CHAP. XIX.

The Seventh Confolation against the Fears of Death, is our strict and infeparable Union with Fefus Chrift, by the Means of his Holy Spirit and the First Fruits of our bleed Immortality.

UR Lord Jefus Chrift is not only alive, and

triumphs in Heaven, but 'tis from thence our Life, our Glory, and our bleffed Immortality proceed. For, as the Father hath Life in himself, he hath alfo given to the Son to have Life in himfelf; and as the Father raifeth and quickeneth the dead, likewife the Son quickeneth whomsoever he will. So that we may not only fay to him, as St, Peter, Thou haft the Words of eternal Life, John ix. But we may juftly fpeak to him in David's Language, With thee is the Fountain of Life, in thy Light fhall we fee Light, Pfal. xxxvi. Therefore all thote that are united and incorporated into this Prince of Life, participate of the Fulnefs of his Holy Spirit, and by that Means they become Partakers of Immortality and Happiness. Now by the Virtue of Chrift's Death and Paffion, we are not only made Partakers of the Fruits of his Sufferings, but we are united to, and incorporated in him; fo that by that Means we have obtained not only the great and precious Promifes of Glory and Immortality, which he hath purchased for us, by the infinite Merits of his Sufferings; but we receive the First-Fruits and Fore-taftes of our future Blessednefs.

He that is lifted up, and dwells on high, quickéns the Spirits of the Humble, Ifa. lvii. He dwells in our Hearts by Faith, Eph. iii, 1. He pours into

Our Souls his holy and quickening Spirit: For because we are the Children of God, he hath fent the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts to cry Abba, Father, Gal. iv. Whofoever hath not this Spirit of the Lord Jefus, he is none of his. By the Means of this Spirit he dwells in us, and we in him; we become Members of his Body; and we may boaft, that we are his Flesh and his Bones.

All Things that are moft ftrictly united by Nature or Art, are employ'd to reprefent this admirable Union, Job. vi. which we enjoy with Jefus Chrift, by the Means of his Spirit that quickens us, Rom. xiii. From hence are derived thefe Expreffions of the holy Apostle, We have put on the Lord Jefus Chrift, Gal. iii. And that when we draw near to him who is the living Stone, rejected of Men, but lifted up, and of great Price with God, 1 Pet. ii. We, like fo many living Stones are built up together to make afpiritual House: For the fame Reafon our Saviour informs us, John xv. That be is the Tree, and that we are, the Branches. And St. Paul affures us, that if we are become one Plant with him, by the Conformity of his Death, we shall also be one by the Refemblance of his Refurrection, Rom. vi.

To exprefs to us, that this facred Union contains many Ties of Love, our Lord Jefus Chrift is reprefented as our Brother, our Father, and our Bridegroom; therefore the Apostle tells us, that he thinks it no Difgrace to own us for his Brethren, in saying, Heb. i. I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren; and alfo where he informs us, Rom. iii. that God hath predeftinated us to be conformed to the Image of his Son,that be might be the First-born among many Brethren. And after his Refurrection, he speaks thus to Mary Magdalen, John xx. Touch me not, for I am not yet afcended to my Father; but go to my Brethren, and fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father, and to your Father, and to my God, and to your God, Heb. ii. Therefore this glorious Redeemer, fhewing himself unto God with all

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the Elect, faith, Here I am, and the Children which thou baft given me, Hof. ii. And by the Mouth of Hofea, he fpeaks to his Church, and makes this Promise to her, I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in Righteousness, and in Judgment, and in Loving Kindness, and in Mercies: From hence 'tis that this Church is called the Spouse of the Lamb, in the Revelations; and in the Canticles, the fpiritual Union betwixt Chrift and his Church, is expreffed by a continual Allufion to a Marriage between a Mari and his Wife.

And because our Meat and Drink are turned into our Body and Subftance, Jefus Chrift affures us, That bis Flefb is truly Meat,and bis Blood is truly Drink ; that be is the true Bread come down from Heaven,that gives Life to the World,and whosoever fhalleat him, fhall livefor ever.

