Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its resemblances, bonds, seals, priviledges and marks by Edward Polhil ..., Esq.

CHAP. III.

The Mystical Ʋnion set forth by the Conju∣gal one. There is a mutual consent between Christ and believers. The believers consent imports a right knowledg, a free choice and a present compliance with Christ. Christs consent is purely gratuitous; believers purely supernatural. Christ and believers mutually make over themselves each to o∣ther. The Emphasis of that phrase (one spi∣rit) opened. There is an intimate love be∣tween Christ and believers: he put on an humane nature for them, they put off a cor∣rupt nature for him. He died for expiation, they die in mortification. There is a com∣munication of good things from Christ to the Church; the Church propagates in Be∣lievers and good works. The mystical Ʋnion set forth by that of a foundation and a building. Christ laid, and Belie∣vers built on him by Divine Art. The dou∣ble cement of faith and the holy Spirit. Christ is a large and strong foundation; he bears up the Church by Divine influences.

THE Union between a King and his Subjects being in the earthly pattern political only; the Holy Ghost goes on in

Scripture to set forth the mystical union by that which is between Man and Wife. Marriage is the conjunction of man and woman in a conjugal society; it is the first primordial society, called Elementum mun∣di, the Element of the world; out of it spring Families, out of these are made Ci∣ties and Kingdoms; in these a Church is raised up unto God. The conjugal union is that which peoples the World, and Saints the Church: in no earthly society is there a conjunction so great as this is. Eve, the first Wife, was taken out of Adam; he was created one, then two were made out of one; and again those two were one in marriage. Man and Wife (saith St. Austin) are prima copula, the first bond or tye of humane society. By this conjugal union, the Scripture shadows out the mystical one. The Book of Canticles is not (as some pro∣fane ones have fancied) a light Love-song, but an excellent Epithalamium, or Divine Ditty; which under the parable of a mar∣riage, points out that incomparable union which is between Christ and the Church. St. Paul in the 5th Chapter to the Ephesi∣ans, exhorts Wives to be subject to their Husbands, as the Church is to Christ; and Husbands to love their Wives, as Christ loves the Church; and at last, he adds,

This is a great mystery, but I speak concern∣ing Christ and the Church, vers. 32. In the original it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, In Christum & Ecclesiam, respiciens ad Chri∣stum & Ecclesiam, saith Piscator. Though the last thing the Apostle said before was touching the earthly marriage, viz. They two shall be one flesh, vers. 31. yet he looks back to Christ and the Church; the earth∣ly marriage was but the shadow and image of the mystery; but Christ and the Church in the mystical union joined together, are the very center and substance of it. In this resemblance, divers things may be noted.

First, In Marriage, which though found∣ed in nature, is a voluntary act; there must be a consent; the conjunction of Bruits is like themselves, out of an impetus of nature; but the conjunction of Man and Woman is, as becomes rational creatures, out of counsel and choice; a consent is necessary; Marriage is a contract, and that cannot be without a consent; he that wants reason, which is the root of liberty, cannot consent. If there be error personae, a mistake of the person, there is no con∣sent; errantis voluntas nulla est, he that errs, consents not; if there be metus gravis ac violentus, a weighty and violent fear

extorting a consent, the consent not being free is as none at all: In all such cases, the Rule is, Ʋbi non est consensus non potest esse matrimonium, where there is no consent, there can be no marriage. Consensus facit matrimonium, the consent makes the mar∣riage. Answerably, in the spiritual mar∣riage between Christ and Believers there is a mutual consent, there are arrhae sponsali∣tiae, earnests and pledges given on both hands. Christ hath carried the earnest of our flesh to Heaven, and from thence sent down the earnest of his Spirit to us; the consent is mutual: on Christs part there is a consent, though it be to espouse not Angels but men; not men in their primi∣tive beauty and integrity, but men under a stain of sin and corruption; yet he con∣sents to it, and that not out of error or mistake, but out of choice and transcend∣ent love, which as early as eternity it self delighted in the sons of men, and in time calls and draws them into conjunction with himself: all the sweet wooings, pathetical expostulations, precious promises, and free offers in the Gospel, are as so many sure testimonies given to his consent. On the Believers part there is also a consent; they breathe after him, rest upon him, resign to him, and accept of him upon the terms of

the Gospel: In their consent two or three things may be noted.

