First, It is such a strong Union intensively, that Christ and a regenerate Man become one Spirit: He that is joined unto the Lord, is 1one Spirit: One Spirit (saith Reverend Charnock) as if they had but one Soul in two Bodies. What the Spirit doth in Christ, it doth also in a Believer, according to the Capacity of the Soul: The same Spirit which was the immediate Conveyer of Grace to the Humane Nature of Christ, is so to us; Christ hath an Essential Holiness in respect of his Godhead, but a Derivative Holiness as Man: and this Derivative Holiness proceeded from the Spirit's dwelling in him without measure, which we have in our Measures: And by virtue of this Union, by the same Spirit whereby we become one Spirit with Christ; not only that Grace which is in us, and in the greatest Apostle, is the same; but that Grace which is in us, and in our Blessed Mediator the Man Christ Jesus, are of the same Nature and Original: As the Light of the Sun, and the Light of the Stars, are the same, but they differ in Degrees, not essentially. And as we say of Souls, Animae sunt pares dignitate, saith Charnock; though the Actions are not the same, because of the indisposition of the Organs, and the predominancy of some particular Humour. 'Tis the same Spirit in Christ and a Believer, as it is the same Soul in dignity, which is in an Infant and a Man of most refined Parts. It is more here, for 'tis the same Spirit in respect of his Person, which makes Christ very near of Kin to us; this Spirit must either desert Christ or us, before this Union can be dissolved: Not Christ, for he had it in the World not in Measures, and he is yet anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows: Not us, because the Promise of Christ cannot be broken. This being the Top-stone of the Comfort of Believers, in sending this Comforter that he may abide with us for ever. Evident it is, that it is such a Union that Believers are said to partake of the Divine Nature; that the Holy Spirit is promised to them, and in a spiritual manner is united to them, and dwelleth and abideth in them, and that for ever, cannot be denied. Christ shows us, that this Union arises from our spiritual eating of his Flesh, and drinking of his Blood: He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. But when some were offended, and could not 2see how this could be, he said unto them, ver. 63.
First, It is such a strong Union intensively, that Christ and a regenerate Man become one Spirit: He that is joined unto the Lord, is 1one Spirit: One Spirit (saith Reverend Charnock) as if they had but one Soul in two Bodies. What the Spirit doth in Christ, it doth also in a Believer, according to the Capacity of the Soul: The same Spirit which was the immediate Conveyer of Grace to the Humane Nature of Christ, is so to us; Christ hath an Essential Holiness in respect of his Godhead, but a Derivative Holiness as Man: and this Derivative Holiness proceeded from the Spirit's dwelling in him without measure, which we have in our Measures: And by virtue of this Union, by the same Spirit whereby we become one Spirit with Christ; not only that Grace which is in us, and in the greatest Apostle, is the same; but that Grace which is in us, and in our Blessed Mediator the Man Christ Jesus, are of the same Nature and Original: As the Light of the Sun, and the Light of the Stars, are the same, but they differ in Degrees, not essentially. And as we say of Souls, Animae sunt pares dignitate, saith Charnock; though the Actions are not the same, because of the indisposition of the Organs, and the predominancy of some particular Humour. 'Tis the same Spirit in Christ and a Believer, as it is the same Soul in dignity, which is in an Infant and a Man of most refined Parts. It is more here, for 'tis the same Spirit in respect of his Person, which makes Christ very near of Kin to us; this Spirit must either desert Christ or us, before this Union can be dissolved: Not Christ, for he had it in the World not in Measures, and he is yet anointed with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows: Not us, because the Promise of Christ cannot be broken. This being the Top-stone of the Comfort of Believers, in sending this Comforter that he may abide with us for ever. Evident it is, that it is such a Union that Believers are said to partake of the Divine Nature; that the Holy Spirit is promised to them, and in a spiritual manner is united to them, and dwelleth and abideth in them, and that for ever, cannot be denied. Christ shews us, that this Union arises from our spiritual eating of his Flesh, and drinking of his Blood: He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. But when some were offended, and could not 2see how this could be, he said unto them, ver. 63.
- 11 Cor. 6. 17.
- 2Joh. 6. 56.
