Vera 1. the 17th Chapter of St. JOHN. 30 ì Let me now enquire, . I. What it is ? II. Why it is fo valued by Chrift ? I. What it is ? There is an Union with Chrift the Head, and between the Members one with another. I (hall fpeak of both, tho but little of the latter, becaufe I hand; led it Vey: f. I r. I. There is a Union withChrift the Head. That ye may conceive of it, take thefe Propofitions. (t.) The whole Trinity is concerned in this Union. By the Communion of the Spirit we are myftically united to Chrift, and by Chrift to God. The Father is, as it were, the Root, Chrift the Trunk, the Spirit the Sap, we the Branches, and our Works the Fruits, John r 5. This is the great Myftery delivered in the Scriptures. Chrift doth not only dwell in us by Faith, EpheC 3. 17. But God dwelleth in tu, and we in God, r John 4.16. and the - Spirit dwelleth in us, Rom.8. r r. We are co'nfecrated Temples, wherein the whole Trinity take up their Refidence. We are Children Of God, Members of Chrift, Pupils to the Holy Ghoft 5 Gods Family, Chrift's Body, and the Spirit's Charge. We are united to the Father as the Fountain of Grace and Mercy, to the Son as the Pipe and Conveyance, and the Spirit accomplifheth and effeð all. The Father fendeth the Son to merit this Grace, and the Son fendeth the Spirit to accomplifh it 5 therefore we are laid, by one Spirit to be baptized into the fame Body. (a.) Tho all the Perlons be concerned in it, yet the Honour is chiefly devolved up- on Chrift the Second Perfon. Chrift, as God-Man, is Elead of the Church upon a double Ground 5 becaufe of his two Natures, and the Union of thefe in the fame Per- fon. It was needful that our Head fhould be Man, of the fame Nature with our felves. Heb. 2. r I. He that fanaifieth, and they that are Jana ifred, are of One, the lame Stock. It were monitrous to have an Head and Members of a different Nature : as in W ebuchadnezzar's Image, the Subftance of the Head and Body differed ; the Head was of fine Gold, the Arms of Silver, the Belly and Thighs of Brag, the Legs of Iron, part of the Feet of Clay : Here was a monftrous Body indeed, made up of fo many Metals differing in Nature and Kind. But Chrift took our Nature, that he might be a fuitable Head, and fo have a right to redeem us, and be in a Cagiacity to give himfelf for the Body, and fympathize with us. All thefe are Fruits of tl 'Son's being of the fame Nature. And again, God he needed to be, to pour out the Spirit, and to have Grace fufficient for all his Members. Meer Man was not enough to be Head of the Church, for the Head muff be more excellent than the Body 5 it is above the Body, the Seat of the Senfes, it guideth the whole Body, it is the Shop of the Thoughts and Mufings. And fo Chrilt the Head, mutt have a preheminence 5 in him the fulnefi of the Godhead dwelt bodily, that we might be compleat in him, Col. 2. 8, 9. And it pleated the Father, that in him fhould all Fulnefr dwell, Col. I. 19. The Grace of God is mort eminent in him, as Life is molt eminent in the Head. Now there mutt be an Union of thefe two Natures in the fame Perfon. If Chrift had not been God and Man in the fame Perfon, God and we had never been united and brought together, he is Emanuel, God with Vs, Mat. r. 23. God Is in Chrift, and the Believer is in Chrift 5 we have a (hare in his Perfon, and,fo hath God ; he defcendeth, and cometh down to us in the Perlon of the Mediator ; and by the Man Chrift Jefus, we afcend and clime up to God. And fo you fee the Reafon why the Honour of Head of* the Church is devolved upon Chrift. (3.) WholetChrift is united to a whole Believer. Whole Chrift is united to us, God -Man, and whole Man is united to Chrift, Body and Soul. Whole Chrift is uni- ted tous 5 the Godhead is the Fountain, and the Humane Nature is the Pipe and Con- veyance. Grace cometh from himas God, and through him as Man. John 6. 56, 97. He that eateth my Flefh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 4s the living Father hath lint me, and hive by the Father 5 fo, he that eateth me, even he (ball live by me. God is a Sealed Fountain, his Hranity is the Pipe, fo that his Flefh is the Food of the Soul. Chrift Caine from Heaven on purpofe, and fanftified our Flefh, that there might be one in our Nature to do us good, that Righteoufnefs and Life might pats from him, as Sin and Death from .fdam 5 but our Faith firft pitcheth upon the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=