophti, Nestorians, Ruffians, Mengrellians; and the rest that fill up the large Map of Christianography; all which, as whiles they hold the head Christ, they cannot be denyed the priviledge of his members; so being such, they are, or should be indissolubly joined together in the unity of spirit, and maintenance of the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints.Jude 3. It is not the variety of by opinions [Page 118] that should, or can exclude them from having their part in that one Catholick Church; and their just claim to the communion of Saints: whiles they hold the solid and precious foundation, it is not the hay, or stubble, which they lay upon it,1 Cor. 3. 12 that can set them off from God, or his Church: But in the mean time, it must be granted, that they have much to answer for to the God of peace and unity, who are so much addicted to their own conceits, and so indulgent to their own interesse, as to raise and maintain new Doctrines, and to set up new Sects in the Church of Christ, varying from the common and received truths; labouring to [Page 119] draw Disciples after them▪ to the great distraction of souls, and scandall of Christianity: With which sort of disturbers, I must needs say, this age into which we are fallen, hath been, and is above all that have gone before us, most miserably pestered: What good soul can be other then confounded to hear of, and see more then an hundred and fourscore new, (and some of them dangerous and blasphemous) opinions broached, and defended in one (once famous and unanimous) Church of Christ? Who can say other, upon the view of these wild thoughts, then Gerson said long since, that the world now growne old, is full of doting fancies; [Page 120] if not rather that the world now near his end, raves, and talks nothing but fancies, and frenzies? How arbitrary soever these selfe-willed fanaticks may think it, to take to themselves this liberty of thinking what they list; and venting what they think, the blessed Apostle hath▪ long since branded them with an heavy sentence; Now I beseech you, Rō. 16. 17. brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them; For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words, and by fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
But notwithstanding all [Page 121] this hideous variety of vain and heterodoxall conceptions; he who is the truth of God, and the Bridegroom of his Spouse the Church, hath said,Cant. 6. 9. My Dove, my undefiled is one. One, in the main, essentiall, fundamentall verities necessary to salvation; though differing in divers mis-raised Corollaries, inconsequent inferences, unnecessary additions, feigned traditions, unwarrantable practises: the body is one, though the garments differ; yea, rather (for most of these) the garment is one, but differs in the dressing; handsomely and comely set out by one, disguised by another; Neither is it, nor ever shall be in the power of all the fiends [Page 122] of hell, the professed makebates of the world, to make Gods Church other then one; which were indeed utterly to extinguish, and reduce it to nothing: for the unity, and entity of the Church, can no more be divided then it self. It were no lesse then blasphemy to fasten upon the chaste and most holy husband of the Church any other then one Spouse; In the Institution of Marriage did he not make one? Mal. 2. 15. yet had he the residue of the spirit; and wherefore one? that he might seek a godly seed: That which he ordained for us, shall not the holy God much more observe in his own heavenly match with his Church? Here is then [Page 123] one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme; One Baptisme, by which wee enter into the Church, one Faith, which we professe in the Church, and one Lord whom wee serve, and who is the head, and husband of the Church.
How much therefore doth it concern us,§ 21. The uniō of Christians in matter of affection. that we who are united in one common beleef, should be much more united in affection; that where there is one way, there should bee much more one heart? Jer. 32. 39. This is so justly supposed, that the Prophet questions,Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? if we walk together in our judgements, we cannot but accord in our wils: This was the praise of the Primitive Christians, and [Page 124] the pattern of their successours;Acts 4. 32. The multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart, and of one soul; Yea, this is the Livery which our Lord and Saviour made choice of, whereby his meniall servants should be known and distinguished;Joh. 13. 35 By this shall all men know that ye be my Disciples, if ye have love to one another: In vain shall any man pretend to a Discipleship, if he do not make it good by his love to all the family of Christ. The whole Church is the spirituall Temple of God; every beleever is a living stone laid in those sacred wals; what is our Christian love but the morter or cement whereby these stones are fast joyned together to make up this [Page 125] heavenly building? without which that precious fabrick could not hold long together, but would be subject to dis-joynting by those violent tempests of opposition, wherewith it is commonly beaten upon: There is no place for any loose stone in Gods edifice; The whole Church is one entire body, all the lims must be held together by the ligaments of Christian love; if any one will be severed, and affect to subsist of it self, it hath lost his place in the body; Thus the Apostle,Eph. 4. 15, 16. That we being sincere in love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; From whom the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted [Page 126] by that which every joynt supplyeth; according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of it self in love.
