Ver.2 . the 17th Chapter of St. JO H N. 309 into our Family; in the Myftical Union, the Soul is the Bride. it is an honour to the whole Kindred, when a great Perfon rnatcheth into their Line and Fami- ly; but more to the Virgin, who is chofen and let apart for his Bride. Thus Chrift firlt honoured our Nature, and then our Perlons; Grit, he affumeth our Nature, and then efpoufeth our Perlons. In the Hypoftatical Union, t di- vers Subffances are united into one Perlon ; in the Myflical Union, manrPer- fons are united into one Body. In the Hypoftatical Union, Chrift was a Perron before he affumed the Humane Nature ; the Body is a paffive Inftrument, Pc. In the Myflical Union, on Chrilt's part Attive, on ours Paffive : Chrift is in us, in that he liveth in us, governeth us, maketh us partakers of his RighteouCnefs, Life and Spi- rit : We are in him, as Branches in the Tree, Rays in the Sun, Rivers in the Fountain. The Divine Nature is a Perron by it felt, and can Cubfilt of it fe1f; the other is only taken into the Communion of his Perlon. The Humane Nature communicates nothing to the Divine, but only ferveth it as an Inftrument : So we communicate nothing to Chrift, but receive all from him. Both are wrought by the Spirit; the Body natural of Chrift was begotten by the overthadowing of the Holy Ghoft : So this Union is wrought by Gód's Spirit. By the firfl, Chrift is Bone of out Bone, and Flefh of our Flefh; by the fecond, we are Bone of his Bone, and Flefh of his Flefh. There comtth in the Kindred by Grace. Heb. 2. II. For both he that fantlift'eth, and they that ate fandified, are all of One ; for which caufe he is not afhamed to call them Brethren. He is of the fame Stock with all Men ; bût he talleth none Brethren, but thole that are fan&i- fied ; none elle can claim Kindred of Chrift, he will own no others. The Hypoftatical Union is indiffoluble, it was never laid afide, not in Death, it was the Lord of Glory that was crucified, it was the Body óf Chrift in the Grave: So it is in the MyRical Union, Chrift and we Ihall never be parted : In Death, the Union is diffolved be- tween the Body and the Soul, but not between us and Chrift, our Duft and Bones are Members of Chrift. In the Hypoftatical Union, the Natures are not equal, the Hu- mane Nature is buta Creature, tho advanced to the higheft Privileges that a Creature is capable of: the Divine Nature affumed the Humane by a voluntary Condelcenfion, and gracious Difpenfation ; and being affumed, it always upholdeth ir, and fuftaineth it : So there is a mighty difference between us and Chrift, between the Perlons united ; Chrift as Head and Prince, is pleafed to call us into Communion with himfelf, and to fuftain ubeing united. In the Hypoftatical Union, the Humane Nature can do no- thing apart from the Divine : No more can we out of Chrift. John 15. g. I am the Vine, ye are the Branches ; be that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much Fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing. In the Hypoftatical Union, God dwel- leth in Chrift, amiramtws, Col. 2. g. In him dwelleth all the fulnefi of the Godhead bodily. In the Myflical Union,God dwelleth in us,otvtu1avceäs, t John 4.4. Gttater is he that is in you, than he that is in the World. The Hypoftatical Union, is the Ground of all that Grace and Glory that was bellowed on the Humane Nature, without which, as a. meer Creature, it would not be capable of this Exaltation: So the Myftical Union is the Ground of all that Grace and Glory which we receive. By the HypoftaticalUnion, Chrift is made our Brother, he contra &ed affinity with the Humane Nature; by the MyRical Union he is made our Head and Hutband, he weddeth our Perlons. As by the Hypoftatical Union, there is a Communion of Properties : So here is a kind of Exchange between us and Chrift : 2 Cor. q. 21. For he hash made him to be Sin for us, who knew no Sin, that we might be made the Righteoufnefr of God in him : As the Honour of the Divinity redoundeth to the Humane Nature; fo we have a Communion of all thofe good Things which are in Chrift. Vfe 1. Let us Olive to imitate the Trinity in our Refpeets both to the Head and our Fellow-members, that you may neither difhonour the Head, nor diffolve tir Union be- tween the Members. Chrift ufeth this Expreffion, to draw us up to the igheft and clofeft Union with hitmtelf, and one another. a. In your Refpe&s to the Head. (a.) Let your Union with him be more dole and fenlible, that you may ly in the Bofom of Chrift, as Chrift doth in the Bofom of God. Is Chrift in us, as God is in Chrift ? are we made Partakers of the Divine Nature, as he is of ours ? that you may fay to him, as Laban toJacob, Gen. 29. 14. Surely thou art my Bone and my Flefh. That you may feel Chrift in you ; Gal. 2.20. I am qucified with Chr : neverthelefr Ilive, yet nei I ht Chrift liveth in me, and the Life which ¡live in the Flefh, Ilive by the Faith of the
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