Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

This sanctifying Spirit, communicated by the Lord Jesus to his members, is the spiritual nourishment the branches have from the Stock into which they are ingrafted; whereby the life of grace, given them in regeneration, is preserved, continued and actuated. It is the nourishment whereby the new creature liveth, and is nourished up towards perfection. Spiritual life needs to be fed, and must have supply of nourishment: and believers derive the same from Christ their head, whom the Father has constituted the head of influences to all his members, Col ii. 19. And not holding the head, from which all the body, by joints and hands having nourishment ministered, or supplied, &c. Now, this supply is, "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ," Phil i 19. The saints seed richly, eating Christ's flesh, and drinking his blood, for their spiritual nourishment: yet our Lord himself teacheth us, that it is the Spirit that quickeneth, even that Spirit who dwells in that blessed body, John vi 63. The human nature is united to the divine nature ▪ in the person of the Son, and so (like the bowl in Zechariah's candlestick▪ Zech. iv.) lies at the fountain-head, as the glorious means of conveyance of influences, from the fountain of the Deity; and receives not the Spirit by measure, but ever hath a fullness of the Spirit, by reason of that personal union. Hence, believer being united to the man Christ, (as the seven lamps to the bowl, by their seven pipes, Zech. iv. 2.) his flesh is to them meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed: for, feeding on that blessed body (i.e. effectually aping Christ to their souls by faith) they partake more and more of that Spirit, who dwelleth therein, to their spiritual nourishment. The holiness of God could never admit of an immediate ⟨p. 196⟩union with the sinful creature, nor (consequently) an immediate communion with it: yet, the creature could not live the life of grace, without communion with the fountain of life: Therefore, that the honour of God's holiness, and the salvation of sinners, might jointly be provided for: the second person of the glorious Trinity, took, into a personal union with himself, a sinless human nature; that so this holy harmless and un••fd humanity, might immediately receive a fullness of the Spirit, of which he might communicate to his members by his divine power and efficacy.