But in case there happen to be differences in opinion, concerning points not essentiall, not necessary to salvation, this diversity may not breed an alienation of affection. That charity which can cover a multitude of sins, may much more cover many small dissensions of judgement: We cannot hope to be all, and at all times equally enlightned; at how many and great weaknesses of judgement did it please our mercifull Saviour to connive, in his domestique [Page 127] ples? They that had so long sate at the sacred feet of him that spake as never man spake, were yet to seek of those Scriptures, which had so clearely foretold his resurrection;Joh. 20. 9. and after that were at a fault for the manner of his kingdome;Acts 1. 6. yet he that breaks not the bruised reed, nor quenches the smoaking flaxe, fals not harshly upon them for so foul an error, and ignorance, but entertains them with all loving respects, not as followers onely, but as friends: And his great Apostle,Joh. 15. 15. after hee had spent himself in his unweariable endeavours upon Gods Church; and had sown the seeds of wholesom, & saving doctrine every where, [Page 128] what ranke and noisome weeds of erroneous opinions rose up under his hand, in the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colosse, Philippi, and Thessalonica? These he labours to root out, with much zeal, with no bitternesse; so opposing the errors, as not alienating his affection from the Churches; These, these must be our precedents, pursuing that charge of the prime Apostle, Finally, 1 Pet. 3. 8. be ye all of one minde; having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitifull, be courteous: and that passionate and adjuring obtestation of the Apostle of the Gentiles; Phil. 2. 1, 2. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship [Page 129] of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies; Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one minde.
This is it that gives beauty, strength, glory to the Church of God upon earth; and brings it nearest to the resemblance of that Triumphant part above, where there is all perfection of love and concord; in imitation whereof, the Psalmist sweetly; Behold, Ps. 133. 1. how good and joyfull a thing it is brethren to dwel together in unity. § 22. A complaint of divisions, and, notwithstanding thē, an assertion of unity.
So much the more justly lamentable it is to see the manifold and grievous distractions of the Church of Christ, both in judgement and affection. Woe is me, into how [Page 130] many thousand peeces is the seamlesse coat of our Saviour rent? Yea, into what numberlesse atomes is the precious body of Christ torn and minced? There are more Religions, then Nations upon earth; & in each Religion as many different conceits, as men. If Saint Paul, when his Corinthians did but say, I am of Paul, 1 Cor. 1. 12, 13. I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas, could ask, Is Christ divided? when there was onely an emulatory magnifying of their own Teachers, (though agreeing and orthodoxe) what (think wee) would he now say, if he saw hundred of Sect-masters and Heresiarchs (some of them opposite to other, all to the Truth) applauded by their [Page 131] credulous and divided followers? all of them claiming Christ for theirs, and denying him to their gain-sayers; would hee not aske, Is Christ multiplied? Is Christ sub-divided? Is Christ shred into infinities? O God! what is become of Christianity? How doe evill spirits & men labour to destroy that Creed wch we have always constantly professed? For, if we set up more Christs, where is that one? and if we give way to these infinite distractions, where is the communion of Saints? But he not too much dismaid, my son; notwithstanding all these cold disheartnings, take courage to thy self: He that is truth it self hath said, The [Page 132] Gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church: Mat. 16. 18 In spight of all Devils, there shall be Saints, and those are, and shall be as the scales of the Leviathan, Job 41. 15 16, 17. whose strong peeces of shields are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal; one is so near to another, that no ayr can come betwixt them; They are joyned one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundred: In all the main principles of Religion, there is an universall and unanimous consent of all Christians, and these are they that constitute a Church: Those that agree in these, Christ is pleased to admit (for matter of doctrine) as members of that body whereof he is the head: and if they admit [Page 133] not of each other as such, the fault is in the uncharitablenesse of the refusers, no lesse then in the error of the refused: And if any vain and loose straglers will needs sever themselves, and wilfully choose to goe ways of their own; let them know that the union of Christs Church shall consist entire without them; This great Ocean will be one collection of waters, when these drops are lost in the dust: In the mean time it highly concerns all that wish well to the sacred name of Christ, to labour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace; Eph. 4. 3. and to renue and continue the prayer of the Apostle for all the professors of Christianity. [Page 134] Now the God of patience and consolation, Rom. 15. 5, 6. grant you to be like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus; That ye may with one minde, and one mouth glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Far be it from us to think this union of the hearts of Gods Saints upon earth can be idle and ineffectuall;§ 23. The necessary effects & fruits of this uniō of Christian hearts. but where ever it is, it puts forth it self into a like-affectednesse of disposition, into an improvement of gifts, into a communication of outward blessings, to the benefit of that happy consociation.
