V. SECTION. The influence, That our being reconciled to God, IN ONE BODY, hath into our reconciliation mutuall: in two eminent respects.

IF any shall aske what influence and virtue this their being considered as one body, met in His body, and un∣der that consideration reconciled to God hath into their reconciliation one to another; I answer, much every way; neither is it mentioned last (as last in order,) but as the foundation of all other considerations thereto belonging.

1. In that they were thus all once met in one body, in the body of Christ both in his intendment, and his Fathers view, This consideration, (if no more,) hath force enough in it to bring them together againe, in after times. Even this clandestine union (such indeed in respect of our knowledge of it then, yet having all three persons the witnesses in Hea∣ven present) this precontract, this anticipated onenesse, this Page  52 forehand union hath such vertue in it, that let them after∣wards fall out never so much, they must be brought together again and be one; Heaven and Earth may be dissolved, this union thus once solemnized, can never be frustrated or dissolved: what God and Christ did thus put together, sinne and devill, men and angells cannot alwayes, and for ever keepe assunder. His Fathers donation of them to Him, and Christs own representation of the same persons to His Father again, have a proportionable like virtue in them: for there is the same reason of both. Now of the one Christ sayes, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, Joh. 6. 37. Christ mentions that gift of them, by the lumpe to him, by the Father, as the reason or cause (rather) why they could not ever be kept from him: And as none can keep them from him, because given of the Father to him, in like manner and for the like reason, the whole body of them cannot be kept one from another, because presented by him againe to the Father: Christ mentions both these conside∣rations as of equall efficacy in that prayer, whereby he san∣ctifyed that Sacrifice of himselfe, John 17. Thine they were, And thou gavest them me. All mine are thine, and thine are mine, And I pray v. 21. that they all may be one, (and that in this world) as we are. Christ then not onely died for his sheepe apart, that they might come to himselfe, as Joh. 10. 15. but further that they might be one fold, as it followes there. And as the Evangelist interprets Cajaphas prophecy; Hee died to gather together in one the children of God, that were scattered abroad. Joh. 11. 51, 52. To make sure which gathering to come, He in and at His death gathe∣red them together representatively, they met all in him, and ascended the Crosse with him, as Peters phrase is of all their sins, (therefore much more their persons) 1 Pet. 2. 24. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. He himselfe car∣ryed up in (or together with) his body, our sins up to the Page  53 tree: ascendere fecit sursum simul cum seipso. The Crosse was the first generall Rendezvouz in this world appointed for him and his members, where they were crucified in him and with him, as the Apostle often speakes. Christ told the Jewes, If I be lifted up, Joh. 12. 32. (speaking of his death on the Crosse, v. 33.) I will draw all to me: And here you see the reason of it, for in their lifting up him, they lift up all his with him, as hung to and adjoyned with him in one body, in his body. This great and universall loadstone set in that steele of the Crosse, having then gathered all these lesser magneticke bodies, pieces of himselfe, into himselfe; the vertue hereof will draw them all together in one againe, as they come to exist in the world: They may be scattered, they may fall out, but as branches united in one root, though severed by winds and stormes, and beaten one from and against another, yet the root holding them in a firme and indissoluble union, it brings them to a quiet order, and sta∣tion againe. And if the now scattered Jewes must one day come together, and make one body againe; because those dry bones (the Umbrae, the ghastly Shadowes of them) were seene once to meet in Ezekiels vision: how much more shall the Elect coalesce in one New man, because they once met in him, that is, the body, and not the shadow? If those Jewes must meet, that the prophecy, the vision might be ful∣filled, these must much move, that the end of his death, and his hanging on the tree may be fulfilled, in whom all visions and promises have their Amen and accomplish∣ment. As in his death, so in his resurrection also, they are considered as one body with him, Isay 26. 19. Together with my dead body they shall arise (sayes Christ) and both, in death and resurrection, one body, to the end they may be presented (together) in one body, all at last, Coloss. 1. 22. and in the meane time in the efficacy of these forehand meetings are they to be created into one new man,Page  54 v. 15. and that even 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ONE individuall man, Gal. 3. ult. not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, one bulke, body, or thing onely. This one new man, which they are to grow up into, answereth exactly to that one body, which was then gathered together, represented and met in him on the Crosse, bearing the image of it, and wrought by the vertue of it.

The second is, that if such a force and efficacy flowes from their having met once, as One Body, then much more from this, (which the text addes) that they WERE RE∣CONCILED TO GOD in that one Body. This clause, In one Body, was on purpose inserted together with their RECONCILIATION TO GOD, to shew, that they were no o∣therwise esteemed, or lookt at by God as reconciled to him, but as under that representation, view and respect had of them (as then) by him, that so, dum sociaret Deo, sociavit inter se:* their reconciliation with God was not considered, nor wrought onely apart, singly, man by man (though Christ bore all their names too) but the tearmes were such, unlesse all were, and that as in one body, and community together among themselves reputed reconciled, the whole reconciliation, and of no one person, unto God, should be accounted valid with him. So as their very peace with God, was not onely never severed from, but not considered, nor effected, nor of force without the consideration of their being one each with other, in Christ. Insomuch as upon the law and tenour of this Originall act thus past, God might according to the true intent thereof, yea and would renounce their reconciliation with himselfe, if not to be succeeded with this reconciliation of theirs mutually. And allthough this latter doth in respect of execution and accomplishment succeed the other in time, (the Saints they doe not all pre∣sently agree, and come together as one body) yet in the originall enacting, and first founding of reconciliation by Page  55 Christ, these were thus on purpose by God interwoven and indented the one in the other; and the termes and tenure of each enterchangeably wrought into, and moulded in one and the same fundamentall Charter and Law of reconciliati∣on mutuall: then which nothing could have been made more strong and binding, or sure to have effect in dne time.