A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

First, for our Union with Christ; for if the head be entered, the members cannot be denied. The personal union of the Son of God to our nature, was a great mystery, 1 Tim. 3.16. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness; God wa• manifested in the flesh. Yet let me boldly say, in respect of us, there is another nearer conjunction required to this Entrance, 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joined to the Lord, is one Spirit. First, that hypostatical union was the conjunction of Gods Nature and mans nature in general: but this is an union of the Son of Gods Person, and the believers person in special. Secondly, though Christ took our nature upon him, and that with all humane infirmities, yet clean void of all sins: in this he takes to him the believers person with all his sins: though we be full of wickedness, he knits us to his holy and glorious self. He is the Head, we are the members: but some tyrant may cut off the members from the head. He is the Husband, we are the wife: but death divorceth man and wife. He is the Vine, we are the branches: but man may slip off a branch from the Vine. He is the Corner-stone, we the building: but a foundation may be bereft of the edifice; and come to the Temple of Jerusalems case; Non lapis super lapidem; To have not one stone left upon another. But when it is said, we are One Spirit with Christ, here can be no separation: spirit may be parted from body, not spirit from spirit, never from it self: not two, but one spirit, Cant. 8.6. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, and as a seal upon thine arm. The arm is the Instrument of power; and the heart is the fountain of life, the first that lives, and the last that dies. If therefore we be set there as seals, there can be no disjunction: unless we could be plucked from his arms that is Almighty; unless his heart could die, which is life it self. Set me as a seal, &c. That Petition is now a Position; what the Church then desired, it hath now enjoyed: their wish is o•• Article, their Pater-noster, our Creed. Were we not deeply engraven on his heat, when his heart was divided with a spear for us? When in a manner he seemed forsaken of his own Father for a time, rather than his Father should forsake us for ever. That Evangelical Prophet testifies it, Isaiah 49.16. Behold, I have graven th upon the palms of my hands.