Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

---------------..,---------------·--·~-....__,.. Looking ur.ttfJ feftU. Booic JV· Chap.2.Sect.9 Saints in every thing:, ifv:;e take a view of all Chrift, what he is in his perfon, in his glory, in his ~!pirir, in his graces, in his Fathers !ove, and in the acceffe he hath to the Father, in all thefe we are in a fort fellowes with Chrift ; only with this difference that Chrift hath the preheminence in all things; all comes from the Father firft to Chrift, and all we have is by marriage with Jefus Chrilt; Chrift by his union hath all good things without meafure, but we by our union have them only in meafure, as it pleafeth him to diftribute. But herein if we refemble Chrift, whether in his union with the Father, or in his union of the two natures in one perfon ofa Mediatour; if by looking on Chrift, we col).ie to this likeneffe, to be one with Jefus Chritt, Oh what a priviledge is this ! had we not good warrant for fo high a challenge, it could be no leffe then a blafphemous arrogance to lay daime to the royal blood of heaven : but the Lord is pleafed fo to dignifie a poore worme, that every beleever may truely fay, I am one with 'fefus Chrift, c~nd [efus Chrift is-one with me. To fweeten this union to our thoughts, I fhall acquaint you with the priviledge flowing from it, and let the fame ftir you up to conforme. Hence it is that Chrift lives in us, and that Chrift both gives life, and is ourlife. When Chrift which iJOurlife jhall appeare, C J ~ Chrift iJto me tolive, and Jlivc,yet not I, but Chriflliveth in mr. Ph~!: ;,:t There is a fpiritualand a natural life; for the natural life what Gll, l , 1.0 is it but a bubble , a vapour, a fhaddow, a dreame, a nothing ? but thisfpirituallife is an excellent life~ it is wrought in us by the Spirit ofCbrifl:; there is a world of difference betwixt the natural and the fpiritual life, and that makes the difference betwixt what I do as a man, and what I do as a Chriftian ; as a man I have eyes, eares, motions, affection5, underftanding, naturally as my own; but as a Chrifl:ian I have all thefe from him with whom I am fpiritually one, the Lord Jefus Chrift; as a man I have bodily eyes, and I behold bodily and material things, but as a Chriftian I have fpiritual eyes, and I tee inviGble and eternal things, as it is faid of M ofes, that he endured, M feei~Jt him n>ho is Heb. IJ, :.7 tnvijible ; as a man I have outward eares, and I heare outward founds ofall forts whether articulate, or inarticulate , but as a Chrifiian I have inward eares, and fo I heare the voyce of Chrift, · Zzz a~

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