First, There must be a right knowledg of Christ; to an unknown Christ there can be no consent; the knowledg of him must be right in the measure of it. Under the Old Testament, where Religion was much wrapt up in vails and shadows, a less mea∣sure of knowledg might suffice; but under the New, when men live in the noon-day light, and as it were directly under the Sun of righteousness, a much greater measure of knowledg is necessary. We should now study to know him distinctly in his offices and benefits, that we may aptly, and out of judgment join our selves to him. If a man think, that Christ is a Saviour only and not a Lord; or that one may partake of Christ crucified, and yet not take up his Cross in mortifications and patient suf∣ferings, nor yet follow him in holiness and true obedience, here is error personae, such an one knows not the true Christ, but a Christ of his own fancy; his consent, which is proportioned to his knowledg, is not to the real Christ, but to the imaginary one: no man can consent to more than he under∣stands; the knowledg must be right, that the consent may be so. Again, the know∣ledg must be right in the nature of it, it

must not be a meer notion, which may be in an heart like Nabals, dead and cold in spiritual things; but it must be a spiritual knowledg, which discerns Christ spiritu∣ally, and carries with it such a savour of him, as makes the heart chuse and embrace him above all things. Further, As there must be a right knowledg, so there must be a free choice of Christ. Consensio volentis est, consent is in the willing; it is not a thing pressed out of the heart by fear, but sweetly issuing out of it in a free option. When Lewis the Eleventh of France was pressed under the fears of death, he sent for the holy Hermite, holy Oyl, holy Cross, and what not in his extremity. Many men, when upon their death-beds they are turn∣ing off from this world and entring upon eternity; or, possibly before that last hour, when the wrath of God flashes into their consciences, and sets them a fire with the dread of what is justly due to their iniqui∣ties, may in such a strait seem very willing to have Christ: But alas! all this is but a force, a meer pressure upon their wills. Nothing like unto that pure genuine con∣sent which is in true Believers, who chuse and set their hearts upon Christ, as seeing the excellency of his Person, usefulness of his Offices, rectitude of his Precepts, pre∣ciousness

of his Promises, and greatness of his Rewards; the intimate biass and bent of their hearts is such, that leaving the world behind their back, they embrace and fall in with their dear Jesus above all things.

Moreover, This consent is a present actu∣al one; in Marriage there are words used, not de futuro, but de praesenti, or else it is no Marriage, but a promise only. Belie∣vers do not say as the sluggard, yet a little sleep, a little slumber in sin; nor as St. Austin in his delays before conversion did, modo ecce modo; but they give a present consent to Christ; when he knocks, they say not, go and come again to morrow (for that is not to consent to day, nay, not to consent at all, but only to speak of it) but they make haste and delay not, im∣mediately they open and own him as their Lord; he is their greatest desire, and they will not put him off, no, not for a world, which is much less in their eyes than he is: They have to their great shame too long served their corruptions, now they join themselves unto him in a perpetual cove∣nant never to be forgotten; without any more ado a present actual consent is given to him. It is indeed said by Divines, that the true desires of Grace are Grace; and so they are: but then those desires do at

least virtually and seminally contain in them a present consent; for where those desires are in truth, there the heart breaks off con∣federacy with sin, and values Christ as its chief treasure. Were such an one asked, what he would have in the first place; he would answer, None but Christ.

Before I pass over the consent between Christ and Believers, two things may be noted touching the excellency of it above that which is between man and wife.

The one is this; Christs consent is a pure gratuitous act. When a man chuses a wife, the reason is in the object, she is fair, or virtuous, or rich in estate, one attractive or other draws out his consent; but when Christ made his choice, no attractive was in his Spouse; Believers, no less than others, are naturally void of holy Graces, and so extreamly poor, that they have not of their own to cover their nakedness, or pay their debts; there was nothing in them to draw out his love towards them; the only rea∣son of his choice was in his infinite good∣ness, his Grace had no other mover but it self. It's true, he saith of his Church, Be∣hold, thou art fair, my love: behold, thou art fair, Cant. 1.15. But, as our excel∣lent English Annotator speaks, Locutio ver∣bi infusio doni, to call her fair is to make

her so; her beauty was not a jewel of na∣ture, but a love-token given from him. Therefore in the next verse the Church breaks out, Behold, thou art fair my beloved; she gives back all to him, her beauty was but the reflection of his; she shines not of her self, but radiis mariti, with the beams of her Husband; and to him may say, I am Japha, because thou art Japhe; I am fair because thou art so. Indeed he espoused her upon a design of grace, to change her Ethiopian skin, and put a Divine beauty upon her. Thus his consent was meerly gra∣tuitous.

