140 THE HIDDEN LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN. head to them, and they are his body, his members. Thus our life ishidden with Christ, as he is the vital headof all his saints. Their life is hidwith Christ, as the spirits and springs of life, for all the members in the natural body are said to be contained in the head. Christ is the head of his ownmystical body/ ; Eph. iv. 14-16. fromwhom the whole body,fitly joined together, maketh increase to its own edification : it is the same vital spirit that runs through head and members. He that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit; 1 Cor. vi. 17. and therefore partakes of the same life. Thus you see, that though the life of a Christian ishidden in God, in the all-sufcieney of his nature, and the purposes of his will ; yet our Lord Jesus Christ, as Mediator, isentrusted to keep it for him, and dispense it to him. 2. Our life is hid withChrist, aslie is our forerunner, and the possessor of life, spiritual and eternal, in our name. And this may be described in á variety of instances, according to the various parts, as well as the several advancing degrees of our spiritual life, and the perfection of it in life eternal. When'his human nature was first formed complete in holiness, it was a pledge and assurance, that we should be one day completelyholy too ; for, as is the head so must the members,be. In the original sanctification of'his spirit, flesh, and blood, we may read the cer- tain future sanctificationof every believing soul, with itsbody too; See John xvii.19. andHeb. ii. 11. Again ; whenhis body was raised from the dead, it was a pledge and patternof our being raised from a death in sin, unto . thespiritual life of a saint, as. well as a certain assurance of the resurrection of our bodies intofuture glory... The first is evident from Eph.. ii. 6. T=Yiien we were dead in sin, he kath quickenedus together with Christ. And Rom. vi. 4. As Christ was raised up- front the deadby the gloryof the Father, even so wemust alsowalk in newness of lfe; forwe areplanted in the likeness of his resurrec- tion; ver. 5. And in 1 Cor., xv. 12, &c.. the apostle builds his whole argument of the resurrection of the bodies of saints who are dead, from the rising of'our Lord .Jesus Christ out of his grave: ForChrist being risenfrom the dead ; ver.. 20. isbecome thefirst-fruits l+fthem that slept. And as all that are united to Adam, by having himfor theirhead must die se'all who are one with Christ, and havehim for their head, shall be made alive :. which seems to be the meaning ofthe 22d verse : As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. When he ascended into the heavens, it was not merely ht his own name, but in ours too; to take possession of the inherit- ance for-the'saints in light. Heb.vi. 20. Our hope enterswithin the vail,whither Jesus the forerunner is for us entered.. And
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