like us in all Things, except Sin, which hath made us unlike our felves. This Bond of Union you have in the ver. 3. Chrift fo infinitely above Sinners, and higher than the Heavens, coming down fo low, to be as like Sinners as might be, or could be profitable for us, in the Likenefs of finful Flefb, &c. But yet this Bond is not near enough, that Conjunction feemeth but general and infirm; both because it is in fome Manner common to all Mankind, who fhall not be all advanced to this Privilege. By taking on our Nature, he cometh nearer to humane Nature, but not to fome beyond others; and befides, the Distance is not filled up this Way, because there is a great Difproportion between that Nature in Chrift and in us: In him, it is holy and undefiled, and feparated from Sin; but in us, it is unclean and immersed into Sin; fo that, albeit he be nearer us as a Man, yet he is far diftant and unlike us, a holy, perfet Man: Now, what Fellowship can be between Light and Darkness? As Paul fpeaketh of the Marriage of Chriftians with Idolaters; much greater Distance and Difagreement is between Chrift and us. Therefore, it feemeth, that fome of us must be changed and transformed: But him it may not be; he cannot become liker us than by partaking of our Flesh; for if he had become a Sinner indeed, he would have become fo like us, that he could not help himself nor us either; this would ecclipfe the Glory and Happiness of the Marriage. But in that he came as near as could be, with out difabling himfelf, to make us happy; and fo he was contented to come in the Place of Sinners, and take on their Debt, and aniwer to God's Juftice for it; yea, and in his own Perfon, he fubmitted to be tempted to Sin, though it had been evil for us he had been overcome by it; yet this brings him a Step lower and nearer us, and maketh the Union more hopeful. But fince he can come no lower, and can be made no liker us in the Cafe we are in; then certainly, (if the Match hold) we muft become liker him, and raised up out of our miferable Eftate, to fome Suitablenefs to his holy Nature; and therefore the Love and Wisdom of God, to fill up the Distance completely, and effectuate. this happy Conjunction, that the Creation feemeth to groan for ( for, ver. 22. the whole Creation is pained till it be ac complished) he hath sent his bleffed Spirit to dwell in us, and to transform our Natures, and make them Partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. i. 4. as Chrift was Partaker of humane Nature; and thus the Distance shall be removed; when a bleffed Spirit is made Flesh, and a fleshly Man made Spirit, then they are near the Day of Efpoufals; and this Indwelling of the Spirit is the laft Link of the Chain that faftens us to Chrift, and maketh our Flesh in fome Measure like. his holy Flefh. By taking on our Flesh, Chrift became Bone of our Bone, and Flesh of our Flesh: But the Union becometh mutual, when we receive the Spirit; we become Bone of his Bone, and Flefb of his Flefb, as it is expreffed, Eph.. v. 30. in Allufion to the Creation of Eve, and her Marriage to Adam; the Ground of the Marriage is, that near Bond of Union, because she was taken out of Man, and therefore because of his Flesh and Bone she was made one Flesh with him; even fo the Sinner must be Partaker of the Spirit of Chrift, as Chrift is Partaker of the Flesh of Sinners; and these two concurring, thefe two Knots interchanging and woven through other, we become one Flesh with him. And this is a great Myftery indeed, to bring two, who who were so far afunder, fo near other. Yea, it is nearer than that too; for we are faid, not only to be one Fleb with Chrift, but one Spirit, 1 Cor. vi. 17. He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit; because he is animated and quickned by one Spirit, that fame Spirit of Chrift; and indeed Spirits are more capable of Union, and more fit to embofom one with another than Bodies; therefore the nearest Union conceivable, is the Union of Spirits by Affection; this maketh two Souls one, for it tranfports their Spirit out of the Body, where it lives, and fettleth it there where it loveth: your felves, that you may be joined unto bim. This Spirit of Chrift is his Meffenger and Ambaffador fent before-hand to fit you, and fuit you for the Day of Efpoufals; and therefore he muft have a Dwelling and conftant Abode in you. This Indwelling imports, Afpecial familiar Operation, and the Perpetuity or Con tinuance of it. The Spirit is every where in his Being, and he worketh every where too; but here he hath a special and peculiar Work in Commiffion, to reveal the Love of God in Chrift, to engage the Soul to love him again, to prepare all Now, my Beloved, you fee what within for the great Day of Elpoufals, to Way this great Marriage, that Heaven purify and purge the Heart from all that and Earth are in a longing Expectation is difpleafing to Chrift, to correfpond be after, fhall be brought about. Chrift he tween Chrift and his Spouse, between did forfake his Father's House, when he Heaven and Earth, by making Interceffion left that holy Habitation, his Father's for her when the cannot pray for her