The other is this; The Believers consent is purely supernatural. Wives consent to their Husbands out of principles of nature; but Believers consent to Christ out of prin∣ciples of grace. They are born, not of blood, of humane seed; not of the will of the flesh, of carnal concupiscence; not of the will of man, of the heroical acts of mo∣ral virtue; but of God, Joh. 1.13. His Holy Word is the Seed, his Divine Love the Mover, he himself the Generator of them; their faith, which is their consent, is not of themselves, but the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. No ordinary wooing can pro∣duce their consent, Christ doth not, as com∣mon Suitors do, woo outwardly only, but

he speaks to the heart; and that, not meer∣ly, as Shechem did to Dinah, in kind words; but, as God did to Lydia, in the inward operation of his spirit, which opens the heart, and from thence draws out a consent. In the fall of man all the faculties fell, and among the rest the believing faculty fell also; and, as it lies in the ruines, it cannot with∣out the elevations of supernatural grace lift up it self and give a consent to Christ: he is a supernatural object, and a consent to him must be from a supernatural principle, no less than an heavenly suada can draw it out towards him.

Again, In Marriage Man and Wife do by consent pass over themselves each to other; hence the Apostle tells us, The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife, 1 Cor. 7.4. There is a com∣munion of bodies between them, in re so∣ciali; no one hath a plenary right; each one hath a right in the other. In like man∣ner in the spiritual marriage, Christ and Believers do by consent pass over themselves each to other: Hence the Church saith, My beloved is mine, and I am his, Cant. 2.16. each one of them hath a communion and propriety in the other. Christ gives him∣self to Believers; his atoning blood is his

own, yet they may wash in it; his resur∣rection is his own, yet are they raised up, and made to sit together in heavenly places in him; his intercession is his own in the glory and excellency of it, yet is it theirs for their singular use and benefit.

Again, Believers give themselves to Christ; their minds are devoted to his holy light; their wills are resigned to his sacred will; their pious posture tells the world, That they are not their own, but his; to give him all is their duty; to keep back the least part from him is no less than sacriledg, be∣cause all is consecrated to him. Thus in both the Marriages there is a giving of them∣selves each to other; yet still there is an ex∣cellency on the spiritual side: Man and Wife make over themselves mutually, so as to become one flesh; but Christ and Belie∣vers make over themselves mutually, so as to become one spirit. It is the Apostles ob∣servation, He that is joined to an harlot is one body; for two (saith he) shall be one flesh: But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit, 1 Cor. 6.16, 17. A communion of bodies is a great thing; but what is it to that union which is between Christ and his Church, in which there is one and the same spirit in both? Man and Wife, how∣ever united in love, have two different

souls; but in Christ and Believers there is but one spirit. I know some Divines in∣terpret this one spirit to be only this, That there is one temper in Christ and Believers; but this, though a very great truth, is not the all, or full Emphasis of the Text. When the Scripture tells us, that the mind of Christ is in us, it may be fairly interpreted of one temper; but when it tells us of one spirit, it must needs import something more high and mysterious. To make this appear, the circumstances of the Text must be con∣sidered; the Apostle in this place dehorts them from fornication, not only because it is a sin against our own bodies, vers. 18. but from three other reasons: First, our bodies are the members of Christ, and shall we make them the members of an Harlot? vers. 15. Then we are joined, and one spi∣rit with Christ; and shall we be joined and one flesh with an Harlot, vers. 16, and 17? Lastly, our bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost; and shall we profane that Temple by finning against it, vers. 18, and 19? Here it is to be noted, That these three Reasons are fundamentally but this one, viz. That we have the Spirit of Christ in us; this Spirit makes us Members; this Spirit being in us, we are one Spirit with Christ; this Spirit hath a Temple in us;