We cannot be single in our affections, if we be lims of a Christian community; What member of the body [Page 135] can complain, so as the rest shall not feel it? Even the head and heart are in paine, when a joynt of the least toe suffers; no Christian can be afflicted alone; It is not Saint Pauls case onely;2 Cor. 11. 29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? Our shoulders are not our own, we must bear one anothers burdens:Gal. 6. 2. There is a better kinde of spirituall good fellowship in all the Saints of God; They hate a propriety of passions,Rō. 12. 15. Rejoyce with them that rejoyce, and weep with them that weep. Their affections are not more communicative then their gifts and graces; those, as they are bestowed with an intuition of the common good, so they are [Page 136] improved; Wherefore hath this man quicknesse of wit, that man depth of judgment, this, heat of zeal, that, power of elocution; this, skill, that, experience; this, authority, that, strength; but that all should be laid together for the raising of the common stock? How rich therefore is every Christian soul, that is not onely furnished with its own graces, but hath a speciall interest in all the excellent gifts of all the most eminent servants of God through the whole world? Surely, he cannot be poore, whiles there is any spirituall wealth in the Church of God upon earth.
Neither are, or can these gifts be in the danger of [Page 137] concealments; they are still put forth for the publike advantage: As therefore no true Christian is his own man; so he freely lays out himself, by example, by admonition, by exhortation, by consolation, by prayer, for the universall benefit of all his fellow-members; By example, which is not a little winning and prevalent;Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven; saith our Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount; and his great Apostle seconds his charge to his Philippians; That ye may be blamelesse and harmlesse, Phil. 2. 15, 16. the Sons of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked, and perverse [Page 138] nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; Lo, the world sits in darknesse, and either stirs not, or moves with danger; good example is a light to their feet, which directs them to walk in the ways of God, without erring, without stumbling: so as the good mans actions are so many copies for novices to take out; no lesse instructive then the wisest mens precepts. By admonition; the sinner is in danger of drowning; Seasonable admonition is an hand reacht out, that lays hold on him now sinking, and draws him up to the shore. The sinner is already in the fire;Jude 23. seasonable admonition snatches [Page 139] him out from the everlasting burnings. The charitable Christian may not forbear this (oft times thanklesse, but) always necessary and profitable duty;Lev. 19. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
By exhortation; The fire of Gods Spirit within us, is subject to many damps, and dangers of quenching; seasonable exhortation blowes it up, and quickens those sparks of good motions to a perfect flame; Even the best of us lies open to a certain deadnesse and obdurednesse of heart, seasonable exhortation shakes off this perill, and keeps the heart in an [Page 140] holy tendernesse; and whether awfull, or chearfull disposition; Exhort one another daily, Heb. 3. 13. whiles it is called, to day; lest any of you bee hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin.
By consolation; We are all naturally subject to droop under the pressure of afflictions; seasonable comforts lift, and stay us up: It is a sad complaint that the Church makes in the Lamentations; They have heard that I sigh;Lam. 1. 21 there is none to comfort me; and David sets the same mournfulditty upon his Shoshannim; Reproach hath broken my heart,Ps. 69. 20. and I am full of heavinesse; and I looked for some to take pity, and there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. Wherefore hath [Page 141] God givē to men the tongue of the learned,Esa. 50. 4.but that they might know to speak a word in season to him that is weary? That they may strengthen the weak hands,Esa. 35. 3. and confirm the feeble knees; and say to them that are of a fearfull heart, Be strong, fear not. The charge that our Saviour gives to Peter,Luk. 23. 32 holds universally; Thou when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
By prayer: so as each member of Christs Church sues for all; neither can any one bee shut out from partaking the benefit of the devotions of all Gods Saints upon earth: There is a certain spirituall traffique of piety betwixt all Gods children, wherein they exchange prayers [Page 142] with each other; not regarding number, so much as weight: Am I weak in spirit, and faint in my supplications? I have no lesse share in the most fervent prayers of the holiest suppliants, then in my own; All the vigour that is in the most ardent hearts supplies my defects; whiles there is life in their faithfull devotions, I cannot goe away unblessed.
Lastly, where there is a communion of inward graces, and spirituall services, there must needs much more be a communication of outward, and temporall good things, as just occasion requireth; Away with those dotages of Platonicall, or Anabaptisticall communities; Let [Page 143] prieties be, as they ought, constantly fixed where the laws, and civill right have placed them; But let the use of these outward blessings be managed, and commanded by the necessities of our brethren; Withhold not thy goods from the owners therof, Prov. 3. 27, 28. when it is in the power of thy hand to doe it: Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again to morrow, and I will give it, when thou hast it by thee. These temporall things were given us not to engrosse, and hoard up superfluously, but to distribute and dispense; As we have therefore opportunity, Gal. 6. 10. let us doe good unto all men, especially them who are of the houshold of faith.
Such then is the union of [Page 144] Gods children here on earth, both in matter of judgement, and affection; and the beneficiall improvement of that affection, whether in spirituall gifts, or good offices, or communicating of our earthly substance; where the heart is one, none of these can be wanting, and where they all are, there is an happy communion of Saints.
