Ver. 9. the Epiffle to the Romans. 26Q thefe feveralI a &ions of faith and of the Spirit,howfoever in the order of caufes Come go before , others follow, and £ome are felt of us before others , yet in refpeet oftimethey are all wrought together. Tim. What infirtellions are we to learn from this fpiritteali union? S I L. Fidi, weiearn what a nota- ble work our Union with Chrift is,un- to which are required fo many feverall allions, both of faith and of the Spirit. Secondly, we are taught, that this uni- on is to be taught and prized above all things, as being the foundation and root of all that good which we have by Chrift. Thirdly, it confutes Inch' as have thought our union with Chrift to have been a natural commixtion of rub- fiances, his and ours together ; or to be nothing elfe but an agreement be- tween minds and will, fuch as may be between friends,` or man and wife, or Prince and Cubjc &. Laftly, it doth ad- monifh all men what a needfull thing it isjto be endued with faith and theSpi- rit, feeing without thefe there can be no union had with Chrift. T e M. And if we have no union with Chrifi through the Sprit and faith, can we net be Chrift jam? S 1 L. Without this union we may be Chtililans by profeflion, and before men, but before God we cannot ; for it Is plainly faid, If we have not the Spirit of Chrifi, we are none of his. And if we nei- ther have Chrifts Spirit, nor be none of his, we cannot be Chriftians otherwife then in name : for as a branch and a member are faid to live fo long, as they do partake in the juice of the vine, and life of the body, from whence being fe- vered, they are dead and withered, cut off and call out : fo it is with us, we have the life of a Chrrftian by being Chrifts, and having his Spirit, Job.' 5. 5,2,3. Gal.2.20. e, Tim. What profit are we to malle, oftble point, that ezery true Cbriffian it one with Cbriff, and bath bit Spirit? St L. Fiat, it reproves fuch as ufe to excuft their fins, by Paying they are fiefh and bloud, and not fpiritual; which is as much to fay,as that they are no Ch : for if they be of the body of Chrift, thhey mutt of necetlity have his Spirit, andbefpirituall. Secondly, it reproves the Papifs, that withhold the fcriptures from Gods people, upon pre- tence that they have not Gods fpirit; they might even as well fay, that they are no Chriftians. For to be a member ofChrift, and to be led by the Spirit of Chrift,they be things that go neceffarily together, and cannot be puld afunder, no more then can a living membér of a natural! body, be fevered from the foul, even fo can no Chriftian be without Chrifts Spirit. Lafily, this reproves fuch as fay we muff ales ayes doubt, whether we have the Spirit of C hrifl or no, which we ought no more to doubt of,then whether we be Chrifiians or no. T t M. I, but many pretend themfelvet to be one with Chrift, and to have bit Spirit, and f to be goodCbriflians, which yet are not; How then fbali we be lure of theft things? S I L. We (hall furely know it, by the effeas of our fpiritual union, to wit, Juftification, and the fruits thereof, as they are laid forth, Rom.5.1,2,3,4,5, I1. Alfa by theeffe &s of our fan &ifica - tion, as they are laid forth, Rom.7. i 6, 17, IS, 19, 20. P&L 15. throughout. 2 Pet.I.6,7. DIALOGUE IV. Verfe 1o., AndifChrifi be in you, the body is dead,be- cawfeaf in : but the Spirit is life for righ teoufaeft fake. TI MOTMEUS. WHat dodo this Text contain? St L. A comfortable ccnclufi- on, drawn from the fpirituall union, which the beleevers have with Chrift, as thus : The faithful which have Chrift dwelling in them by hisSpirit, may be certain of the falvation of their fouls, without all perplexed doubting, waver- ing, and fear of condemnation. T I M. In what manner,add how ii this conclufzon of comfort brought in? Si L.
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