therefore upon the account of this Spirit we should fly fornication. It is also to be noted, that these Reasons, which are fun∣damentally one, do depend upon one ano∣ther; the first is confirmed by the second, and the second is explained by the third; that we are members of Christ, is clearly confirmed in that we are one spirit with him; and that we are one spirit with him, is excellently explained in that we are the Temples of the Spirit; all three Rea∣sons hang together, and make one great ar∣gument against Fornication. This being the scope and order of the place, the phrase (one spirit) must be construed in such a way as may sute to the antecedents and consequents; as to the antecedents, it must import that spirit which makes us members of Christ; as to the consequents, it must import that spirit which hath a temple in us; either way it must needs be meant of the holy Spirit. It is that which makes us members of Christ: If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his, Rom. 8.9. Non potest vivere corpus Christi nisi de Spi∣ritu Christi, saith St. Austin, The Body of Christ cannot live but by the Spirit of Christ: That is no member which hath not the same spirit with the head. Also it is that which hath a Temple in us; Deus Templum

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habet, creatura Templum non habet, saith St. Ambrose; God only hath a Temple, the creature hath none. Si Deus Spiritus Sanctus non esset, Templum uti{que} nos ipsos non haberet, saith St. Austin; If the Holy Spirit were not God, he should not have us for his Temple: it being (as he there urges) no less than Sacriledg and an Anathema to make a Temple to a creature. Not then the holy temper which is a crea∣ture, but the Holy Spirit who is God, hath a Temple in us. Thus the order and depen∣dance of things plainly teach us the mean∣ing of the (one Spirit) to be, that the same Holy Spirit is in Christ and Believers: Nay, omitting the dependance, the words themselves shew the same thing. One Spi∣rit is here immediately opposed to one flesh; when a man and woman become one flesh, there is more than a likeness of temper; there are many alike in carnal propensions, who yet were never so joined as to be one flesh; and if one flesh speak more than a∣like temper, much more doth one spirit do so: I take it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, one spirit, is as high a phrase as can be to express an inti∣mate union. I conclude therefore, That the Apostle doth not meerly intend a like∣ness of temper, but that the same Holy Spi∣rit is in Christ and Believers, which indeed is a very high and glorious mystery.

Further, Marriage is a state of Love, and Love hath an unitive virtue in it; a true friend is alter ipse, another self; in re∣spect of love between two friends, there is, as it were, but one soul in both. St. Au∣stin saith, That his friend being dead, he did but dimidius vivere, live but like half a man. If there be such love between friends, how much more is it so between man and wife? Between them there are the strictest bonds, and highest degrees of friendship. A man shall leave father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, saith the Apostle, Eph. 5.31. In the original it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he shall be glued to his wife. Conjugal love is the glue, which takes hold on both sides, and joins them together as if they were but one piece; and therefore the Apostle there adds, they two shall be one flesh. And a little before he tells them, He that loveth his wife, loveth himself, vers. 28. She is an alter Ego, a piece of himself; and not to love her is as unnatural as to hate his own flesh; the near relation which is between man and wife, calls for a mutual and more than ordinary love.

The Parallel is the intimate love which is between Christ and Believers; he loves them as parts and pieces of himself, they

love him as their dearest head and husband; he loves not their graces only, but their persons; they love not his gifts only, but himself. Ordinances are his Banqueting∣house, Graces are his Love-tokens; but him∣self is the great center of their love: He is ravished, nay, excordiated with their single eye of faith and chain of obedience, Cant. 4.9. they are ravished in him who is totus desideria, all or wholly desires; his person, natures, offices, life, death, resurrection, intercession, every thing in him is amiable in their eyes; his love to them is such, that he eats his honey-comb with his honey, wax and all, accepting their services not∣withstanding the infirmities cleaving to them; their love to him is such, that, though sometimes they sleep and nod in humane frailty, yet their heart waketh; the inward bent and motion of it is to him, the least call or knock will make them rise and seek after him: There is an intimate love be∣tween him and them; but how far this exceeds that which is between man and wife, the tongue of men and Angels can∣not fully utter. I shall only touch on one or two things.

