304 SERMONS upon Sécln 35 His Interceffion, Rom. 8.26. Likewii the Spirit alfa helpeth our Infirmities, far ne k>.cw not what we fhould pray for as we ought; but the Spirit it felf maheth Interceffion fin us with Groanings, which cannot be uttered. The Ads without us do us nó good, unlirfstce have the Copy of them in our own Hearts. 2. It is the Ground of that Exchange that is between Chrift and us ; we communi- cate to him our Nature, our Sins and Troubles; and Chrift communicateth to us his Nature, and Merits, and Priviledges. What hath Chrift from thee ? thy Nature, thy Sins, thy Punühments, thy Wrath, thy Curfe, thy Shame: and thou haft his Titl b, hisNattlre, his Spirit, his Priviledges. All this Interchange between us and Chrift, is by virtue of Union. All Interefts ly in common between Chrift and the Church.; he taketh our Nature, and is made Flefh, and we are made Partaker, of the Divine Nature, z Pet. t. 4. He is made the Son of Man, we the Sons of God ; He had a Mother on Earth, we a Father in Heaven ; He is made Sin, we Righteoufnels, 2 Car. q. 21. t4 ho bath made him to be Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteoufnefi of God in him S He was made a Cnrfe, that we might have the Bleßìng of Abraham, Gal. 3. 13, t 4. Cbrilh bath redeemed us from the Curfe of the Law being made a Carlefor us ; for it is written, Cur- fir! is every one that hangeth on a Tree : That the Blefiing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jefus Chrift. Thus he imparteth his Priviledges to us, and affumeth our Miferies to himfelf ; he hath a (hare in all our Sorrows, and we have a (hare in his Tri- umphs : he is affiihled in our Affii &ions, as we afcend in his Afcenfion ; Eph. 2.6. He bath railed us up together, and made us ft together in heavenly Places in Chrift Jeffs. We live by his Life; Gal. 2. 20. Ilive, yet not Í, but Chriji liveth in me, &c. And we are glori- fied by his Glory : He fuffereth with us in Heaven, and we reign with him on Earth : He fuffereth with us, non per PaJonern, fed Compaionem, not that glorified Chrift feel - -eth any Grief in Heaven, but his Bowels yearn to an afhi&ed Member, as if he himfelf were in our [lead ; and we are fat down with him in heavenly Places, becauCe our Head is there, and hath feized upon Heaven in our Right.. It is a notable Expre(fion, Col. t. 24. Who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you, and fill up hsiieirwa Bxi4ssss xe t5'x, that which is behind of the Sufferings of Chrift in my Flefli for his 'Body's Else, which is the Church. Chrill and the Church are confidered as one Perfon, whofe Atßihtions are de- termined by Providence; thus much the Head mull fuffer, thus much the Members: Chrift fuffered his [hare, and we ours in our turn. In (fort, Chrift fuffereth no more in the Body that he carried to Heaven, but in his Bod *hat he left upon Earth: eve- ry Blow that lighteth on a Member, lighteth on his Heart. Afls 9. 6. Saul, Saul, 'why perfecutefl thou me ? Chrift was in Heaven at that time, how could hè fay, why perfecu- tefi thou me? did he climb up into Heaven, and war upon Chrift in the midft of his Glory? No, Saul perfecuted the Chriftians, and them Chrift calleth me, his my (heal Body. As in a Throng, if Come Body treadeth upon your Foot, tile Tongue crieth oat, You have hurt me ; the Tongue is in fafety, but it is in the fame Body with the Foot, and fo their Good and Bad are common : For though Chrift's Perfon be above abufe, he ßi11 fuffereth in his Members; and he that perfecuteth the Church, perfecu- teth Jefus Chrift. 3. If once intereffed in the myftical Union, then they are Cafe preferved in e efus Chat, 'tide a.Sanchfteorby God the Father, and preferved in 'efts Chrift. ' Verf 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you fromfalling, &c. The Union is indilfoluble ; that is a Cabinet, where God's Jewels are kept fate. If a. Member -could be loft, Chrift's Bo- dy could be maimed. As the Union between the two Natures could not be diffolved, it was the Body of Chrift in the Grave ; there was a Separation between his humane Bo- dy and humane Soul, yet both frill remained united to the Divine Nature: fo this. Union cannot be diffolved.. You may as well fever the Leaven and the Dough, when they are kneaded together, as feparate Chrift and the Church, when once united. Im- pabile eft Mayans à'Paflâ fiparare. Chrift will not fuffer his .Body to be mangled; the cutting off of a Joint goeth to the Quick. 2Jfe i. To prefs us to look afteran Intereft in this great Priviledg. It is the main Work of your Lives. To move you, confider the Honour and the Happinefs of them, that they are thus one with God through Chrift. t. The Honour: What am 1; to be Sonin -Law to the King ! What are you, tobe Mem- bers of Chrift ! Chrift counteth himfelf to be incompleat and maimed without us. Eph. 5.23. The Church is his 'Body, the Fulnefs of him that filleth all in all. How are we eihpci¡se &uzii, the Fulnef of him? it relateth not to his Perfonal Perfection: take Chrift
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