his Spirit; yet he is fo far united unto a beleever,as to make in a member of the Body only: but the fecond Perfon was United unto our Nature, and unto our fi:th to make Chrif the Mediator. Indeed, if God were United to man fo far as to make him Mediator between God and Man, then he might fay, I am God, and I'am Chrift bot (Hay,) this Union being Voluntary, he does to far Unite himself anto the foul of a beleever, as to make him a Member of the Body only, and not a Mediator. Bot when the Second Perfon was United to our Nature, the Union was to make the Perfon a Mediator. And thus ye fee, there is a great deal of Difference between that Hypoftatical Union, and this Myftical Union of a beleever.

And whereas it is said, in that 17. of John, That Chrift prafes that we may be one with him, as he is with the Fáther: That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I în thee; that they also may be one. I answer: Thisis ati As of an Similitude, and not of Equallity: Chrift praies unto the Father, that beleevers may be one with him; not by way of Equallicie; that a beleever fhould be Equallie one with Chriff, at Chrift is with the Father: for then Chriff Hould pray, that a beleever might be worshipped too, which be never did: and if that Chrift here fhould pray, that a beleever might be one with Chrift, as Chrift with the Facher, in regard of Equallicie; then Chrift fhould pray, that i beleever should be one with him from Eternity: for fate he anco his Father in the beginning of the chapter, Glarity me with thyself, with the fame glory which I had with thee befor the world war. Chrift was one with the Father before the world was. Therefore, if he fhould pray, that à beleever might be one with him, in regard of Equallity, he would pray that a beleever might be one with him,in that respect: which were impoffible. But he does not pray, that'a be leever might be one with him, by way of Equalfirle, a he is one with the Father by way of Equallitie, But) Similicude. And yet divers Learned and Reverend men, think the meaning of that place rather to be this, That they may

be

be one among themselves: Chrift prayes, that they may be all one; that is, Lord, I pray, that they may love, and agree together; he prayes for Union among themlelves. But fuppofe it be taken the other way, That the Lord Jefus Chrift here does pray, that beleevers may be one with him, as he is wich the Father: That is, not in regard of Equalliţie, but in regard of Similitude; that as Christ is one with the Father in a way futable to him, fo beleevers may be one with Chrift in a way futable unto them.

But fuppofe then, (you will fay) that a beleever is not one with Quest. Chrift in this beigbib of One neß; how may it appear, by way of Scripture reafan, that Chrift is really united unto each beleever, and that he is really in the foul of a beleever by the Spirit; not only in regard of infused Habits, babits of grace, grace inherent; but that Chrift Himself is really in a beleever by his Spi

Ye know, that we are united to Chrift by Faith: and Answ. look what Faith laies hold upon, that it brings into the foul: but now, Faith does not lay hold upon the Graces of Chrift, but upon Chrift himself, and therefore Chrift Himfelf by Faith is brought into the foul, and is there really in the foul of a beleever by his Spirit.

Secondly. Chrift is in a beleever, as a believer is in Chrill. Now a beleever is not in Chrift; that is, in his Graces. When we fay, That we are in Chrift; we do not mean that we are in the Graces of Chrift, but a beleever is in Chrift Himfelf, as in the common Head. A belcever is not in the Graces of Chrift only, but he is in Chrift Himself. So Chrift is not in a beleever only by his Graces, but he is really there in the foul of a beleever by his Spirit.

2.

Thirdly. If the Lord Chrift were not really in the foul of a belsever by his Spirit,befides thofe Habits of Grace,A&ings, and Operations of the Spirit; then how would there be Three that bare witnefs? The Apoftie tels us; There are 1 Jobn, Three that bear witneß in Heaven, and incur Hearts, The Spi- 5.8. rit, Water, and Blood. Water; what is that? That is San.

O2

&ification

Quest.

Anf. I

Яification; a mans San&tification does bear witness to him that he is the Child of God, that is, Water. But now, S.n&ification confifts, either in the Habit of Grace, or in the A&ting of Grace; if therefore the Spirit of Christ in a Beleever, were nothing else but Grace, inherit Grace, then it were all one with the teftimony of Water: but there are Three that bear witnefs, There's the teftimony of the Spirit, there's the teftimony of blood, and there's the teftimony of Water: If by the Spirit we are to understand only, the Grace of Christ, the Habit of Grace in the foul, then there would be but Two that bear witnefs, namely, Water and Blood; because the other would be al one with Water; Water being meant only Sanctification: But now there are Three that do bear witneffe unto a foul that is in Chrift, The Spirit, and Blood, and Water; and therefore Chrißt is really in a beleeyer, Chrift really united unto all beleevers by his Spiric.

What is the Benefit of all this? For fuppofe that we grant thù, That Chrift in a beleever, is not only Grace, and the Habits of Grace in the foul, but Chrift Himself is really in the foul of a be leever by his Spirite: What Profit, Benefis, or Comfort will come unto a Beleever mere this way, than the other way?

ther way.