felf, Bofom, a Place of marvellous Delight, as you find here, Ver. 26. and so sending Pro. viii. 30. And defcended into the up the News of the Soul's panting and lowest Parts of the Earth, Eph. iv. 9. | breathing after Chrift, fending up her And, be came out from the Father into Love, Groans and Sighs to her Beloved, the World, Joh. xvi. 28. This was a giving Intelligence of all her Neceflities great Journey to meet with poor Sinners, to him, who is above, in the Place of an But, that there may be a full and entire Advocate and Interceeder; and then Meeting, you must leave and forfake bringing back from Heaven, Light and your Father's House too, and forget Life, Direction from her Head (for the your own People, Pfal. xlv. 10. You Spirit muft lead into all Truth) and Conmuft give an entire Renounce to all for- folation; for Chrift hath appointed the mer Lovers, if you would be. his; all Spirit, to fupply his Abfence, and to comformer Bonds and Engagements must be fort the Soul in the mean Time till he broken, that this may be tied the fafter, come again: You have this mutual and reAnd to hold to the Subject in Hand, you ciprocal Knot in 1 Job. iv. 13. Here muft forfake and forget the Flesh, and be by we know that we dwell in bim, and be poffeffed of his Holy Spirit; as he came in us, by the Spirit that be bath given. down to our Flesh, you must rise up to It is much Nearnefs to dwell one with meet him in the Spirit; the Spirit of Chrift another, but much greater, to dwell one must indeed prevent you, and take you in another: And 'tis reciprocal, fuch a out of that natural Pofture you are born wonderful Interchange in it, we in him, into, and bring you a great Journey from and be in us: For the Spirit carries the Sou! rit, which was the firft Breach in the Creation, and the Cause of all the rest: He is about the cleaning and washing this Temple, and we may be perfuaded that be who bath begun this good Work, will perform it until the Day of Chrift till we be prefented blameless and without Spot to our Husband, Phil. i. 5, 6. and this is the grand Confolation of Believers, that they have this Prefence aflured to them by Promife; that the Spirit is fix able Covenant or Donation, and will not wholly depart from them, though he may withdraw and leave you confortlefs for a Seafon, Ifa. lix. 21. Soul to Heaven, and brings Christ, as it were, down to the Earth: He is the Mef fenger that carries Letters between both; our Prayers to him, and his Prayers for us, and Love-tokens to us, the anointing that teacbeth us all Things, from our Huf band, John ii. 27. and revealing to us the Things of God, i Cor. ii. 12. giving us the First-fruits of that happy and glorious Communion we must have with Chrift in Heaven, as you fee, Ver. 23. of this Chap. and Sealing used here by an irrevocable and unchange. to the Day of Redemption, Eph. i. 13. and iv. 30. Supplying us with Divine Power against our spiritual Enemies, fetching alongs from Heaven that Strength whereby our Lord and Saviour overcame -all, Eph. iii. 16. Gal. v. 17. This is a Prefence that few have, fuch a familiar and Love-abode: But certainly, all that are Chrift's must have it in fome Meafure: Now, whofoever hath it, 'tis perpetual, the Spirit dwells in them: Tis not a Sojourning for a Seafon, not a Lodging for a Night, as fome have Fits and Starts of feeking God, and fome tranfient Motions of Conviction or Joy, but return again to the Puddle; thefe go through them as Lightning, and do not warm them, or change them; but this is a conftant Refidence; where the Spirit takes up House he will dwell, be dwelletb with you, and shall be in you, and abide for ever, John xiv. 16, 17. If the Son abide in the House for ever, Joh. viii. 35. much more the Mafter of the Houfe muft abide. Now the Spirit, where he dwells, hath gotten the Command of that Houfe; all the Power is put in his Hand, and refigned to him; for where he dwells, he muft rule, as good Reason is; he is about the greatest Work that is now to do in the World, the Repairing and Renewing of the Ruins and Breaches of Man's Spi, Therefore I would fhut up all in a Word of Exhortation to you,That fince we have the Promise of so noble and happy a Guest, you would apply your felves to feek him, and then keep him; to receive him, and then retain him. It is true that he must firft prevent us; for as no Man can fay. that Jefus is the Chrift, but by the Spirit of God, fo no Man can indeed pray for the Spirit, but by the Spirit's own Interceffion within him. Where God hath beftowed any Thing of this Spirit, it is known by the kindly and fervent Defires after more of it. Now, fince we have fuch a large and ample Promise, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. Joel. ii. 28. of the pouring out of the Spirit, and that in as abfolute and free a Manner as can be ima gined; and this renewed by Chrift, and confirmed by his Prayer to the Father for the Performance of it, Job. xiv. 16, 17. and then we have a fweet and affectionate Promife propounded in the most moving and loving Manner that can be, Luk. xi. 13. where he encourageth us to pray for the Spirit, and that from this