check the Growth of these 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 Reafon to defire a “just, plain " and familiar View of this Doctrine." And I hall endeavour, according to your Defire, in as plain and eafy a Manner as I can, to give a brief and diftinct 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 various Reprefentations 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 represented in the Scriptures,

It is fometimes reprefented in Scripture by the ftrongest 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 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 Us.—— That they may be one, even as We are one.-1 in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.

be

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 I in him, the fame

Ff3

Same bringeth forth much Fruit: For without me ye can doothing.

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 fhall 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 Chrift: From whom the whole Body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every Joint fupplieth, according to the electual working in the Meafure 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 Fleth, 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 should be married to another, even to him who is raifed from the dead, that we should bring forth Fruit unto God.

It is likewife compared to the Union of a Building, whereof Christ 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 alfo are built up a fpiritual Houfe, an holy Priefthood, to offer up fpiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God by Fefus Christ. Wherefore alfo it is contained in the Scripture, Behold I lay in Sion a chief Corner-Stone, elect, precious.

I might add, that this Union is fometimes 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 represented by an Identity of Body Thus, 1. Cor. 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 also represented by an Identity of Interest. Mat. xxv. 40. Verily I fay unto you, inafmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it unto me.-Chrift and Believers have one common Father. Joh. xx. 17. I afcend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your 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 Chrift, 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 fay what it is not, before I enter upon an affirmative Explication and Illustration 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 Christ, is perfonal. But it were Blafphemy to fuppofe either of thefe Kinds of Union, in the Cafe be

fore

fore us. Should we fuppofe the former, we fhould attribute divine Perfection to ourselves. Should we fuppofe the latter, we should make ourselves JointMediators of the Covenant, with the glorious Redeemer. Either of which are too horribly profane to find any Admission into our Minds.-Though Christ and Believers are one, as he and the Father are one, this is to be understood with Refpect to the Resemblance there is, in Point of Reality and Nearness of Union; and not with Respect to the Nature and Kind of it.

It is likeways unneceflary to endeavour to prove to you, that this Union is not of the fame Kind with those natural and local Unions, with which we are acquainted.-Tho' the Word UNION is apt to carry away our Minds into an Imagination of a Contact, Mixture, Inhefion, or the like, we are to remember that these are too grofs and low Conceptions of this aftonishing Mystery, to be entertained by us. We are to remember, that our Union is to him who "is by the right Hand of God "exalted," and who is "fat down on the right "Hand of the Majesty on High."

These Things need not be infifted upon; the mere propofing of thèm compells your Affent. But, it feems there is another thing requires more particular Confideration, which is, that the Union I am treating of, is not to be confidered as a mere civil or political Union. It is thro' want of a right View of this Gospel-Mystery, that you tell me, "You can understand no more by our being united "to Chrift, than a near Relation to him as our Lord "and Saviour," and " if there be any more implied "in it than a relative and political Union (you "confefs) you have no Idea of it."-I hope, Sir,. your internal Experience has in this Cafe gone beyond your Speculation: Your State (I think) must

otherways

otherways be most dangerous and miferable. If you will view the fcriptural Representations, which I have already given of this Matter, you muft fee, that there is much more than a mere relative, civil, or political Union, implyed in thofe emphatical Expreffions, of being one with Chrift, as he is one with the Father; of abiding in him and he in us ; of being united as the Vine and the Branches; of being fo joined to the Lord, as to be one Spirit with him; of being the Body of Chrift, and Members in particular; with others of the like Nature. It is impoffible to give any rational Construction of these and the like Paffages of Scripture, upon the Suppofition of a mere political Union.-And you must acknowledge, that a political or relative Union is not peculiar to Believers. All Power is given to Christ, both in Heaven and Earth.' Angels, Men and Devils, are in this Senfe united under the Kingdom and Government of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and shall accordingly be all accountable to him in the Day of Retribution. This therefore cannot be the Meaning of the Union in Question.

I fhall now proceed to confider affirmatively, according to the Light given us in the Scripture, what the Nature of this Union is; and here,

From

1. It must be confidered as a mystical Union. This (fays the Apostle) is a great Mystery, Eph. v.. 32. So great as to admit of no clear and full Illustration, at least in this imperfect State. whence we have a further Evidence, that it is not a mere relative and political Union, in which there is nothing mysterious, nothing but what is familiar and eafy enough to be understood, while the Union under Confideration is altogether incomprehenfible. The Reality and Certainty of this Union is is clearly revealed and the bleffed Effects of it are experienced by all the Children of God; but the

Manner