On the one hand Christ took an humane nature that he might espouse us to himself; to him, as meer God, sinful creatures could

not be joined, his pure Majesty could not admit them to approach to him; but that he might have a Spouse among men, he left his Fathers bosome and came down into an humane nature; Majesty was put under a vail of flesh, and through that we have ac∣cess to him. It would be a very strange thing, for a glorious Angel to come down into the rank of worms, and espouse matter; much more admirable is it, that the very Son of God (one infinitely more above an humane nature than an Angel is above mat∣ter) did come down into our frail flesh, upon design to espouse us to himself: never did love so stoop and condescend as here. On the other hand Believers are content, as much as may be, to put off their cor∣rupt nature, that they may be joined to him; he put on a pure humane nature for them, they put off a corrupt one for him; at his call they leave their own people and their Fathers House, I mean, the corrupti∣on they were born or bred in; nothing is dearer or nearer to faln man than his cor∣rupt flesh, and those lusts which are the members of it; yet they part with it and them for Christ: Their Motto is, Christus meus est omnia, my Christ is my All.

Again, On the one hand, Christ died in our nature that he might espouse us. Ja∣cob

served for a Wife, David fought for one; but none but our dear Lord died up∣on a Cross for us: our match with him could not be dispatched without atoning blood. A type of this we have in that first Marriage between Adam and Eve; Eve was taken out of the side of fleeping Adam; the Church is taken out of the side of a dying Christ. The Jews say, that the wo∣man was taken out of the side of man, to signifie the marriage of the supreme blessed man: While Adam was sleeping, a rib was taken out of him and made into a woman; when Christ died on the Cross, there came out of his pierced side blood and wa∣ter, in these we have the original of the Church, which rises up out of expiation and regeneration, to be a Spouse to him. On the other hand, Believers in the power, and after the pattern of a crucified Christ, dye to themselves and the world; his pure flesh suffered in a way of expiation; their corrupt flesh suffers in a way of mortifica∣tion; by his Cross the world is crucified to them, and they to the world; his body was nailed to the Cross, and there they hang up their lusts to dye and expire: Thus there is a transcendent love between him and them.

Moreover, In Marriage two things more may be noted:

The one is this, There is a communica∣tion of good things from the Husband to the Wife. It is an old saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, all things are common among friends; much more is it so among married persons, a communion of bodies draws a communion of other things with it: the near relation between man and wife calls for it; his necessaries serve to supply her, his honour puts a lustre upon her, his riches are seen in her Jewels and attire: If Adam had a world, Eve did participate with him. Thus it is in the earthly marriage; much more is it so in the spiritual one; When such an one as Christ is joined to Believers, what, and how great must the communica∣tions be? The earthly Husband according to his state and degree doth communicate to his Wife; what then doth Christ, who hath a Deity and unfearchable riches in him, communicate to those who are in conjun∣ction with him? Want they cannot while he hath a Deity; or be without a supply, till his riches be exhausted: They go no longer in the rags of their own unworthi∣ness, but are covered with the robe of his pure righteousness; guilt can no longer a∣bide on them, because they are sprinkled with his aroning blood: while he hath an Holy Spirit they cannot want the Jewels

and ornaments of Grace; their love, meek∣ness, obedience, patience, shew that he hath put some of his beauty upon them; his wine-cellar of Scriptures and Ordinan∣ces stands open to them, that they may taste and drink of Divine Consolations; at last they shall enter into the palace of Hea∣ven, and there partake of his glory: No Husband but himself can so communicate.

The other is this, That in Marriage there is a due propagation of mankind; indivi∣duals dye, but mankind is preserved; ge∣neration supplies what death devours. Also in the spiritual marriage there is a double propagation; one of Believers, another of good works: First in the Church there is a propagation of Believers; such an one as Christ could not but have a seed, his name was to be continued as long as the Sun, Psal. 72.17. In the original it is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his name shall be sonned or child∣ed in a succession of Believers. The Church at first was in a Believer or two; but being Christs Spouse, she becomes Mother of thousands, a spiritual Eve to bring forth Sons unto God. In the power of the Word and Spirit (which are as the seed and for∣mative virtue in this heavenly generation) multitudes of Believers come forth as the dew from the womb of the morning, not

in the Jewish Church only, but in the Gen∣tile world also; the wilderness buds and blossoms, the barren sing for joy, the tent is enlarged, the curtains are stretched forth, the Church breaks out on the right hand and on the left in an admirable fertility; this is the fruit of this Divine Marriage be∣tween Christ and his Church. Again, In particular Believers there is a propagation of good works; as we are in conjunction with Adam we are impotent and barren; but as soon as we are in conjunction with Christ we have power and holy fruits. To open this, it will be worth while to consi∣der the words of the Apostle: Ye are be∣come dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter, Rom. 7.4, 5, 6. Here we have two sorts of persons, the unregenerate who are in the flesh of corrupt nature, and the regenerate who have a new spirit or prin∣ciple in them. Two sorts of Marriage,

