believers have one common Father.

John xx. 17.

They have one 17. Heirs of

"I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." common inheritance, Rom. viii. God, and joint-heirs with Christ."

And they have one common place of eternal residence. John 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 also."

From this brief and general view of the scriptural representations of our union with Christ, I now proceed to consider something distinctly, what is the special nature of this union, and what we are to understand by it. Now it may not be improper, in the first place, to consider it negatively, and say 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 essential or personal union. The union of the Trinity in the Godhead is essential: the union of the divine and human nature in Christ is personal. But it were blasphemy to suppose either of these kinds of unions in the case before us. Should we suppose the former, we should attribute divine perfection to ourselves. Should we suppose 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 respect 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 likewise unnecessary to endeavour to prove to you, that this union is not of the same kind with those natural and local unions with which we are acquainted. Though the word union is apt to carry our minds into an imagination of a contract, mixture, inhesion, or the like, we are to remember, that these are too gross and low conceptions of this astonishing 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 "set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."

These things need not be insisted upon; the mere proposing of them compels your assent. But it seems there is another thing requires more particular consideration, which is, that the union I am treating of is not to be considered as a mere civil or political union. It is through want of a right view of this Gospel-mystery that you tell me, "you can understand no more by our being united to Christ, 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 confess) you have no idea of it." I hope, Sir, your internal experience has in this case gone beyond your speculation: your state (I think) must otherwise be most dangerous and miserable. If you will view the scriptural representations, which I have already given of this matter, you must see, that there is much more than a mere relative, civil, or political union, implied in those emphatical expressions-of being one with Christ, 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 so joined to the

Lord, as to be one spirit with him; of being the body of Christ, and members in particular; with others of the like nature: it is impossible to give any rational construction of these and the like passages of Scripture, upon the supposition 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 sense united under the kingdom and government of the Lord Jesus Christ, 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 shall now proceed to consider affirmatively, (according to the light given us in the Scripture,) what the nature of this union is. And here,

1. It must be considered as a mystical union. This, says the Apostle, is a great mystery, Ephes. v. 32. So great, as to admit of no clear and full illustration, at least in this imperfect state. From 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 easy enough to be understood, while the union under consideration is altogether incomprehensible. The reality and certainty of this union is clearly revealed, and the blessed effects of it are experienced by all the children of God; but the manner of it (like the divine person, God incarnate, to whom we are united) is not only above our knowledge, but above our search and inquiry. This may perhaps be matter of prejudice in the minds of some, against the doctrine before us, that it is inscrutable and un

intelligible; but the same objection lies against the most important articles of our faith and hope, and even against many undoubted certainties in the kingdom of nature as well as of grace. There is

the same reason to doubt of the union of the three persons in the Godhead, of the union of the divine and human natures in the person of the Son of God, and even of the union of our own souls and bodies. We may have reason to believe, what our reason cannot search out, nor inquire into; and when that is the case, the more mysterious and unsearchable is the modus of any thing which God hath revealed, the more should it be the subject of our acknowledgment and admiration. Thus, in the present case, because "this is the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes," therefore we should adore the wonderful dispensation of grace, and rejoice and be glad in it.

2. I must also observe to you, that this is a spiritual union. Such a union whereby, being joined to the Lord, we are "one spirit with him.” By which we may understand, that believers partake of the same divine Spirit, and the same divine influences and operations, with our blessed Mediator and Master; this difference being excepted, that we have only lower degrees of the divine communications; but "to him God giveth not the Spirit by measure.” We partake of rays; he of the full sun of divine light and grace; and in him are all the treasures of grace, as in the repository or fountain, from whence we derive those supplies which we are partakers of. The blessed Spirit, who is in Christ an infinite fountain of all grace, communicates some

emanations of the same grace to us, whereby we are (though in a low and imperfect degree) conformed to the divine will, made "partakers of the divine nature, have Christ dwelling in us, and we in him." I confess I am afraid, in this mysterious depth of divine wisdom and grace, of darkening counsel by words without knowledge. I shall, therefore, not adventure to inquire into the mode of this unity of Spirit in Christ and believers; but only endeavour to consider it in a scriptural and practical light; in such a light as it is necessary it should be considered and understood by all that would obtain a sure foundation of hope, and need supplies of grace and strength for a holy and spiritual walk with God.

Let it, then, be first observed, that by this union believers have all needful supplies of grace treasured up for them in Christ. In which respect, it is said, "all things are theirs: for they are Christ's, and Christ is God's." "In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; and we are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power." By which means believers are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." And "Christ is made of God unto them wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." By these, and other like texts of Scripture, believers have matter of great consolation, even in their sharpest temptations and lowest frames; for how dead soever their affections may be, and how dark soever their circumstances may appear, they have an inexhaustible fountain of grace treasured up for them in Christ; and by virtue of their union to him, they have an interest in his person,