Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its…

As touching this Operation, the holy Graces may be considered under a double notion, either as they make us to have one common nature with Christ; and thus they import union with him: or else as they are tokens of the divine Presence: and thus they import the Inhabitation of God in us.

These Graces make us to have one common nature with Christ: and thus they import union with him; there is, as the learned Camero observes, a double union, one ab uno communi simpliciter, from one common nature simply considered: thus all men are united, there being one humane nature in them: another ab uno communicato, from one nature communicated: thus a Father and a Son are united, the Son having the same nature communicated from the Father. To apply this distinction. First, Believers have one common humane nature with Christ; not only ⟨p. 190⟩in that large sense, in which all men have the same nature with him; but in a more strict sense peculiar to believers only; He that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one, Hebr. 2.11. [Greek or Hebrew], of one, not of one God: so Angels also are not of one Adam: so wicked men also are, but of one nature and condition: Christ hath an humane nature sanctified by the Spirit, and so have Believers: this is one peculiar thing in which he and they meet; there is no other holy flesh in all the world, but what is in him and them: This tells us, that they are so united to him in one common nature, as no other creature in Heaven or Earth is. Angels are not so; they are holy, but not flesh; unregenerate men are not so, they are flesh, but not holy; Believers only have, as Christ hath, an humane nature sanctified by the Spirit. Further, which advances the Union, they have this sanctified nature from him; we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, Eph. 5.30. In this sanctified nature there are two things; a carnal substance, and an holy quality; as to the carnal substance, he is of our flesh, and of our bones; he did partake of flesh and blood with us: As to the holy quality, we are of his flesh, and of his bones; by him we are partakers