one unto the Law in the unregenerate; and another unto Christ in the regenerate. Two sorts of fruit, one unto death in sinful actions; another unto God in good works. The unregenerate are married to the Law, they are under the curse of it as sinners; they have but the naked letter of it, which commands, but helps not: Nay, their cor∣ruption is accidentally irritated by it; their inward malignity swells and rises against the holy commands which stand in Scrip∣ture, as so many dams and bars to their im∣petuous lusts: Hence they bring forth no∣thing but fruit unto death; what they seem to do in Gods service, they do only in the oldness of the letter, in the external work, without a spirit or principle for it. The regenerate are dead to the Law, and married to Christ; they are not under the curse of the Law, but pardoned in Christ; they have not the meer outward letter on∣ly, but the quickning spirit; they are not irritated by the command, but delight in it as in their joy and treasure: Hence they bring forth fruit unto God; they serve him in newness of spirit, in the suavity of in∣ternal holy principles; their good works are not brought forth in bondage and ser∣vility, but by a free spirit, and in the ea∣siness of the new creature. We see here,

that the progeny of good works issues not out of nature or the letter of the Law, but out of a conjunction and spiritual marriage with Christ, who by his Holy Spirit quick∣ens Believers to bear holy fruits.

The conjugal union in the earthly pat∣tern not being enough, the Holy Ghost goes on to set forth the mystical union by that which is between the foundation and the building. Christ in Scripture is called a foundation upon a double account; he is the foundation of Doctrine, Other founda∣tion can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 3.11. Here the Apo∣stle speaks of a foundation of Doctrine; the consequent words make this appear: the gold, silver and precious stones are pure and solid Doctrines; the wood, hay and stubble are vain and frivolous ones; both are called mans work which the fire shall try. He is also the foundation of Belie∣vers; They are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ him∣self being the chief corner stone, Ephes. 2.20. It's true, the Apostles and Prophets are here called a foundation; but they are only a doctrinal foundation, Christ is the personal one; they are a foundation metonymically only, Christ is so properly: upon the foun∣dation of the Apostles and Prophets is no

other than upon Christ, whom they in their Preaching laid as the foundation of the Church. The Foundation and the Corner∣stone are both one and the same Christ; as a Foundation he bears up and sustains the Church; as a Corner-stone he joins and holds together the two walls of it made up of Jews and Gentiles.

In this resemblance three or four things may be considered.

The Foundation and the Building are both framed by Art. First, the pattern is in the mind of the Builder, and then the thing is set up. In the Spiritual Founda∣tion and Building the Art was not humane but Divine; the Idea of them was not in mans mind but in Gods; man, falling off from his bottom of primitive integrity, could not have a foundation in himself, God in infinite wisdom contrived that he might have one in another; the way was admirable, the eternal Word was made flesh; two natures met in one person; an humane, in which he obeyed and suffered for us; and a Divine, which put an infinite value upon his obedience and sufferings; in these, full satisfaction was made for sin, a purchase of grace and glory was obtained for sin∣ners, an incomparable pattern of sanctity and obedience is set before us, and an Holy

Spirit is provided to quicken us to imitate him: Mercy runs freely in the channel of the Promises; Proclamations of Grace are made unto men. Here's the Foundation up∣on which fallen man may be built up unto righteousness and life eternal. Oh, riches of Wisdom! wonder of Love! It's true, na∣tural and carnal men, while such, are no more fit among persons, than hay and stub∣ble are among Doctrines, to be built upon this Foundation; but the same Wisdom which laid the Foundation, will build the House; the Holy Spirit is sent forth to work faith in men, and thereby to frame them to be set upon the Foundation: hence the Apostle saith, that the whole Building is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, fitly framed together, E∣phes. 2.21. each part of the Building is aptly and congruously united to the Foun∣dation and to the other parts of it; the Building answers to the Foundation, and both to the Idea in the infinite Mind. To contrive these, was one of the greatest thoughts that ever entred into Gods heart; and to effect them, was one of the greatest works which ever was done in time.