As there is a perfect union betwixt the glorious Saints in heaven;§ 24. The union of the Saints on earth with those in heaven. and a union (though imperfect) betwixt the Saints on earth: So there is an union partly perfect, and partly imperfect, between the Saints in heaven, and the Saints below upon earth: perfect, in respect of those glorified Saints above, imimperfect, [Page 145] in respect of the weak returns we are able to make to them again. Let no man think that because those blessed souls are out of sight farre distant in another world, and we are here toyling in a vale of tears, wee have therefore lost all mutuall regard to each other: no, there is still, and ever will be a secret, but unfailing correspondence between heaven and earth. The present happinesse of those heavenly Citizens cannot have abated ought of their knowledge, and charity, but must needs have raised them to an higher pitch of both: They therefore, who are now glorious comprehensors, cannot but in a generality, retain the notice [Page 146] of the sad condition of us poor travellers here below, pāting towards our rest together wth thē, and, in common, wish for the happy consummation of this our weary pilgrimage, in the fruition of their glory; That they have any Perspective whereby they can see down into our particular wants, is that which we finde no ground to beleeve; it is enough that they have an universall apprehension of the estate of Christs warfaring Church upon the face of the earth;Rev. 6. 10. and as fellow-members of the same mysticall body, long for a perfect glorification of the whole.
As for us wretched pilgrims, that are yet left here [Page 147] below to tugge with many difficulties, we cannot forget that better half of us that is now triumphing in glory; O ye blessed Saints above, we honour your memories so far as wee ought; wee doe with praise recount your vertues, wee magnifie your victories, we blesse God for your happy exemption from the miseries of this world, and for your estating in that blessed immortality; Wee imitate your holy examples, we long and pray for an happy consociation with you; we dare not raise Temples, dedicate Altars, direct prayers to you; we dare not finally, offer any thing to you which you are unwilling to receive, nor put any thing [Page 148] upon you, which you would disclaim as prejudiciall to your Creator, and Redeemer. It is abundant comfort to us, that some part of us is in the fruition of that glory; whereto we (the other poor labouring part) desire, and strive to aspire: that our head and shoulders are above water, whiles the other lims are yet wading through the stream.
To winde up all,§ 25. Arecapitulatiō and sum of the whole treatise. my son, if ever thou look for sound comfort on earth, and salvation in heaven; unglue thy self from the world and the vanities of it; put thy self upon thy Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; Leave not till thou findest thy self firmly united to him; so as thou art become a limb of that [Page 149] body whereof he is head, a Spouse of that husband, a branch of that stemme, a stone laid upon that foundation; Look not therefore for any blessing out of him; and in, and by, and from him look for all blessings; Let him be thy life, and wish not to live longer then thou art quickned by him; find him thy wisdome, righteousness, sanctification, redemption; thy riches, thy strength, thy glory: Apply unto thy self all that thy Saviour is, or hath done;Hier. Zanch. loc. com. 8. de Symbolo Apost. Wouldst thou have the graces of Gods Spirit? fetch them from his anointing; Wouldst thou have power against spirituall enemies? fetch it from his Soveraignty; Wouldst thou [Page 150] have redemption? fetch it from his passion; Wouldst thou have absolution? fetch it from his perfect innocence; Freedome from the curse? fetch it from his crosse? Satisfaction? fetch it from his sacrifice; Cleansing from sin? fetch it from his bloud; Mortification? fetch it from his grave; Newnesse of life? fetch it from his resurrection; Right to heaven? fetch it from his purchase; Audience in all thy suits? fetch it from his intercessiō; Wouldst thou have salvation? fetch it from his session at the right hand of Majesty: Wouldst thou have all? fetch it from him who is one Lord, Eph. 4. 5, 6. one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all: [Page 151] And as thy faith shall thus interesse thee in Christ thy head: so let thy charity unite thee to his body the Church, both in earth, and heaven; hold ever an inviolable communion with that holy and blessed fraternity. Sever not thy selfe from it either in judgement, or affection; Make account there is not one of Gods saints upon earth, but hath a propriety in thee: and thou maist challenge the same in each of them: so as thou canst not but be sensible of their passions; and be freely communicative of all thy graces, and all serviceable offices, by example, admonition, exhortation, consolation, prayer, beneficence, for the good of [Page 152] that sacred community.
And when thou raisest up thine eyes to heaven, think of that glorious society of blessed saints, who are gone before thee, and are now there triumphing, and reigning in eternall, and incomprehensible glory; blesse God for them, and wish thy self with them, tread in their holy steps, and be ambitious of that crown of glory and immortality which thou seest shining upon their heads.