of the PERSON of CHRIST. 41 contained in them, but they live and walk in horrible darknefs. And the on- ly reafon hereof is, becaufe they know not, becaufe they reject the relationof them untoChrift, without whichthey aredeprived ofall enlightning power. (2.) Efficacy or power is the fecond property of divine truth. And the end of this efficacy is to make us like unto God, Epbef. iv. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. The mortification offin, the renovation of our natures, the fan&ifi- cation of our minds, hearts and affections, the confolation of our fouls with their edification in all the parts ofthe life of God, and the like, are the things that God bath defigned to effell by his truth, John xvii. I7. Whence it is ableto buddy: up andgive us an inheritance amongall them that are fanflified, Ads xx. 32. But it is from their relation unto the perfon ofChrift, that they have any-thing ofthis power and efficacy. For they have it no otherwife but as they areconveyancesof his grace untothe fouls of men, fo I John i. 1, 2. Wherefore as profeffors of the truth, if fepa- rated from Chrift as unto a real union, are withering branches i fo truths profe7Ted, if do&rinally feparated from him, or their refpe& unto him, have no living power or efficacy in the fouls of men. When Chrift is for- med in the heart bythem, whenhe dwellethplentifully in the foul through their operation, then and not elfe do they put forth their proper power and efficacy. Otherwife they are as waters feparated from the fountain, they quicklydry up or become a noifom puddle; or as a beam interrupted from itscontinuity unto the fun, is immediately deprived of light. 2. All divine fpiritual truths are declarative either of the grace and love of God unto us, or of our duty, obedience and gratitude unto him. But as to thefe things Chrifl is all and in all. We can have no due apprehen- fions of the love and graceof Cod, no underftanding of the divine truths of theword wherein theyare revealed, andwhereby they are exhibited unto them that believe, but in the exercife of faith on Chrift himfelf. For in, b}?-and from him alone it is, that they are propofed unto us, that we are made partakers of them. It is from his fulnefs that all grace is received. No truth concerning them can by any iniagination be feparated from him. He is the life andfoul of all fuck truths withoutwhich, as they are writ- ten in the word, they are but a dead letter, and that of fuch a charades as isillegibleunto us as unto any real difcovery of the graceand love ofGod. And as to tliofe of the other fort, which are inflrullive unto us in our duty, obedience and gratitude, we cannot come unto a pradical compliance with any one of them, but,by theaids of grace received from him. For without him we can do nothing Johnxv. g. And he alone underflands divine truth who doch it, John vii. 57. There is not therefore any one text of fcripture which prelfeth our duty unto God that we, can fo underftand as to perform 'that duty in an acceptable manner without an adual regard unto Chrift, from whom alone we receive ability, for the performance of it, and in or through whom alone it is accepted with God. g. All the evidence of divine fpiritual truth, and all the foundation of our real intereft in the things whereof it is a declaration, as to benefit, ad- vantage and comfort, depends on their relation unto Chrift. We may take an inftance in one article of divine truth, which feems to be molt dif-enga- ged from any fuch relation, namely, the refurrefiion of the dead. But there is no man who rightly believes or comprehends this truth, whoBoth it not upon the evidence givenunto it, and example ofit in the perfon of Chrift rifingfrom the dead. Nor can any man have a comfortable expe- dation or faith of an efpecial intereft in a bleffed refurreiiion (which is our whole concern in that truth, Phil. iii. Ia.) but by virtue of a myftical u- nion unto him as the 'head of the church that fhall be raifed unto glory. M Both
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