411=1.11111111111 44 MEDITATIONS AND DISCOURSES. u takers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise " took part of the same, that through death he might " destroy him that had the power of death, that is the "-devil, and deliver them who through fear of death " were all their life-time subject to bondage. Hence " both he that sanctified], and they who are sanctified "are all of one." v. l 1. His infinite condescensionin coming to this communion and conjunction of nature with us, was before declared: but it is not common, like that between all other men partakers of the same nature. There-are two things wherein it was peculiar and emi- nent. (I.) This conjunction between him and the church, did not arise from a necessity of nature, but from a voluntary net of his will. The conjunction that is be- twixt all others is necessary. Every man is every man's brother whether he will or no, by being a man. Na- tural generation communicating to every one his subsis- tence in the same nature, prevents all acts of their own will and choice. With the Lord Christ it was otherwise, as the text affirms: for such reasons as are there expressed, hedid by an act of his own will partake of flesh and blood, or came into this conjunction with us. He did it of his own choice, because tite children did partake of the same. He would be what the children were. Where- fore the conjunction of Christ in human naturewith the church, is ineffably distinct from that common con- junction, which is amongst all others in the same na- ture. And therefore although it should not be meet a- mongst mere men, that oneshould act and suffer in the stead of others, because they are all thus related to one another, as it were whether they will or no; yet this could- not reach the Lord Christ, who in a strange and wonderful manner came into this conjunction by a mere act of his own. (2.) He came into it on this design, and for this on- ly end, namely, that in our nature taken to be his own, he might do and suffer what was to be done and suffer- ed for the church: and so it is added in the text; to that 4' by death he might destroy him who had the power of «death; and deliver themwho through fear ofdeath were "r subject to bondage." This was the only end of his conjunction in nature with the church: and this puts the case between him and it, at a vast distance from what is or may be between other men. It is a foolish thingto argue that because a mere par- ticipation of the same nature among men, is not suffi- cient to warrant the righteousness of punishing one for another; that therefore the conjunction in the same na- ture betwixt Christ and the church, is not a sufficient. and just foundation of his suffering for us, and in our stead; for by an act of his omen will and choice he did partake of our nature, and that for this very end, that therein he might suffer for us, as the. Holy Ghost ex- pressly declares. Amongst others there neither is nor can be any thing of this nature; and so no objection from what is equal or unequal amongst them, can arise against what is equal between. Christ and the church. And herein is he glorious and precious unto them that believe, as we shall see immediately. 2ndly. There is a mystical conjunction between Christ and the church, which answers all the most strict, real, or moral unions or conjunctions between other persons or things. Such is the conjunction between the head of a body and its members, or the tree of the vine and its branches which are real; or between an husband and wife, which is moral and real also. That there is such a conjunction between Christ and his church, the scrip-. tureplentifully declares, as also that it is the foundation of the equity of his sufferingin its stead. So speaksthe apostle. Epb. v. 25`52. Husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the .church, (that is, Isis wife, the bride, the Lamb's wife), andgave hiosseffor it, &c. Being the head and husband of the church, which was to be sanctifiedand saved, and could be so no otherwise but by his blood and sufferings, he was both meet so to suffer, and it was righteous also what he did and suffer- ed should be imputed unto them for whom- he both did it and suffered. Let the adversaries of the glory of Christ assign any one instance of such a conjunction, . union, and relation between any amongst mankind, as is between Christ and the church, and they maygive some countenance unto their cavils against his obedience and sufferings in our stead, with the imputationof what he did and suffered unto us. But the glory of Christ is singular herein, and as such it appears unto them, by whom the mystery of it is in any measure spiritually ap- prehended. But yet it will be said, that this mystical conjunction of Christ with his church is consequential unto what he did and suffered for it; for it ensues on the conversion
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