[4.] The manner of this union. It is secret and mysterious : /xe7<z fjbva-Trjptov, Eph. V. 22, ' This is a great mystery ;' not only a mystery, but a great mystery ; ' but I speak concerning Christ and the church.' It is a part of our portion in heaven to understand it : John xiv. 20, 'At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.' When we are more like God, we shall know what it is to be united to God through Christ. Here believers feel it rather than understand it, and it is our duty rather to get an interest in it than subtly to dispute about it.
[5.] Though it be secret and mystical, yet it is real ; because a thing is spiritual, it doth not cease to be real. These are not words, or poor empty notions only, that we are united to Christ ; but they imply a real truth. Why should the Holy Ghost use so many terms ; of being planted into Christ ? Kom. vi. 5, ' For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection ; ' of being joined to Christ ? 1 Cor. vi. 17, ' He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit ; ' of being made partakers of Christ ? Heb. iii. 14, 'JFor we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.' Do these terms only imply a relation between us and Christ? No; then the emphasis of the words is lost. What great mystery in all this ? Why is this mystery so often spoken of ? Christ is not only ours, but ' he is in us, and we in him.' God is ours, and we dwell in God : 1 John iv. 13, ' Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit ; ■" and ver. 15, ' Whoso- ever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.' It is represented by similitudes, that imply a real union as well as a relative, by head and members, root and branches, as well as by marriage, where man and wife are made one flesh. It is
VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 27
compared here with the mystery of the Trinity, and the unity of the divine persons, though not aKpi^w^. It is not a notion of scripture, but a thing wrought by the Spirit : 1 Cor. ii. 13, ' Which things also we speak,' &c. It worketh a presence, and conveyeth real influences.
[6.] It may be explained as far as our present light will bear, by analogy to the union between head and members. The head is united to the body primarily, and first of all by the soul. Head and members make out one body, because they are animated by the same soul, and by that means doth the head communicate life and motion to the body. Besides this there is a secondary union, by the bones, muscles, nerves, veins, and other ligaments of the body, and upon all these by the skin, all which do constitute and make up this natural union. Just so in this spiritual and mystical union there is a primary band and tie, and that is the Spirit of Christ : 1 Cor. vi, 17, ' He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit ; ' that is, is acted by the same Spirit by which Christ is acted, and liveth the same life of grace that Christ liveth, as if there were but one soul between them botii. The fulness remaineth in Christ, but we have our share ; and ' he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his.' But over and above there is a secondary bond and tie, that knitteth us and Christ together, which answereth to the joints and arteries, by which the parts of the body are united to one another, and that is faith, and love, and fear, and other graces of the Spirit, by which the presence is kept in the soul. Thus I have a little opened this mystery to you.
2. There is a union of the members one with another. A little of that.
[1.] The same Spirit that uniteth the members to the head uniteth the members one to another. Therefore the apostle, as an argument of union, urgeth the communion of the same Spirit : Phil. ii. 1,2,' If any fellowship of the Spirit, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.' As Christ is the head of the church, so the Holy Ghost is the soul of the church, by which all the members are acted. As in the primitive times : Acts iv, 32, ' The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.' And this is that that Christ prayeth for here, that they may all be one, in the communion of the same Spirit, that they may be of the same religion, and have the same aim, and the same affection to good things.