1. Labour to get your union with Christ cleared to you. The pass- ing out of virtue and influence from Christ depends upon that ; the head doth not guide and act foreign members. Oh, say, then, if 1 were sure of my union with Christ, I should have this rich comfort. As the woman said, Mat. ix. 21, ' If I might but touch the hem of his garment, I shall be made whole.' The least evidence of an interest and union with Christ would fill us with wonderful comfort.
2. Value it. Think it worthy of the best of your endeavours, and your greatest self-denial : Phil. iii. 10, ' That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death.'
Now this appeareth to be from the resurrection of Christ, for these three reasons : — From its influence — •
1. Because this is the most proportionable and suitable act in the creatures ; and I take it for a spiritual principle that every act of grace hath a necessary dependence upon that work of Christ that is most suit- able to it. Observe it, Christians, faith is mightily helped when you know that special well-head to which you must repair for the refresh- ment of your spirit in every exigence. It is not enough to know in the general that Christ must do all for you, and that he is the fountain of all mercies ; but you must know particularly what is the spring of your comfort on such and such a needful occasion. In times of knowledge God will have our thoughts more explicit ; and if you observe it, you will
VOL. III. z
354 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIII. 8.
find thnt general and indistinct considerations do not work so effectu- ally to the stablisliing of the si)irit. God would have you to see the provision he hath made for every need. Christ died for sin that you might die to sin ; and Christ rose to glory that you might rise to grace and glory. The dependence and looking up of the creature must be to the most suitable act and work of the Messiah. Whole Christ carrieth in himself the complete work of our salvation, and the several acts and conditions of Christ are proportioned to the several acts and conditions of salvation.
2. Because the same power that raised Christ raiseth us from death to life ; and therefore clearly such influence is from the resurrection of Christ. This is evidenced in many ])hices of scripture: Col. ii. 12, ' You are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hatli raitied him from the dead.' It is the same operation of God. The meaning of that j)lace is, that the life of faith was created in our souls by the same almighty efficacy of God by which Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. For the apostle proveth three things there : That whoever is in Christ is risen from death to life ; and that this rising is by faith ; and that this faith is wrought by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. See another place, Eph. i, 19, 20, 'And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, ac- cording to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead.' It was the same power, because it was the same power that procured it for us. God raised him up, tliat he might be a fountain and root of all supernatural life to us, that the power might work in his as well as liim. So Rom. viii. 11, * If the Spirit of him that raised u\) Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you, Mark, it is the same Spirit. The power of the Spirit is put forth to raise Christ, and the power of the Spirit is put forth to raise you. Tliis is not done by the consideration of Christ's resurrection, but by the power of the Spirit accompanying it. It is the SjHrit that doth effectually apply this raising and beget- ting power.
3. Because the Spirit worketh always with reference to this act and work of Christ. It raiseth you with respect to Christ's resurrection ; and that is the meaning of these phrases which do a])Ound in scrip- ture, that couple the soul and Christ together in all his works, as crucified with him, raised with him. For the latter, take these places : Eph. ii. r), ' Even when we were dead in sins hath he quickened us to- gether with Christ, and hath raised us up together.' So Col. ii. 13, ' So you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together witli him ; so Col. iii. 1, ' If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above.' Divers such kinds of expressions theic are in the word, wliich make out the soul's shar- ing witli Christ in the virtue of these works. The Spirit revealeth to them that they are not only to l)e raised witli Clirist, laut that they are raised, and so make it a powerful argument to heavenliness, or any other part of tlie new creature. This is done already in the root and mystical notion, and tlicrefore it should be done in the effectual appli- cation. I say, the Spirit revealeth to the soul the resurrection of