On the Excellency of the Soul. 2,13 nabfolutenecellityof the Application of the fatisfaElion :and Righreoufnefs of Jefus Chrift; the Application of that, -that it mull bee made thine fotne way, that thoumuft have .,thy part and (hare in it, by thy union unto Chrift; and by being made one myftically with him through Faith, fo that the foul is not meetly faved through mercy : Nor thus, that Chrift bee bath come and done fuch and fuch things, and therefore faith God the Father, for the fake of Jefus Chrift I will fave thee, foriiee hath fatisfied mee by what hee -,hath done : No, but there is fömewhatmore; I confefs it is true, in the conclufion wee are faved for the fake of Chrift, but it is by our union with Chrift, wee are united to Chrift, and made one with him, and, fo what Chrift bath done for -our falvation, is tendred up to the Father as ours, wee be- ing one with Jefus Chrift = fo that now, if thou fhouldefl know thy miferable eftate by nature, and thereupon inquire after falvation, and cry to God that beewould bee merci- ful unto-thee; that is not enough, but the Gofpel reveals further. Suppofe thou cornea to know more than thou canft underftand by the light of nature, but yet the Gofpel Cloth reveal to thee, that not onely thou mutt bee faved by Chrifi, but thou mutt bee united to Chrift by Faith; there muft bee a fpiritual marriage between the Son of God, and thy foul; thou muff have Chrift tó bee a head, and thou a member; hee thy husband, and thou his Spoufe;. thou mutt inquireafter this union, and that is the way of beleeving , and the fubflance of the Apofiles words to the Jaylor, wherí flee cryed, what bee fhould do tobee faved, ,vhy faith hee, Belecve in the Lord 7cfu Chrifl, and thin, flralt bee faved It inuR bee through Jefus Chrift, the great Med-iatour of the fecond Covenant, by thy beleeving in him , and being made òiie with him that thou muft come to bee faved. Fourthly,_ And then the Gofpet. it reveals further as ne- ceflaryto falvation, a nece #lity of'Regeneration, of being born agaur, of having the Image of -God renewed in the foul, by the Spirit of Jefus Chrift, of being a new Creature, the want.of which, if the foulMould now depart, it mull R t cet-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=