Much every way: Firth. If Jefus Chrift be really united to each beleever by his Spirit, and really in him in this fçiritnal and myftical way; Then a beleever fhall have more bleffed and glorious Communion with Chrift than the oFor Union is the root of Communion: The Husband & the Wife are first joyned together, and united, and then they have Communion with one another, and Fellowship in their goods, and estate: Union is the ground of Communion, And the nearer the Union, the greater the Communion. Now if Chrift (hould be only in a beleever by the Habit of Grace, the Union would not be fo great: but if this be true, That Chrift is really in a beleeyer by his Spirit, Chrift really United to each beleever; here the Union is dearer, and therefore the Communion, and Fellowfhip that a beleever fhal have with Chrift, a great deal more and more bleffed. -Secondly,

Secondly. If Chrift be really united unto a beleever, un

to all believers by his Spirit,
infinite towards beleevers.
them, he would love them; because thereby they should be
made like unto him: but now, if his own Spirit be in a be-
leever, then his love must needs be infinite unto a Beleever,
and a Beleever love infinite to him again in his way. This
is a great and glorious Priviledg.

Then his love muft needs be
If that his Graces only were in

2.

3.

A&.8.13 Mat. 27.

3:

Heb. 12.

17.

Mat. 13.

20.

Thirdly. If Chrift be really in a Beleever, really united to each Beleever by his Spiric; Then a Beleever, knowing this, may fay, I have now fomwhat more, than any Hypo crite can attain unto. Saies a poor foul many times, Iff had but that grace that no Hypocrite can atrain unto, then my foul would be quiet within me but now, as for Gifts & Graces, there is no Hypocrite but may attain to them, or fomething that is like to them. What will ye inftance in? will ye inttance in Faith? 'Tis faid of Simon Magus, That he beleeved. Will ye inftance in Repentance? Tis faid of Judas, That he alfo Repented; and Efau that fought the birth right with Tears. Will ye inftance in Hearing of the Word with Joy? 'Tis faid, So did the Falfe ground. Will ye inftance in the partakings of the Heavenly Gift, and Po. wers of the world to come? Men have a tate of rhefe, and yet fall away. Will ye inftauce in San&ification it felf?: Tis faid, of certain Wicked men, in the 1o. of the Hebrews, That they trample upon the blood of Chrift wherewithal they are Sancti fied. So that even a wicked man, in Scripture phrafe,is faid, obe San&fied, one that falls away and comes to naught. But where do ye find in all the Scripture, that the Lord. Chrift is faid to be in an Hypocrite? An Hypocrite is faid to Repent,to beleeve, to receive the Word with joy, and to be San&ified, in a large fence: but where do ye find in all the Bible, of any Hypocrite, that Christ is faid to be in him, really united unto an Hypocrite? No, Thr is the great Piiviledge of a Beleever only, Chrift in you the bope of Col.1.27 Glory Fourthly. If Jefus Christ be really united unto each Be

leever,

Heb. 6.

5, 6..

4..

5.

belcever by his Spirit; Then a beleever thal never die again, fpiritually die again. I have read of a Woman, that when her Husband was dead, he would eat and drink the ashes of her Husband; have his body burnt to afhes, and fo cat and drink the ashes of her Husband and being asked the reafon; because (faies the) I mean to part with him no more: I have parted with him once already, when we were one; but now I will be made one with him in another way, and I will part no more wich him. So, if Chrift be in a beleever, really in a beleever, Christ really united unto each beleever by his Spirit; Then Chrift and that beleever fhal never part again,that belcever shal die no more: for the fame Spirit that railed up Chrift from the dead, dwelling in a beleever, hall alfo raise up a poor beleever, yea, though he fall into the grave of fin; he hall never die fpiricually again upon this account.

Fiftly. If Chrift be really united unto al beleevers by his Spirit; Then they may come with boldness unto the throne of Grace, and with unlimited expectations of mercy from God the Father, and from Chrift Jefus, The nearer ye are unto any Perfon, the more boldness ye have towards him, and the larger will your expectations be from him. If a man marry bis Servant; whilst the was his maid, the was not fo bold, nor could expect fo much from him: when the becomes the Wife, then the is more bold, and can expect more, because now the is nearer: A Child may have more boldness,and expect more from the Father than the Servant: and the fervant that is within doors, more than the fervant that works in the field; but the Wife that is neareft, fhe is moft bold, comes with most boldness into the prefence of the man, and hath the largest expectations from him, because the is neereft to him. So the neerer that the foul ofal beleever does get unto God, the more boldness he may have when he comes to God, and the larger expectations of mercy from him. Now if Chrift were in a beleever only by the Habit of Grace,and Chrift in the foul were nothing elfe but the Habit of Grace; here were yet a great diftance from