what motive it is occafioned. You will remember, that I am not explaining this fundamental principle of Chritianity, as a mere matter of fpeculation, or to entertain your curiofity; but that you may know what is the hope of your calling, what the foundation of your confidence; and where the returns are to be made for all your experience of grace and life. But it is time I fhould proceed to fome further defcription of the nature of that union to Chrift under confideration. I fhall but briefly hint at a few particulars more.

3. Then there is fuch an union between Chrift and believers, whereby the whole church becomes the body of Chrift; and all true believers are members in parti cular. He is given to be the head over all things to his church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all,' Eph. i. 22, 23. Now ye are the bo dy of Chrift, and members in particular, 1 Cor. xiii. 27. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,' Eph. iii. 15. The whole church, whether militant or triumphant, are by their union to Chrift one church, one family, and one body, whereof Chrift himfelf is the head. The family in heaven indeed, as adult children, have their inheritance in poffeffion, while the family on earth, as minors in their non-age, have only neceffary fupplies for their fupport, comfort, and growth, till they come into a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift. But then the fulmefs of the glory in the one, and the gradual progress of grace in the other, are both the product of their union to Chrift. And as the whole church is the body of Chrift, fo each particular believer is a member of that body; and hath both his body and foul united unto the perfon of Chrift; by an union that can never be diffolved, by an union that will not only continue with the soul, in its feparate and intermediate ftate: but will alfo continue with the body, in its state of diffolution, whereby its glorious refurrection and final renovation will be fe cured; and them which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him.

4. This union is such, that Chrift and believers have one common intereft. I have hinted at this before: but it requires fome more particular illuftration. It should

then be obferved, that in the great defign of reconciling finners to God, and preparing a chofen number for eternal glory, Chrift and the church were one myftical perfon: fo one, that what he did was imputed to them, as if done by them; and what they deferved was imputed to him, as if he had been perfonally obnoxious. Thus the Lord Jefus Chrift is called the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jer. xxiii. 6. And the church by virtue of this union to Chrift, is confidered as the fame perfon, and has the fame characters afcribed to her. This is the name wherewith the fhall be called, the Lord our righteoufnefs,' Jer. xxxiii. 16. This i dentity of perfon was founded on the eternal covenant of redemption. The Lord Jefus Chrift was foreordained, to the office and work of a Saviour and mediator, before the foundation of the world.' I Pet. i. 20. And • we were chofen in him, before the foundation of the world; and predeftinated unto the adoption of children by him and thus we become accepted in the beloved,' Eph. i. 4, 5. 6. And as he was foreordained to the work and office of a Redeemer, fo likewife to all that grace, righteousness, strength, and glory required thereunto; not only to that which was peculiar to himfelf: but to that allo, which was needful to be commu. nicated to the church, and to all that fhould ever believe on him, in their state of probation here, or perfection hereafter. And on the other hand, as believers were chofen in him, fo they were chofen to be partakers with him, in that common stock or depofitum committed to him, for both their prefent and eternal intereft and happinefs. Thus the obedience of our Lord Jefus Chrift becomes our righteoufnefs, his fufferings our atonement; and he is a fountain opened, for all fupplies of grace, He bore our fins in upon our union to him by faith.

his own body on the tree,' 1 Pet. ii. 24. And we < are compleat in. him,' Col. ii. 1o. Thus likewife, the believer's fufferings in his caufe are the sufferings of Chrift, Col. i. 24. In all their afflictions, he is afflic ted,' Ifa. lxiii. 9. The believer's graces are the graces of Chrift, owned by and derived from him; and of his fulness they all receive, and grace for grace,' John i. 16. And the believer's good converfation is

in Chrift,' 1 Pet. iii. 16. In fine, the whole intereft of the church is the interest of Chrift, and is by him ta ken care of, and provided for, as his own: and the whole intereft of Chrift is the interest of the church; and the believer is moft nearly affected with the intereft of Chrift's kingdom, as what moft nearly concerns him. Thus is the church united to Chrift; and thus has he graven her upon the palms of his hands, and her walls are continually before him.

