54 The GGfpel-111) ery. Dire }.Ill. come his, when it is quickened by his Spirit; and his flefli ours, as truly as if we did eat his flefh and drink his blood ; and he will be in us himfelf by his Spirit, who is one with him, and who can unite more clofely to Chrift than any material fubftance can do, or who can make a more clofe and intimate union between Chrift and us. And it will not follow from hence, that a believer is one perfon with Chritt, any more than that Chrift is one per. fon with the Father by that great myftical union. Neither will; a believer be hereby made God, but only the temple of God, as Chrilt's body and foul are; and the Spirit's lively inftrument, rather than the principal caule. Neither will a believer be ne- cefFarily perfeet in holinefs hereby; or Chrift made a firmer: for Chrift knoweth how to dwell in believ. ers, by certain meafures and degrees, and to make them holy fo far only as he dwelleth in them. And though this union feem too high a preferment for fuch unworthy creatures as we are; yet, confidering the precioufnefs of the blood of God, whereby. we are redeemed, we thould dishonour God, if we thould not expeFt a miraculous advancement to the higheft dignity that creatures are capableof, throngh the merits of that blood. Neither is there any thing in this union contrary to the judgement of fenfe, be. cáufe the bond of the union, being fpiritual, falleth not at all under the judgement of fenfe. Several learned men of late acknowledge noother union between Chrift and believers, than fuch as perlons or things wholly feparated, may have by their mutual relations to each other ; and accord- ingly they interpret the places of Scripture that fpeak of this union. When Chrift is called the head of the church, they account that a political head or governor is the thing meant. When Chrift is Paid to be in his people, and they in him, they think that the proper meaning is, that Chrift's law, doc- trine, grace, falvation, or that godlinefs is in them, and embraced by them : fo that Chrift here mutt
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=