Between the Foundation and Building there is somewhat that joins and cements them together; between Christ and Belie∣vers the cement is not material but spiritual;

these are joined together by Faith and by the Holy Spirit. Faith is one cement: Be∣hold, I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious: he that believeth on him shall not be confounded, 1 Pet. 2.6. Faith joins the Believer to the Foundation; that's the Rea∣son, that he shall not be confounded. Sin, Satan, the World, shall not confound him, because he is built upon a Foundation, in which is Propitiation, Grace and Victory; the Divine Favour, the influences of Grace, the Crown of eternal Life shall not fail him, because he is joined to a Foundation, in which the Promises of these things are Yea, and Amen.

The Holy Spirit is another cement. In whom, that is, in Christ the Foundation, you are builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 2.22. The earthly Foundation and Building are joined together by dead matter like themselves; but Christ who is a living Foundation, and Believers who are lively stones, are united together by the Holy Spi∣rit; this is a great mystery; the same Holy Spirit which is in him, is in them also.

Again, The Foundation supports and bears up the Building; in like manner Christ supports and bears up the Church, the whole weight of it lies upon him; without him all the spiritual stones would instantly sink, and totter down into a chaos of emptiness and confusion: To make the excellency of this supportation appear, we must consider first what manner of Foundation he is; and then in what man∣ner he bears up the Church.

Touching the first, He is a Foundation able and every way compleat to support and bear up the Church; a short scanty Foundation cannot do its office; but he is an ample large one, multitudes of Believers in all ages have been built upon him, and yet there is room for more. Did all the men in the world build upon him by Faith, he would bear them all up to life eternal; a weak faultring Foundation cannot do its office; but he is a strong one, a Rock which cannot fail. When St. Peter made that glorious confession, Thou art Christ the son of the living God; our Saviour answers him, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, Matt. 16.18. The Rock here is not confessing-Peter, but the con∣fessed Christ; our Saviour saith not, thou art Peter, and upon thee; but thou art Peter,

and upon this rock I will build my Church. Peter is not the Rock, but built upon it. Hence St. Austin observes, Non a Petro petra, sed Petrus a petrâ, sicut non Christus a Chri∣stiano, sed Christianus a Christo vocatur; the Rock is not named from Peter, but Pe∣ter from the Rock; as Christ is not named from the Christian, but the Christian from Christ. All Believers are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Stones; Christ only is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Rock, upon which they are built; they being Stones may be moved, but he being a Rock is unmovable and for ever the same. Peter fell greatly; had he been the Foundation, the whole Church must have fell with him; had not Christ been a Rock to him, his fall would have been final. These words (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, upon this Rock) note that one individual Foundation, upon which the whole Church is so built, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. To be such a Founda∣tion, none is capable but Christ only; it is not to be imagined, either that the whole Church should be built upon a meer man; or if it could, that being so weakly founded, it should stand against the powers of darkness. Christ the true Rock is not a meer man, but the Son of the living God; he hath the strength of a Deity which can∣not fail. Earthly Foundations may be eat

up by time, or ruined by violence; but he is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a founded foundation, or a foundation of foundations, Isa. 28.16. No time can deface the eternal One, no violence set its foot upon the Almighty; he abideth ever to support his Church.

Touching the second, The supportation of the Church is in a spiritual way; it is bore up, not as an earthly building by dead matter, but as a spiritual House by the in∣fluences of Grace; To whom coming as un∣to a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious: Ye also as lively stones are built a spiritual House, 1 Pet. 2.4, 5. He is a Living Foundation, one who hath an endless life of merit, and the Spirit of life above measure. Hence Believers, who are built upon, and as it were parts of him, are maintained in life; his Spirit by continual influences and spira∣tions of Grace bears them up in their spiri∣tual being and life; the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against them.

Notes

• De bono conj. c. 1.
• Quemad∣modum no∣bis arrabo∣nem spiri∣tûs reli∣quit, ita & a nobis ar∣rabonem carnis ac∣cepit. Et vexit in coelum pi∣guus totius summae il∣luc redi∣gendae. Tert. de Resur. Carnis.
• In Joh. Tract. 26.
• De spir. sancto. l. 3. c. 13.
• Cont. Maxim. lib. 1.
• Confess. Lib. 4. c. 6.
• Christus, sive lapis sit in aedi∣ficio, sive radix in arbore, si∣ve vitis in viveâ, sive caput in corpore, semper est non solum vivens, sed vita vivificans. Zanch. in loc.
• Tract. 124. in Joh.