330 SERMONS upon 2 Cor. 1.2o. AU the Prorsifts of God in him are rea, and in him Amen. God doth whatever we delire him in him. God doth not biefs us as Perlons diftin& fromChrift, but as Members of his Body. There is as much need of the Union of our Perfons to the Perfon of Chrift, as there was of the Union of the Humane Nature to the Divine Nature. Chrift muft be in us, as well as God in Chrift; we mutt be Chrift's, as well as Chrift is God's. The Mediator hash an Interett in God, and you mutt have an In- tereft in the Mediator. Look, as by the Perfonal Union, Chrift merited all for us ; fo, by the Union of Perfons, he conveyeth all to us. Chrift could not fuller, till he had united our Fle(h to his Godhead ; and we cannot receive the Virtue of his Sufferings, . till he unites our Perfon to his Perfon. If. Obferve ; rbrifi is in us, as God is in Chrift. The two Unions are often com- pared in this Chapter ; and here it is Paid, I in them, and thou in me. How is God in Chrift ? By unity of Effence, and by confiant Influence and fo is Chrift in us. (t.) God is in Chrift by Unity of Effence, or coeffential Exiftency, Chrift and Hecom- municates in the fame Nature ; the Fulnefs of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily, Col. 2.9. Now there is fomething which anfwereth to this in the Myftical Union, there is a com- munion of Spirit between us and Chrift, tho not the fame Nature. The fame Spirit, dwelleth in Chrift saato enato'S bodily, that is, effentially ; in us veupc«ïis s fpiiitually, we partake of the Divine Nature in fore Gifts and Qualities. (2.) By conftant Influence. God is in Chrift by á communication of Life, Verrue, and Operation. I: The Father is the perpetual Beginning, Foundation, and Root of Life to Chrift as Mediator. John 6. S7. As the living Father hath feet me, and I live by the Father; fo he that eateth me, even he (hall live by me. So is Chrift to us, Ga1.2.2o. Neverthelefs I live, yet not I, but Chrift livelh in me ; and the Life that I live in the Flefh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himfilffor me. 2. The Divine Effence fuftained the Perfon of Chrift as Mediator. The Humanity could not fublifi of it fell, but by conftant influence from the Godhead ; ifa. 42. r. Be- hold my Servant, whom I uphold. Chrift had confiant fuftentation from the Father, he upheld him, and carried him through the Work. So are we preferved in jefus Chrift, Jude r. We have not only the Beginning and Principle of Life from Chrift, but con- fiant fupport. We can no more keep our felves, than make our felves : all things de- pend upon their firft Caufe. 3. The Father concurreth to all the Operations and A &ions of Chrift, and fo the Father is in Chrift, as he worketh in him. John 14 ro. Believefi thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I (peak unto you, I fpeak not of my felf, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he Both the Works. The Divine Power was in- terelted in Chrift's Works as Mediator, efpecially in the Miracles that he wrought to confirm the Truth of his Perfon. So is Chrift in Believers, as he worketh in them all their Works for them. John 11. $. I am the vine, ye are the Branches. He that abid- eth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much Fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing ; he Both not lay, nihil magnum, no great thing ; but, nihil, nothing at all. Thinking is the molt fuddain and tranfient A &; Cure the new Nature there may get the flans of Corruption. But, 2 Cor. 3. S. Not that we are fufficient of our [e lves, to think any thing as of our felves, but our fuffeciency is of God. A &ions are more delibe- rate, there is more fcope for the interpofition of corrupt Nature; but of our felves we cannot think a good thought. What Ufe (hall we make of this? Vfe r. if Chrift be in us, as God was in Chrift, let us manifeft it, as Chrift did. Chrift manifefted the Father to be in him by his Works. John to. 37, 38. If I do not the Works of my Father, believe me not. Bo if I do, rho ye believe not me, believe the Works, that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him. Works and Miracles exceeding the Power and Force of Nature, !hewed that Chrift was a Divine Perfon ; Cure the Father is in him, or elfe he could not do thefe Works. So St. James puts Hypocrites upon the Trial, Shew me thy Faith by thy Works, James 2. 18. Do we do any Works exceeding the Power of corrupt Nature ? that would be a proof of Chrift's working in you. When Jacob counterfeited Efau, ¡facie felt his Hands. So, what are your Works? If you walk as Men, do no more than an ordinary Man, that bath not the Spirit of God, where is the proof of Chrift s working in you ? Many boaft of Chrift in them : if Chrift were in them, he would be there, as the Father was in Chrift, Serm.39.
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