5. The union between Chrift and believers is fuch as that they have thereby one common relation. He is their everlasting Father, their head, their husband, their brother, their friend, theirs by all relations of nearest intimacy. His Father is their Father, his brethren are their brethren; and his God is their God. Go to my brethren; and fay unto them, I afcend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God,' John xx. 17. Thus are believers diftinguished from the reft of the world, dignified and exalted above all those who are esteemed great and honourable among men, by their near relation to him who is higher than the higheft, and is the prince of the kings of the earth.' 6. The union between Chrift and believers is fuch that they have thereby one common inheritance. They being children, are heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift,' Rom. viii. 7. And if I go (fays the • bleffed Saviour) and prepare a place for you, I will • come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am ye may be alfo,' John xiv. 3. There is nothing can break the band of union between Christ and belielievers; the union will not be diffolved, but perfected by death. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other * creature, fhall be able to feparate us from the love of • God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord,' Rom. viii. 38, 39. This is the hope of their calling. This the in heritance of the faints, that when they have a little longer ftruggled with the temptations and imperfections, diftreffes and calamities of this nilitant ftate, they fhall arrive fafe to the end of their defires and hopes; and be

ever with the Lord. They fhall dwell in his prefence; and partake of the joys at his right hand for evermore.

Thus I have given you a very brief and general view of the believer's union to Chrift, according to the reprefentation of it in the fcriptures; and I am now prepared to confider your fecond quefti n.

You next enquire, How this union is effected and accomplished?'

To this it is a fufficient anfwer that this union is accomplished by the omnipotent agency of the Spirit of God, as the author and efficient; and by faith, as the bond of union. Vain therefore are their pretences, and they have but a delufive and deftructive hope, who afcribe all the change in conversion, to mere moral fuafon; or to the exercife of our own natural powers or endeavours only. It is beyond the power of men or means to perfuade a finner into this ftrict and intimate union with Chrift. It infinitely exceeds the capacity of any fuch finful worms as we are, to make ourselves one with the Lord Jefus Chrift, as the Father and he are cne. No! We dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit, 1 John iv. 13. And by one Spirit we are baptized into one body, 1 Cor. xii. 13. Vain like. wife is the pretence of an eternal union to Chrift, or of an union to him, from the time of his paffion, or of his finishing the work of our redemption. For it is to them and none but them, who receive him and believe on his name, that he gives power to become the fons of God, John i. 12. And Chrift dwells in our hearts by faith, Eph.. The bleffed Spirit fhining with a ray of divine light into the foul of a finner, thereby difcovers to him his own mifery and impotence; and fhews him the fulness and excellency of Chrift, the freeness of the goffpel-offer, the faithfulness of the promises; and the rea dinefs of this precious Saviour to accept and fave such guilty perifhing finners as he is. This divine light enkindles the finner's defires after Chrift, reprefents him worthy to be chofen and trufted; by which his will is brought into a hearty compliance with the Gospel offer. Thus this admirable union is accomplished. Thus, by the omnipotent power of divine grace, the finner is drawa to Chrift and made one with him, in a way most agree

iii. 17.

able and delightful to himself, with the concurring act of his own will; and with his free confent and choice.

I now proceed unto your third question; Of what neceffity or usefulness unto practical godliness is it, ⚫ that we should have a just acquaintance with this doc. trine of our union to Jefus Chrift.'

In aufwer to this, I muft observe, that I have already fomething anticipated this enquiry. You may perceive, by what has been already faid upon this fubject, that it is not a point of mere unneceffary fpeculation, of no use or influence upon practical and vital religion. And I would now endeavour to fhew you, that this is the foundation of all practical godlinefs; and that it is from ig. norance of, or inattention to this foundation of our practice and hope, that fo many dangerous errors have ob. tained in the Chriftian church. This may be reprefented to you in the first place, by confidering this matter with a special application to the subject, upon which I have lately written fo particularly and largely to you.

And

I am first then to fhew you, that our juftification before God does neceffarily and immediately depend upon our vital union to Jefus Chrift. It must be confeffed by all men, who know any thing of human nature, and have any belief of a divine revelation, that we have all finned, and that we are all become guilty before God. which way fhall guilty finners be reconciled to God? This, Sir, is the most important concern in the world. Confider the queftion, with an attention worthy of its infinite confequence. Can you quiet your conscience with hopes of appeafing the divine juftice by your refor. mations, good endeavours, or duties? Alas! they are all fo defective and finful, that the iniquity of your holy things will greatly increase the fcore, and add to the weight of your guilt. Will you flatter your hopes, from the mercy and goodness of the divine nature? But what claim can you have to mercy, when open to the inexorable demands of juftice! Do you expect acceptance with God upon Chrift's account? This is indeed a fure foundation of hope, for all who are interested in Chrift and united to him. But what pretence can you make to the righteoufnefs of Chrift and the benefits of his redemption, if you have no intereft in him; or in