Ground, that our heavenly Father, who placed that natural Affection in other Fathers towards their Children, whereby they cannot rePP fufe fufe them Bread when they cry for it; he, Spirit, Eph. iv. 30. and Quench not the who was the Author of all natural Affecti Spirit, 1 Thef. v. 19. There is no. on, muft certainly tranfcent them in thing can grieve him, but Sin; and if you finitely in his Love to his Childern, as entertain that, you cannot retain him. the Pfalmift argues, Shall not be that He is a Spirit of Holiness, and he is a planted the Ear, bear, and be that for- bout the making you holy; then do not med the Eye, fee? So may a poor mar him in his Work; labour to advance Soul réafon itself to fome Confidence, this, and you do him a Pleasure. If you Shall not he who is the Fountain of all na make his holy Temple an unclean Cage tural Love in Men and Beafts have much for hateful Birds, or a Temple for Idais, more himself? And if my Father will how can it but grieve him? And if you not give me a Stone when I feek Bread, grieve the Spirit, certainly the Spirit will certainly he will far lefs do it: There- grieve you, will make you repent it at the fore, if we being Evil, know bow to Heart. Please him, by hearkning to his give good Things to our Children, bow Motions, and following his Direction, and •much more fball our heavenly Father he fhall comfort you. His Office is to give his Spirit to them that ask bim. be a Spring of Confolation to you; but if Alas, that we fhould want fuch a Gift for you grieve him by walking in the Imaginot asking it! My beloved, let us en- nation of your Hearts, and following the large our Defires for this Spirit, and feek Suggeftions of the Flesh, bis Enemy, no more earneftly; and no doubt Affection doubt that Spring will turn its Channel and Importunity will not be fent away another Way, and dry up for a Seafon toempty. Is it any wonder we receive not, ward you. It is not every Sin or Infirbecause we ask hot, or we ask fo coldly, mity that grieves him thus, if fo be that it that we teach him in a manner to deny us, grieve thee; but the entertaining of any qui timide rogat, I may fay, frigide, Sin, and making Peace with any of his docet negare. Ask frequently, and ask Enemies, that cannot but difpleafe confidently, and his Heart cannot deny. him: And O what Lofs you have by it! O that we could lay this Engagement on You difpleafe your greatest Friend, to our own Hearts to be more in Prayer! please your greateft Enemy; you blot Let us prefs our felves to this, and we and bludder that Seal of the Spirit, that need not prefs him; albeit the first Grace you fhall not be able to read it, till it be be wholly a Surprifal, yet certainly he cleanfed and wathed again. Now, If any keeps this fuitable Method in the Enlarge-Man bave not the Spirit of Chrift, be ments of Grace, that when he gives more, is none of bis, he is not a Christian : he enlargeth the Heart more after it, he Take this alongs with you, who aim at openeth the Mouth wider to ask and re- nothing but the external and outward Shew ceive, and, according to that Capacity, fo or vifible ftanding in the Church; if you is his Hand opened to fill the Heart. O, have not this Spirit, and the Seal of this why are our Hearts thut, when his Hand Spirit, found on you, Chrift will not is open! Again, I would exhort you in know you for his in that Day of his apJefus Chrift, to entertain the Spirit fuitably, pearing. and this thall keep him. To this Purpose are thefe Exhortations, Grieve not the Y SER SERMON XXVI. Verfe 10. And if Christ be in you, the Body is dead because of Sin: But the Spirit is Life, because of Righteousness. Go 1 as it imports an interchangeable Relati- OD's Prefence is his Working; his Prefence in a Soul by his Spirit is his Working in fuch a Soul in fome fpecial Manner, not common to all Men, but peculiar to them whom he hath chofen. Now his Dwelling is nothing else, but a continued, familiar and endless Working in a Soul, till he have conformed all with in to the Image of his Son. The Soul is the Office-boufe, or Work-boufe that the Spirit hath taken up, to frame in it the moft curious Piece of the whole Creation, eyen to reftore and repair that Mafter piece, which came laft from God's Hand, ab ultima manu, and fo was the chiefeft; I mean, the Image of God, in Righteoufnefs and Holinefs. Now, this is the Bond of Union between God and us: Chrift is the Bond of Union with God, but the Spirit is the Bond of Union with Chrift. Chrift is the Peace between God and us, that makes of two one, but the Spirit is the Link between Chrift and us, whereby he hath immediate and actual Intereft in us, and we in him. I find the Union between Chrift and a Soul fhadowed out in Scripture, by the nearest Re-the very applying of his Blood and Suflations among Creatures, (for truly thefe are but Shadows, and that is the Body or Subftance) and becaufe an Union that is mutual, is neareft, it is often fo expreffed, ferings to the Wound that Sin hath made in the Confcience; the laying of that Sa crifice propitiatory to the wounded Confcience, is that which heals it, pacifies it Pp 2 and |