But amongst all the Similitudes borrow'd to reprefent our Union with Jefus Chrift by his holy Spirit, there is none imploy'd more frequently in holy Scripture,than that of the human Body, for there is not any more proper for us. All the Spirits that give Life and Motion proceed from the Head,and as foon as the Members are Teparated from it, they die. In like Manner, the Spirit that quickens us, and makes us become new Creatures, proceeds from Jefus Chrift; fo that whofoever is feparated from his Head, he falls into Death and eternal Deftruction. And as there are many Members,nevertheless they make up but one Body, because they are all animated with the fame Spirit,and they are kept alive by the fame Head: So there be many Members belonging to Chrift's myftical Body, fome in Combats yet upon Earth, and others glorified in Heaven,nevertheless they make up but one only myftical and fpiritual Body; for they are quickened by the fame Spirit, and receive all the celeftial Influences from the fame Head. St. Paul teacheth us this Doctrine in exprefs Terms, 1 Cor.xii. For as the Body is one,and bath many Members,and all the Members of that one Body,being many,are one Body; fo alfo isChrift; for by one Spirit are we all

baptized

baptized into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be Bond or Free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Finally, because the fame Spirit that is in our Lord, as in the Head and Fountain; and in the Church in general, as in the Body, which is quickened and moved, is alfo in every particularMember: The holy Apoftle is not fatisfied to call this fpiritual Body of Chrift and his Church, Chrift; but he tells us moreover, that whofoever is united unto him, is made but one Spirit with him.

These, and fuch likeRepresentations,let them be never fo lively and noble,are but dark Shadows and imperfect Images of our Union with Jefus Chrift by his holy Spirit. For the richest and moft magnificent Garment can never keep off from the Body Difeafes, nor hinder the Approaches of Corruption that creeps upori it. There is no Foundation ever fo firm and well fetled, that can free the Houfe built upon it from the Ruins and Breaches of Time and Weather. Altho' the Sap mounts up from the Root of the Vine, and runs into the Twigs and Branches, they wither at laft, and áre caft into the Fire. The rareft Meats, and the moft delicious Drinks, can never make our Bodies become immortal; Death fnatcheth away the Brother from the Brother, the Father from the Child, and the Wife from her Husband. The Stroke of the Sword can separate a Body from the healthieft and strongest Head; nay, without any fuch Violence, the Head dies as well as the Body,and the Spirits that run in our Veins are far from hindering the Corruption of our Bodies; for they corrupt of themfelves and vanish away. In fhort, the ftricteft Unions of Nature and Art are diffolved by Time, fo that al! Things under the Sun are fubject to Vanity and Inconftancy. But the Spirit of our Lord Jefus is the Principle of an eternal Life, and the Seed of an incorruptible Glory. Whofoever is united to him by this Spirit, nothing can separate him from Chrift, neither Life, nor Death, nor Hell, nor the World, nor

be

Things prefent, nor Things to come. Therefore our bleffed Saviour could find nothing here upon Earth,nor amongst all theCreatures,worthy and able to reprefent this perfect and infeparable Union : He feeks an Image of it beyond all natural Beings, in the holy Trinity; that unchangeable Union, which was, which is, and which shall ever be, between him and God the Father. As we may fee in his excellent Prayer, John xvii. Father, Ipray for them all which shall believe in me, that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, that they may one even as we are one. Banish therefore, from your Minds all Fear, believing Souls; for all the Three Perfons of the most holy, moft glorious, and most wonderful Trinity, are engaged for your Salvation, to bring you to your eternal Happinefs. The Father by his infinite Wisdom hath found out a Means to reconcile us to himself, to fatisfy his offended Justice, and to declare the Riches of his unparallel'd Mercies. The Son hath purchased for us this great Salvation, by fuffering the fhameful Death of the Crofs, and by fpilling his moft precious Blood for the Forgiveness of our Sins; and the Holy Spirit, by incorporating us into Jefus Chrift, makes us Partakers of the infinite Mercies of his Sufferings, Rev. iii. That is the true Hyffop that fprinkles the divine Blood of the Lamb without Spot or Blemish, to cleanse our Souls. 'Tis he that gives us the white Stone, where the new Name of Flect and Believer is written, Heb. xii. Rev. ii. Which none knows but he that hath it; he gives to eat of the hidden Manna, and of the Food of Angels, Job. iv. which the World knoweth not. 'Tis instead of a precious Ring or Jewel, by which our fpiritual Bridegroom promifes and confirms to us his conjugal Faith. Tis the Seal of the Living God, that feals to us the Covenant of Grace, and the Promifes of Glory and Happiness made to us in the Gospel, as the Apostle himself tells us, Eph. i. that now have