You must not only truft in Chrift to fulfil his good Pleasure in you; but you muft live to him in the Exercife of that Grace and Strength which you derive from him.-In an humble Confidence in his fanctifying and quickening Influences, you must take heed to your elf, and keep your Soul with all Diligence; you must fee to it, that your Heart be right with God; that you delight in the Law of the Lord after the inward Man; that you maintain a strict Watch over your Affections as well as Conversation; that you neglect no known Duty toward God or Man; that you carefully improve your Time, and other Talents committed to your Trust; and endeavour, in a conftant Course, to maintain a holy, humble, fruitful thankful Life. And remember, that one Inftance of good Works, which God requires of you, is a daily Repentance of your finful Defects; and a daily Mourning after a further Progress in Holiness. After an Espousal to Christ by Faith, this is the Way, and the only Way of Comfort here and Happiness hereafter.

That I might fet this important Point in as clear a Light as possible, I have laboured to reprefent it in different Views; and thereby have neceffarily run into feme Repetitions, for which I depend upon your Candour:Now, That the Lord would bless my Endeavours for your best Good, is the Prayer of

SIR,

LETTER XVII. Wherein the Nature of the Believer's Union to Chrift is briefly explained, and the Neceffity of it afferted and defended.

I

SIR,

F you mean no more by your "Ignorance of the "Nature of that Union to Chrift, which I fo of"ten mentioned," but that you cannot form any adequate Idea of this incomprehensible Mystery, it is nothing wonderful. There are Multitudes of Things whofe Existence you are most intimately acquainted with, yet of whofe fpecial Manner of Existence you can have no Idea.-You have no Reafon therefore to doubt of the Believer's Union to Chrift, becaufe you do not understand the Mode of it, any more than you have to doubt of the Union of your own Soul and Body, because you do not understand the Mode of it. It is a fufficient Confirmation of the Truth of this Doctrine, that it is revealed in the Word of God. It is fufficient for our prefent imperfect State, to know fo much of the Nature of this Union as God has been pleased to reveal in the bleffed Oracles of Truth.—It is your Miftake to suppose that "our Divines do but "occafionally mention this Doctrine; but don't pre"tend to explain it." Numbers of Divines have written well upon the delightful Subject; tho', I confefs, it is too little confidered by many of our practical Writers (as it ought to be confidered) as being the Foundation of both our Practice and Hope. Were it more diftinctly confidered, more particularly explained, and more frequently infifted upon, improved and applied, both from the Pulpit and the Prefs, than it is, it would be a probable Means to

check

theck the Growth of thefe dangerous Errors which prevail among us; and to give Men a deeper Senfe of the Neceffity of experimental vital Piety, in order to a well-grounded Hope of the Favour of God.You have therefore Reason to defire a "juft, plain "and familiar View of this Doctrine." And I fhall endeavour, according to your Defire, in as plain and easy a Manner as I can, to give a brief and distinct Answer to your several Questions.

Your first Question is, "What is the Nature of "that Union to Chrift, which the Scriptures fpeak ❝ of; and what are we to understand by it?"

In answer to this Question, it may be proper in the first Place, to give you a brief View of the va❤ rious Representations of this Union in the Word of God; and from thence proceed to take fome Notice of the fpecial Nature of it, as it is reprefented in the Scriptures.

It is fometimes reprefented in Scripture by the Strongest Expreffions that human Language can admit, and even compared to the Union between God the Father and God the Son. Thus Joh. xvii. 11, 21, 22, 23. Holy Father, keep through thine own Name thofe whom thou haft given me, that they may be one, as we are. -That they all may be one, as thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in ''s.-- That they may be one, even as We are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.

This Union is fometimes reprefented in Scripture by lively Metaphors and Refemblances.

It is compared to the Union of a Vine and its Branches. Thus, Joh. xv. 4, 5. Abide in me, and I in you. As the Branch cannot bear Fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine: No more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the Vine, and ye are the Branches. He that abideth in me and 1 in him, the

Same bringeth forth much Fruit: For without me je can do othing.

It is compared to the Union of our Meat and Drink with our Bodies. Thus, Joh. vi. 56, 57. He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me, and Iin him. As the living Father hath fent me, and live by the Father: So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

It is frequently compared to the Union of the Body to the Head. Thus, Eph. iv. 15, 16. But Speaking the Truth in Love, may grow up into him in all Things, which is the Head, even Christ: From whom the whole Body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every Joint fupplieth, according to the effectual working in the Measure of every Part, maketh Increafe of the Body, unto the edifying itself in Love.

It is fometimes compared to the conjugal Union. Thus, Eph. v. 23. 30. For the Husband is the Head of the Wife, even as Chrift is the Head of the Church, and he is the Saviour of the Body.For we are Members of his Body, of his Fleft, and of his Bones. Rom vii. 4. Wherefore, my Brethren, ye alfo are become dead to the Law by the Body of Chrift, that ye fhould be married to another, even to him who is raifed from the dead, that we fhould bring forth Fruit unto God.

It is likewife compared to the Union of a Building, whereof Chrift is confidered as the Foundation or chief Corner-Stone. Thus, 1. Pet. ii. 4, 5, 6. To whom coming as unto a living Stone, difallowed indeed of Men, but chofen of God and precious, ye aifo are built up a fpiritual House, an holy Prieft hood, to offer up fpiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chri. Wherefore alfo it is con tained in the Scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief, Corner-Stone, elect, precious.

I might add, that this Union is sometimes reprefented in Scripture by an Identity or Sameness of Spirit. Thus, 1. Cor. vi. 17. He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit.

It is fometimes reprefented by an Identity of Body. Thus, I. or. xii. 12, 27. For as the Body is one, and hath many Members; and all the Members of that Body being many, are one Body; fo alfo. is Chrift-Now ye are the Body of Chrift, and Members in particular.

It is alfo reprefented by an Identity of Intereft. Mat. xxv. 40. Verily I fay unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the leaft of thefe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me.-Christ and Believ-. ers have one common Father. Joh. xx. 17. Ì afcend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. God. They have one common Inheritance. Rom. viii. 17. Heirs of God, and JointHeirs with Chrift. And they have one common Place of eternal Refidence. Joh. xiv. 3. And if I go and prepare a Place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be alfo.

From this brief and general View of the Scriptural Representations of our Union with Christ, I now. proceed to confider fomething diftinctly, what is the fpecial Nature of this Union, and what we are to understand by it. Now it may not be improper, in the first Place, to confider it negatively, and Tay what it is not, before I enter upon an affirmative Explication and Illuftration of it.

I need not take any Pains to convince you, that this Union is not an effential or perfonal Union. The Union of the Trinity in the Godhead, is effential: The Union of the divine and human Nature in Chrift, is perfonal. But it were Blafphemy to fuppofe either of these Kinds of Union, in the Cafe be

fore